Whether you are planning a new construction home or just thinking about sprucing up your space, here are 5 exterior accents that will add curb appeal to your home.
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Copper Roof Accents
Copper has been used as a roofing material for centuries due to its durability and beauty. The price of copper has made this material a choice that is out of reach for most of us for an entire roof – but a well-placed accent packs a lot of punch. As shown above a great place to add the elegant patina of copper is above a bay window. Other spots to consider are the eaves over garage doors, the roof of a portico or the roof of dormers.
Because copper is expensive and requires special tools to handle, installation is best left to a pro. A quick Google search for “copper roofers near me” yields a list for quotes.
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Cupola
Cupolas are most thought of these days as adornment for houses, barns and smaller out buildings. Their origins, however, are more functional than fancy. Cupolas were often put on top of barns for ventilation and atop homes and other buildings as either a lookout, belfry or to house a roof lantern.
Today, cupolas are sold as separate pieces in either a louvered style (to mimic ventilation) or a windowed style (roof lantern or lookout). The small roofs of the cupola are sometimes shingled but are more often metal. They can provide another spot to add a copper accent to your home.
Cupolas can also be topped with other decorative elements such as a weathervane or finial. The choices are myriad and limited truly by one’s own imagination. Weathervanes of Maine, Inc. has a cupola measuring guide for those wondering how to size one, as well as an impressive collection of cupolas, weathervanes and finials to choose from.
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Stone Veneer
Source: jkandsons.com
A great way to add interest and warmth to your home is to add some stone veneer to the façade. Stone can be added to the front of the home, to cover the foundation only or along a portion of the bottom of the house. Other ways to introduce stone are to use it to wrap porch columns either partially or fully and on a chimney.
Modern building materials manufacturers offer a lot of choice when it comes to this lighter-weight, easier-to-apply and more cost-effective veneer. Some manufacturers to consider are: Stoneyard, Eldorado Stone, and Coronado Stone Products.
And, an added bonus is that adding stone veneer to your home is a great investment. Read more about that in this post.
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Portico
Source: greenleafbaltimore.com
This one is on my personal wish list.
A portico is, by definition, a roof supported by columns and adds architectural interest to a façade as well as a boost to curb appeal. The roof affords the opportunity to add a metal accent to your home (think copper roof) as well as a curved element in the form of an arched or vaulted ceiling. The columns can be built out with moulding to tie into the existing trim on your home.
For those of us that lack front porches, a portico provides protection in inclement weather to visitors to your home – certainly a welcome feature!
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Pergola
- Pergolas are structures that provide shade for sitting areas, walkways or entryways and have been found on buildings for centuries. They are typically formed from beams in a lattice pattern supported by columns or posts. The lattice portion of the pergolas was designed to train vines or ivy that would provide added shade and greenery to a space.
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- Today’s homeowner has the option of building a pergola made from low-maintenance materials such as vinyl or PVC. Walpole Outdoors has a large selection of pergolas for any application including entryways, patios or freestanding units.
Which feature speaks to you?
Kristen
