I wrote about the importance of roof material selection on this blog a few years ago–but we’ve all slept since then and this important topic bears repeating. I just can’t emphasize enough how critical it is to get this part of your home right. Your roof is one of the largest architectural features on the outside of your home, and it sets the stage for the look and feel. For example, shake shingles convey a more casual, rustic and almost cottagey feel, while a thin, sawn shingle is more refined and conveys elegance. If you’re selecting slate or tile, color choice is important. When I choose slate for a home, I typically select gray, black or taupe, but have also chosen multicolor slate for certain homes. Barrel tile is typically some shade of red, and it’s just about the only suitable choice for an Italian or Mediterranean style home. One home I’m designing for an acreage is going to have a metal roof, and this will be in a dark brown shade. There are many manufactured roofing products on the market that resemble wood and slate–they’re popular because they cost less than natural materials and they’re not combustible. While cost is a factor for most any homeowner, I encourage my clients to go the route of natural roofing materials. In the long run, the more authentic look wins out (in my opinion) and is worth the extra expense.

You can see how the roofing materials add to the home’s overall look. From top, tile, slate, sawn shingle, shake shingle.