When you’re renovating or building a new home it can be overwhelming trying to make choices that can maintain a continuous look and feel for your home and concept. Each product you choose has the power to influence the next, so having great options at your disposal is vital. While the roof of your home has an obvious functionality, its aesthetic and look are often not considered at depth, usually only its colour. We became incredibly aware of the importance of choosing the right roof while designing our recent Byron Bay project, The Barefoot Bay Villa. The materials used throughout this home were matt, natural and textural finishes and COLORBOND^®steel’s Matt roofing helped to provide a softer and more subtle look in line with the overall concept of the home.

So, first off, we have been using COLORBOND^®steel roofing for years now, both on our own and on client projects – it has such universal appeal on a range of architectural styles along with being tested and developed for over 50 years in some of Australia’s harshest conditions- a product which is designed especially for us Aussies!! The COLORBOND^®steel Matt range was such a clever addition to BlueScope’s already extensive range of roofing and cladding options – plus matt finishes are really having a moment in design right now, but their timeless appeal will mean you’ll enjoy the look for decades to come.

Read on below for more renovation tips and some advice in choosing the perfect roofing for your home.

Create a concept

Every interior design, renovation or building project should begin with a strong and most importantly clear conceptual plan. All of our client projects completed at The Designory begin at this most vital stage. Here is where you seek inspiration on the look, feel and function of how you want your home to be. The concept will help you throughout the process of selecting materials, finishes and furniture and making sure your choices are in line with your desired end result. It’s easy to be distracted by a fabulous product without a strong concept to fall back on. This will save you from buying a hideously expensive addition (we’ve all either done this or been to someone’s home where they have this ‘completely out-of-place item!) which often diminishes the overall look you’ve tried to portray. Live by the mantra: If it doesn’t fit the concept, it doesn’t fit the home.

Creating a powerful concept comes from asking yourself plenty of questions and doing a lot of research. Collecting a range of inspirational images of homes and spaces which you love will often make your concept emerge. We are often drawn to specific aesthetics and looks but unaware of it until undertaking a large project, like building or renovating. You might find yourself drawn to more traditional looks, modern, minimal or even natural feeling spaces. Invest time in making sure your concept is strong, it will save you a lot of time in making the correct choices down the line.

Consider your colour

First, the roof colour should complement the existing colour scheme of your house, whether your roof is an extension of your cladding or paint or will contrast this, make sure it is in line with your overall concept. Be careful in selecting here if you have a Heritage home as you’ll have to work within a specific colour scheme. For new homes and renovations, you’ll have more choice available to you, we chose COLORBOND^®steel Matt in Monument^®for The Barefoot Bay Villa and the matt finish of the roofing complemented the matt framed windows and timber cladding we used throughout the home. Something as simple as a matt finish can have such a profound impact on the overall look of your dwelling.

COLORBOND^®steel Matt range is available in 5 neutral colours, from subtle, lighter tones through to bolder, darker hues to bring your design to life. Available for your roofing, walling, gutters and also in garage doors. However, when selecting a colour for the exterior, start at the top. Your roof is one of the largest, most visible surfaces of your home, so choose this colour first and match accordingly throughout the other areas of your exterior.

Something to note also is that if you are considering installing solar panels on your roof they blend in well with darker shades. Speak to an expert to see where your solar will be placed on the roof so you can make a more informed decision about your colour palette.

Think about your curb appeal

A beautiful roof enhances the building’s appearance and its aesthetic value. Choose your roofing profile to match or contrast with the existing features in your home’s architecture. At The Barefoot Bay Villa we used the TRIMDEK^®roofing profile from Lysaght which gave a more modern feel to the roof and when looking from the upstairs windows directed the eye to the nature preserve across the road. This profile also worked well with the solar panels we needed to install to make the home compliant and more energy efficient. We do also love the more well-known CUSTOM ORB^®roofing profile from Lysaght. This profile works amazingly with more traditional architecture and SPANDEK^®roofing profile from Lysaght is a great look for more modern homes as the corrugation is squared accentuating sharp lines and boxy architecture.

If you’re thinking about renovating your home and are overwhelmed with the amount of choices, we highly recommend COLORBOND^®steel, including the COLORBOND^®steelMatt range.

You can check it out over on their website here.

We teamed up with BlueScope to bring you this blog. COLORBOND®, BlueScope and ® colour name are registered trade marks of BlueScope Steel Limited.