Many people forget that the exterior of their home plays an important role in projecting an image of the lifestyle we wish to be living. The home should be your sanctuary, the place where you can relax and be with family after long hours at work. The New Year boasts many wonderful colour combinations which will help you turn your drab roof with four walls into a suburban oasis while also enhancing the eco-friendly vibes that will leave all the other homes in your neighbourhood jealous.
Dark on Dark
Nothing brings out sophistication and charm more than fifty shades of charcoal, black, dark blue, dark green and dark red used in various combinations to create a striking effect to welcome you home at the end of a long day.
Bringing Classic Back
Classic white with black trim will never go out of style. Try using neutral colours like blue or grey to add a little warmth.
The Doors
Brighten up a tired façade more using neutral colours like beige and white accented with a brightly coloured door. A soft aqua or bright red or purple are sure to inspire a sense of joy every time you’re home.
Into the Woods
Bring cottage life to the city with some mustard yellow with brown and honeysuckle white trim accents for a more contemporary take on English or Italian country life. Opt for a neutrally stained wood door to complete the statement and then relax and watch as the sun bathes your home in its golden glow.
By the Sea
Syncing up with nature’s tones will evoke sensations of calm and serenity as you gaze across the beach and watch the birds dance over the ocean waves. Try a cool green or sea foam with butter yellow and white trim accents. You can almost hear the waves lapping blissfully on the beach now.
From Dusk Till Dawn
Brighten up a modern beach house with a cheerful yellow, white trim and a cinnamon door, keeping it crisp and clean to evoke your own Mexican hacienda.
Against the Wall
If you have an outdated brick exterior, give it an update with a soft pastel colour and some wood highlights to provide an eye-catching contrast.
Cool Hand Roof
Upgrade your roof with a new cool roofing system to help reflect sunlight thanks to the light colour and reflective paint, white glue and unique gravel mixture. Having a reflective roof can help reduce the power consumption of your household by reflecting the additional heat of the sun that’s normally absorbed into the home, back into the air.
Living Roof
Having a green or living roof used to be a sign of poor home maintenance, but now with proper care and tending, having a living roof can help create a positive eco-friendly home environment. Easy to distinguish by their thick layer of vegetation, these roofing systems have multiple layers such as engineered soil, protective fabric, waterproof membrane and, finally, green layer of plants. Not only do these roofs create a natural habitat and help reduce acid rain, but at the same time they help save you money through its insulating properties and provides ultimate protection of your home.
Full Metal Roof
For a long time metal was considered unappealing in residential and used primarily for commercial purposes, found often on huge industrial buildings. But as one of the longest lasting roofs, it withstands fires, winds, rain, snow and pretty much whatever the elements can throw at it. Modern metal roofing comes in panels or shingles, its reflective properties keep it from absorbing heat and helps you save energy and money. Low maintenance and strong protection, new modern metal roofing definitely don’t look like the tool shed variety you’re used to seeing.
Composite Roofing
These composite or synthetic shingles look like wood shake or shingles with the beauty and quality of slate, but at a lower cost. Lasting about two to three times longer than real wood and asphalt shakes, these polymer-based shingles are made of plastic and rubber. They are lightweight, eco-friendly, recyclable and resistant to mold, fungus and rot. They may cost you a little more than traditional asphalt shingles, but the quality and energy efficiency make their value added benefits so worth the price.