Metal roofing has undergone an enormous wave of popularity for residential use. This boom has been fueled by the wide array of attractive colors, the durable finishes, and the new looks of metal roofing. You can get standing seam, natural copper, or metal shingles (just to name a few) to grace your home’s roof. Or, you can consider small touches of lovely metal accents, no matter your home’s architectural style.
Metal Roof Accents to Fit Your Home
We have all seen mismatched architecture. Two-story additions to one-story houses; five-car garages added to bungalows. We have seen jarring mixes of architectural styles in houses, too, with the infamous McMansions. How can you be sure metal roof accents will work with your home’s architecture?
Work with a dependable, local roofer and explore all your options in metal materials, looks, and colors. You can find a comfortable fit for every style of Michigan home:
- Ranch — The low profile of a ranch home lends itself to the low profile of standing seam roofing; if your budget cannot allow for a full metal roof, consider metal roof accents over your ranch home’s front porch, or on a ridge-oriented cupola.
- Mediterranean — Flat or half-round tiles usually highlight this style; perfect metal roof accents in tile or shingles can fit attractively over dormer windows.
- Modern — Modern architecture often celebrates the material; a 5V crimp or corrugated metal roof can be the perfect accent over a garage, porch, or roofed balcony.
- Tudor — You are unlikely to want a thatched roof for this English standard; metal shingles are ideal touches over the smaller gabled ends, dormers, and entryways for this classic style.
- Craftsman — The wood-celebrating boldness of Craftsman homes calls for metal shakes, half-round metal shingles, or the raw honesty of standing seam metal with snow guards.
- Victorian — Turrets and geegaws aplenty mark this delightful style, which can be beautifully accented with natural copper over dormers, or rounded tab metal shingles; these are absolutely authentic, too, as the Victorian era saw the first introduction of mass-produced metal roofing for residences.
Metal Goes Where?
You may not be able to identify ideal spots for metal roof accents right away. Take a walk around your home to start your investigation. Determine your home’s style.
It may not be an original Craftsman home, but could be based on the Craftsman style, for example. So-called “modern” homes are actually harkening back to “mid-century modern” from the 1950s; very few homes built today are in that style. Many homes in developments are done in neutral styles which harmonize with the neighbors, carefully built not to draw much attention to themselves. They may have very subtle touches of French Provincial, Spanish, or Greek Revival styles.
No matter! Even if you cannot pinpoint your home’s precise architectural style, you can easily identify its roof elements. Upstairs balconies may have “flat” roofs; dormers peeking out from steeply sloping roofs expose small slivers of roof. Porches, patios, bay or bow window projections, sun porches, and hip roofs may also offer small areas of roofing to consider for metal roof accents.
Every part of your home’s roof which is not the main roof — not the two largest sloped areas — could be considered for delightful metal roof accents. Look past your home, too, to detached garages, garden sheds, and other outbuildings. Consider adding an attractive cupola with a metal roof to your home, topped by a charming weather vane!
Materials, Shapes, and Colors
Some people struggle when given too many choices. Metal roofing offers an amazing array of materials, shapes, and colors for metal roof accents. Consider just the metal roof materials choices, all offering their own beauty and longevity:
- Natural copper
- Galvalume steel
- Aluminum and aluminum alloys
- Galvanized steel
Now consider the shapes of metal roofing possible and available to you today:
- 5V Crimp panels
- Standing seam panels
- Shakes
- Shingles
- Tiles
Compound that with the myriad of colors and tough, durable finishes and you have perfect complements for every architectural style found in Michigan.
Beware!
A word of caution about metal roof accents: once you see the charm and beauty a metal roof accent adds to your home, you will be tempted to add more, and more, and more. Consider expanding the possibilities to more house elements, but avoid mixing metal roofing looks. Standing seam metal panels by themselves look good; mixed with metal shingles, they clash.
Remember, too, to harmonize the metal roof accent color with your home’s overall color palette, just as you would with a highlight color on trim.
Please connect with us today at Moore & Sons Roofing. We are happy to show you all your options in materials and locations for metal roofing accents on your Grand Rapids home. Add curb appeal and boost your home value with thoughtful metal roof accents!
