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Society’s trends, as well as events and movements, greatly impact our preferences for home design including roofing preferences and colors. One of the more recent examples of societal events shaping home design occurred over the past decade or so. As technology and information intersected in a pronounced way, the rise of social media, digital advertising, an ever-growing tsunami of email, digital apps, and more left many of us feeling overstimulated with a flood of content.
As a direct result, exterior home architecture and roofing shifted markedly toward minimalism. Home design, including roofing, began to trend toward aesthetics of reduced ornamentation and color. This growing minimalism provided consumers, when home, with a much-needed calming visual break from the over-stimulation coming through devices and screens.
While technology and social media are still omnipresent today, home design trends have more recently been influenced by the pandemic. Understanding the magnitude of an event at the scale of COVID-19, Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions studied its impacts on design. The results were recently released and highlight how the virus impacted our use of the home and subsequently, how our home design preferences have adapted in light of it.
“The pandemic undoubtedly altered how we use our homes,” says Eric Miller, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions. “We have come to demand more versatility in our homes as so many of us now use it as a space for work, respite, fitness, entertainment, and a regular hub for shipping and receiving goods. Never in our lifetimes has the home needed to be so many things at the same time, and design preferences have shifted as a result. It’s visible across home styles and roofing choices.”
Three macro-influences impacting home design and roof pairings emerged during the recent study. They include:
“Whether influenced by naturalism, disruption, or ease, roof pairings for these newer home architecture styles are selected as part of the home’s master two- or three-color palette,” says Renee Labbe, Director of Design Strategy at Broadside Studios, which led the research study for Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions. “These home design preferences are also regional in nature, as are the roof options chosen to complement them.”
Of course, the roof selected for any given home is only partially chosen for its looks. Durability, performance, and the ability to reduce energy bills are all key considerations. Additionally, a roof’s ability to withstand weather cycling, storms, hail, wind, and snow as well as protect against fire, is increasingly important as global warming intensifies the weather, droughts, and storms that test a roof and home’s resiliency.
“The roof system must be able to perform in the face of regional weather patterns, as each region experiences different climate conditions,” says Miller. “High-performance roofing materials, including clay, concrete, composite and stone-coated steel, are all offered in numerous profiles and colors, and therefore can match any trending home style. The roof material can be selected first for its efficiency and resiliency, then the desired profile and color can be chosen for aesthetics.”
Building professionals interested in learning more about current home architecture and roofing trends may take a continuing education course on the topic. Architects who complete the course are eligible for 1 CEU credit. To register, visit http://westlakeroyalroofing.com/education.
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About the Author
Alan Schall is the Regional Architectural Manager for Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions and has an extensive background in Sales Management and Training. With an ability to understand a company’s business objectives and strategy, Schall has over 30 years of experience in Building Products, Architectural Sales, and Sales Leadership. Visit www.westlakeroyalroofing.com.
