I wish I could say all our clients are 100% sold before they reach us, but that is just not true. Despite the extensive information we have on our website, blog, and social media sites the truth is that sometimes people are skeptical. I don't blame them, they have been working on their projects for months, sometimes longer, and as we have learned, making the right product choice is at the top of homeowner's lists when it comes to improving their homes.

I want to spend the next few Fridays discussing the regular objections I get from design professionals, so below is the first week's commonly held misconception and the answer I would give you to ease your mind.

Commonly held misconception #1 - You have to have deep pockets to afford a luxury roof. If your client has a budget for 3-tab shingles, there isn't much I can say as this is a high-end product, but if your client wants the look of slate or shake, without the sky high cost, let me offer you a few pieces of information to bring to your next client meeting.

The first is you must consider the lifetime cost of a product that you purchase. Just because something is cheaper up front doesn't mean it offers over all value. If a home is being built or renovated with intent to sell it in the next few years, lifetime value probably doesn't have much pull with your client. But if the home is something the homeowner plans to stay in for many years, the products they choose could save them a lot of money in the future. For example, hand split shake. As the price for shakes go up, the price difference between our Valoré Shake line and natural cedar is minimal but there is a price difference. Something else to take into consideration with regards to cost is that a DaVinci roof is a 50 year roof. Under the very best conditions natural cedar will last around 15-20 years (less in undesirable conditions). Your shake roof will need to be replaced 2 or 3 times in the lifespan of one DaVinci Shake or Valoré Shake roof. If you are comparing our slate products to the real deal, you have to factor in the annual maintenance costs and weight restrictions of a natural slate roof as well as the total installed cost of the products.

Valoré Shake - Abruzzo Blend

At DaVinci we also offer more value driven products with our Valoré and Bellaforté product lines. Made of the same polymers as our higher end lines, Valoré is a single-width slate and shake option, essentially a single size (12" in the slate and 9" in the shake) spin off of our multi-width lines. Bellaforté has a unique design where there are just 100 pieces per square (as opposed to 250+ pieces per square with our other lines) and during installation it self aligns which allows it to compete in the price range of a high end asphalt roof.

Our study shows that at the end of the day your clients value durability, longevity and low maintenance products.

Happy Friday Architects!

Beautiful --- check! Long-lasting --- check! Durable --- double check!

If you're thinking of having a new roof installed, you owe it to yourself to check out the high-performance, worry-free DaVinci polymer slate roofing tiles. Made of reliable synthetic materials, slate shingles from DaVinci Roofscapes can help you create a luxurious roof to reflect your home's style.

Made in the USA, DaVinci synthetic slate roofing is backed by a 50-year limited warranty that brings you peace-of-mind while adding beauty to the home. Available in 49 colors plus a multitude of color blends, the prestigious slate roof alternative can also be ordered in custom colors and blends to complement any home.

Need more reasons to consider slate alternative shingles from DaVinci? Consider this ... these composite roofing tiles resist insects, fungus, algae and mold. And, DaVinci leads the industry in tile thickness, tile width variety and the greatest selection of subtle earth-toned colors.

DaVinci Roofscapes has manufactured award-winning, lightweight roofing systems since 1999. The environmentally friendly roofing tiles are 100 percent recyclable. And, as a bonus all homeowners will appreciate, the virtually maintenance-free imitation slate and shake shingles are far more cost effective than the natural product.               

For more details on DaVinci products, visit Fake Slate - All The Rageand Manufactured Slate Tile and Shake Alternative: DaVinci VariBlend.

History is repeating itself ... up on the roofs of museums across the nation.

As older roofs fail on noteworthy historical projects, preservationists have found the answer of recreating natural slate and shake roofs in the form of man-made polymer roofing tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes.

More durable than natural products, the synthetic roofing tiles from DaVinci resist fire, impact, high winds and the punishing weather conditions brought on by Mother Nature. In Durango, Colo., the milled wood roof shingles on the 1880s Peterson House were so worn by time and weather that they had simply crumbled apart. As part of ongoing restoration efforts of the historic structure in 2011, the team at Animas Museum added DaVinci Fancy Shake roofing tile in the Mountain color to replicate the look of the original roof.

“We love the roof because it is ‘spot on’ for the period and the building,” says Carolyn Bowra, director of Animas Museum. “The mission at our museum is to keep La Plata County history and culture alive for present and future generations. DaVinci Roofscapes has certainly supported this effort and made it possible for the Peterson House to have a new life.”

Across the country in Chicago, another museum also sports a DaVinci composite roof.

After a proud history that includes serving as a horse stable during the 1893 World’s Fair, the Roundhouse at DuSable Museum in Chicago has now been restored and is topped by a DaVinci Multi-Width slate roof.

Part of the first African American museum campus in the United States, the 66,000-square foot Roundhouse and the adjoining buildings are home to a library, café, galleries, technology and language lab, museum store and educational spaces. The building is considered one of the main contributing features to the recognition of Washington Park when it was designated in 2004 on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We realized at the start of the project that the first priority was to support the historic restoration of the building,” says Sarah Delezen, senior project manager for the Alter Group. “The DaVinci roofing tiles look amazing on the Roundhouse. The structure’s original roof was made of slate, so we were pleased that these polymer tiles have the texture and subtle variations of color that make them appear historically accurate. The Castle Gray blend of colors in the roof perfectly offsets the copper gutters on this structure.”

For more information on these projects, visit Historic Peterson House Gets DaVinci Polymer Roofand Historic DuSable Museum Gets New Polymer Roof - Part I. 

In some parts of the country roofing materials experience very harsh weather with extreme temperature change. The high country in the Rockies or Sierras is very indicative of this. In these mountain areas daily temperature swings of 30 to 40 degrees are common and 50 degrees or more are not unheard of.  The ambient temperature can be 75 degrees with a roof temperature of 120 degrees or more during the day and then the temperature can fall considerably below freezing overnight. This change in temperature, especially if moisture is added to the mix, can be very troublesome. If a roof covering absorbs moisture and goes through-freeze thaw cycles there can be  damage that results in crazing, cracking, splitting, etc. Over time these freeze-thaw cycles can destroy a roofing product.

At DaVinci Roofscapes we have designed our tiles to be impervious to freeze-thaw. DaVinci tiles don’t absorb water so there are no issues with the tremendous force of freezing water. In addition, DaVinci tiles are very thermally stable, in fact the coefficient of thermal expansion is 10-3in/in °F. What this means is that the DaVinci 12” slate tiles expands 1/12” with a 100 degree temperature swing. Because of this you don’t get the buckling or movement that puts strain on fasteners as some products do.

DaVinci Roofscapes is a very popular roofing product for the resort areas of the Rockies and Sierras for a reason; it works. Well, also because it looks great!

Throughout areas of California, local ordinances are being put into place requiring homeowners to replace real wood shake roofing with fire-resistant roofing products. Homeowners Mike and Andrea Boone of Cayucos, California found out from their insurance company that their old wooden shake roof had to be replaced if they wanted to keep their homeowner's policy.

According to Mike Boone, his home “begged” for a designer roof that was more interesting than standard composite shingles. “We didn’t want to skimp on our roof,” says Boone. “We decided that the roof selection we made needed to complement the house, not just cover it. We justified any extra we spent on the roof because it added value to the overall home.”

The Boones decided to make two big changes on their roof --- the first, switching from shake to slate. The second, investing in a DaVinci slate alternative product. With 49 colors to choose from, the Boones created a personalized DaVinci Multi-Width Slate roof that features a blended combination of Slate Black and Slate Gray with highlight colors blended in of Light Green and Dark Green.

"We wanted a luxury roof with some interest to it, not just one tedious color," says Boone. "The subtleness of the colors we selected blended well together. We liked the blend of the roof colors so much that they inspired us to select exterior siding and accent colors to complement it."

The 2,500-square-foot "Carmel Cottage" single-story Boone home now sports a fire-resistant DaVinci synthetic roof that is supported by a 50-year warranty. In addition to resisting fire, the durable slate roofing shingles are easy-to-maintain and allow the Boones to spend more time enjoying their coastal home rather than worrying about it.

For more information on fire regulation changes for roofing, visit Big Changes for Big Bear Lake Residents.

Want to find the DaVinci team in February? You'll have to head to Las Vegas! And no, we won't be at the slot machines or the blackjack tables ... we'll be working the show floor for both the NAHB International Builders' Show and the International Roofing Expo!

On February 4-6 you can see a wide assortment of DaVinci polymer roofing tiles at our display in booth C2136 at the NAHB International Builders' Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The entire DaVinci Roofscapes team will be on hand to showcase our synthetic roofing products to builders, remodelers, contractors and roofers from around the world. Our imitation slate and shake shingles exhibit includes Bellaforté Shake and Slate composite roofing products, along with DaVinci Multi-Width Slate and Shake roofing tiles plus samples from our Valoré and Fancy Slate and Shake lightweight roofing systems.

Then, we're headed back to Las Vegas February 26 - 28 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the International Roofing Expo. You'll find DaVinci at booth 1753 for this roofing industry show. If you're at this roofing show you can count on seeing an assortment of DaVinci simulated shake and slate roofing materials in a variety of colors. Our green roofing options come in many colors --- from terracotta to purple to, well, green!

Make your plans to visit Las Vegas this month to see all the great luxury roof products DaVinci offers!

So you're getting a new roof. Whether you are re-roofing on an existing home or business, or building from the ground up, finding the right roof color can be daunting task. 

We've simplified it for you.

Kate Smith, our color expert, has a great eBook out called, FRESH - 5 Steps on Choosing Exterior Colors. In this free eBook, Kate details the steps to finding the perfect roof color:

1. Start with the roof
2. Identify the colors that need to be considered
3. Choose the main color
4. Select color for windows, trim and shutters
5. Select your front door color

Kate talks more about her approach in the video below or you can Ask Your Color Questions Here.

Our simulated shake roofing and synthetic slate roof tiles are unique in a number of ways, including color.  We offer a multitude of color blends and if you can't find a standard blend that is just perfect, then you can select from our 49 standard colors to put together your own custom blend. Of course, if you're prefer a completely custom color for your home or business, we can work with you to create just the color you want.

Having trouble viewing this video, click here to view.

Do you own one of our green roof systems? Which color did you go with and why? We would love to see how your roof turned out. Please consider sharing a photo of your home and a story about your roofing journey here on our blog.

When contractor Rob Fanjoy moved into his home in northern Maine, he knew the roof would be the first thing that needed replacing. The old asphalt shingle roof was failing badly and suffered from curling, crumbling and cracking shingles.

Putting on his contractor's hat, Fanjoy decided to install DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Slate roofing tiles to solve his problems.

Q: What made you select the DaVinci synthetic tiles?

Fanjoy: When researching our roofing options, we determined that the DaVinci synthetic tiles resist insects, fungus, algae, mold, cracking, fading and curling. And, they’re backed by a 50-year warranty that we can really depend on.

Q: What was the key selling factor in getting you to move to a polymer roof?

Fanjoy: We felt that the faux-slate roof would be a huge improvement in our area over the old asphalt shingle roof. DaVinci tiles truly replicate natural slate, and they definitely lends an air of authenticity to our somewhat contemporary home design.

Q: Selecting a roof color for your own home can be challenging. You and your wife selected the Vineyard blend --- a combination of eight roofing colors including dark and medium tan, light and medium gray, dark stone, light and dark violet and dark amber. What made you select that color blend?

Fanjoy: We wanted a strong visual accent on the home. Our front roof design is a large, uninterrupted section of space and we wanted to create visual interest. We used the FRESH Home Exterior Colors guide to help us make the selection.

Q: What was your experience like installing the DaVinci slate shingles?

Fanjoy: My roofing experience previously had been limited to asphalt shingles. I can say I very much prefer working with these polymer tiles since they’re cleaner to handle and easier on your hands. No dirty grit to scrape your knuckles or tar melting and sticking to everything. Cutting and nailing these synthetic tiles was also simple. A sharp utility knife and standard nail gun was all that was needed for this project.

Q: In Maine you get about 60 inches of snow annually, which means it was a smart move to install snowguards on your roof. How did that process work out for you?

Fanjoy: By using the nail placement markings on the DaVinci tiles, we were able to install our snow guards with the proper spacing of every 16 to 20 inches. This helped us keep a perfectly straight line and avoid worrying about the gap between tiles on the next course falling on a snow guard. These snow guards will help prevent us from getting an “avalanche” of melting snow, so they’re definitely worth the investment.

Overall, I think from start-to-finish that this job went smoothly. We made the right decision and investment with this slate alternative roof, plus it gave me the opportunity to expand my installation experience. I’ve already recommended the DaVinci product to my neighbors and others who are considering new manufactured slate roofs.

Visit Why Choose Polymer Instead of Asphalt or Natural Slate or Shake?for more information on DaVinci lightweight roofing systems.

A small, worn-down 1850s church in Montgomery, Minnesota has gotten quite a bit of attention over the past few years thanks to local resident Greg Thomas. After being diagnosed with stage four cancer in 2009, Thomas came to the dilapidated church to sit on the closed structure's steps and reflect. That's when his life --- and the life of the church --- changed.

To focus his attention away from his dire life situation, Thomas "adopted" the abandoned church --- called St. John's Chapel --- and gained permission to start renovating it single-handedly. One of the first projects was stripping off up to 15 layers thick of old paint on the exterior so he could repaint the church. After news of his task attracted media attention, Thomas received support for the renovation project.

"I saw the story of this dedicated man working every day to restore the church exterior while dealing with his cancer and I thought to myself, 'we can help him'," says Travis Herritz, president of Springer Construction Services, LLC out of Prior Lake, Minn. "I found out that water had leaked in through the bell tower and rotted out the ceiling and the floor below. This church desperately needed a new roof. I went to one of my best roofing suppliers, DaVinci Roofscapes, and shared the story.

"The folks at DaVinci volunteered to donate their polymer slate roof tiles to replace the worn-out, curling wood shake roof that had weathered badly over time. My team offered to do the installation work at cost for the church. Together we made it possible to add new life to the church."

Remarkably, as the church came back to life, so did Thomas. After 40 sessions of radiation for cancer in his head and neck, plus many rounds of chemotherapy, his cancer went into remission. Although he has lingering effects, Thomas is now cancer-free and dedicates most of his time to the church's restoration.

Learn more about lightweight roof systems at Terracotta-Hued Roof Added to Villa Maria Guadalupe Retreat in Connecticut.          

In Week 1 I discussed how to overcome a price objection by pointing out not only the overall value of our products, but also telling you about Bellaforté. Sometimes when you tell people something costs less they automatically assume it is "cheaper." This simply isn't true. In the case of Bellaforté, a plastic slate and shake roof option, it isn't the formula that is different, it is the design.

The same technology used to create our imitation slate and shake alternative steep slope roofing material is also used to create Bellaforté, but unless you have held a sample piece in your hand, what you might not know is that Bellaforté tiles have a 3 inch headlap, leaving 12 inches exposed "to the weather" when installed. This shorter tile, which also features a built in rain gutter and a self aligning system for a weather proof installation, means there is only 100 pieces needed to fulfill a square, rather than 250 pieces or more. The result is a lower material price, a lower installed price and a lower shipping price.

Happy Friday, Architects!

Bellaforté Shake in Abruzzo

Bellaforté Slate in Milano

Located along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Landfall gated community in Wilmington, North Carolina includes more than 1,500 homes just minutes from Wrightsville Beach. The Mews condo neighborhood is part of that premier planned development situated on 2,200 acres of land, including 320 wooded acres of conservation area with walking trails.

To retain the uniformed appeal and design of Landfall, an architectural review board and individual homeowner associations are involved in decisions on both new construction and remodeling efforts --- including roofing choices. For many builders and roofers the selection of roofing products at Landfall is easy --- Valoré Slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes.

"Valoré polymer slate roofing tiles have been approved for widespread use throughout Landfall," according to Peter Foley, co-owner of Flores and Foley Roofing. "First the architectural review board had to approve the product and then the individual homeowner associations within the gated community reviewed and approved the composite slate roofing. Getting approval on this faux slate roofing material means it can easily be specified and installed for re-roofing and new home construction projects."

Flores & Foley Roofing recently worked with Mark Johnson Custom Homes to add a Verde color blend roof of light and dark green Valoré polymer tiles to a new home constructed in The Mews. Members of the DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Program, Flores & Foley was started in 1999, and serves the Wilmington area in the residential and commercial roofing industry. "We enjoy installing DaVinci products," says Foley. "It's ideal for our coastal area location and offers a first-class appearance on the projects we complete."

Valoré simulated slate roofing tiles come in a single 12" tile width and are impact-and fire-resistant. With a 1/2" thickness, the imitation slate tiles are twice the thickness of most other synthetic slates. The consistent single width provides the beauty of a clean, simple design for homes at Landfall and across America.

For another example of Valoré Slate tile success see Valoré Slate Builds Business for Virginia Roofing Company.          

So you have decided to purchase DaVinci synthetic slate roof tiles or our simulated shake roofing. The next question is how do you want them installed - in a straight pattern or a staggered pattern?

In this post, we will show you the differences between straight coursing and staggered coursing installations.

Here are a few factors that could influence your choice:

• The style of the home: While the staggered pattern is suitable for some homes, others may look better with straight patterns. Colonial style homes, for example, tend to have straight coursings.


• Budget: Straight coursing is usually less expensive than staggered because a staggered coursing requires more shingles than a straight coursing. So this can be an important factor that could influence your decision.


• Preference: In some cases it is simply a matter of preference. Some people like it straight. Others like it staggered. If you would like to learn about straight or staggered coursing or our other roofing materials, feel free to contact us.

• Staggered and Straight Lightweight Roofing Solutions Installations
• Straight Or Staggered – That Is The Question
• The Beauty of Double Staggered Installation

We are close to selecting a DaVinci Roof in Valoré Slate.

I would like to request a color expert review the pictures attached and advise our best color options for our house and roof.  The window frame color is bronze metal.

Thank you very much.

Robert and Elaine Edwards
Fort Worth, TX

Product: Valoré Slate

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Edwards,

For you home the Valoré Slate is a nice choice.

With your brick you will want to go with a medium to medium-dark roof. Your brick has variations in the color that allow you to go with either a warm gray-base or brown-base slate. 

Look at Weathered gray or slate gray blend. The color should have the same tone as your grout and the color cast of your brick. Basically when you look at the color near the brick it should not look too gray/black/bluish or too brown/orangish. You want a color that is similar to the darker colors in your brick.

You will also want to keep the variation in the color on the roof subtle so that it does not compete with the pattern in the brick. You might find this blog helpful as well: How To Choose A Roof Color For A Brick Home.

I hope that helps you to feel confident in making your final selection.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

At DaVinci Roofscapes, we get calls every day from roofing installers who have had positive experiences with our polymer roofing tiles. Want to listen in? Here are some comments we've heard...

“We’ve done numerous re-roofing jobs with slate and shake profile tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes that are backed by a 50-year limited warranty. When we’re bidding on a job, we showcase these DaVinci products because they look great when properly installed, offer an excellent warranty and have a Class 4 impact rating which is very important in our area."
Mark Bloyer, owner, Bloyer Roofing in Winfield, Kansas

“I’ve worked with the DaVinci product before in our area and felt the long-term value these polymer tiles would bring to the Animas Museum project would be ideal. Each Fancy Shake tile has a refined cedar look, much like a machine-sawn shake shingle, so it blends in perfectly with our mountain setting. Plus, the tiles resist insects, fungus, algae, mold, cracking, fading and curling.”
Tony Whittle, owner and president of TL Roofing in Durango, Colorado

“The College of New Jersey asked me what I recommended as the best roof for these re-roofing projects and I said it had to be DaVinci,” says Strober, whose company has been providing roofing services since 1928. “The officials at the school did their research and agreed with my recommendation. From there we picked out colors to complement the campus setting and got started with the installation project.”
 Gerald Strober, president, Strober Roofing & Metal Works, Frenchtown, New Jersey

“I’m a big believer in polymer roofing products for our geographic area. The security that comes from this community now having these DaVinci roofs overhead is unmatched. Homeowners get peace-of-mind, low maintenance and years of guaranteed top performance.”
Al Christiano, senior account manager for Empire Roofing in Sunrise, Florida

“This roofing project really shows how the right man-made products can complement a historic home design. The Slate Gray color chosen for the DaVinci roof complements the strong Arts and Crafts lines of the home while subtly allowing the architectural details of the house remain the focal point.”
Blake Gillette, owner, Christian Brothers Roofing in Grand Prairie, Texas

Want to learn more about synthetic roofing installation projects? Visit DaVinci Roofscapes' Fancy Shake - A Perfect Alternative Natural Look for Your Home, Check Out Polymer Slate Roofing Options  and Steep Roof Pitch No Problem for Roofer Installing DaVinci Shake Tiles.

Second generation roofer Stacy Stines remembers when his father started the family business in 1978 with a focus on using real wood shakes for roofs. Over the years Stines has seen a change --- and a growing preference amongst homeowners for longer-lasting polymer roofing products.

“Half of the roofs I install these days are polymer shake or slate products,” says Stines, owner of Stacy Stines Roofing out of Elk Park, N. C. and member of the DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor program. “The benefits are so tremendous for these low-maintenance roofing materials that there are entire communities in this mountainous area that mandate replacement roofs all be made of fire-resistant polymer material.”

One such community, Valle Cay near Boone, N.C., includes 47 homes constructed in 1984 with real wood shake shingles. Due to rot, weathering and curling, many of those roofs have failed and Stines has replaced seven of them since 2008. In the heavily-wooded area the association now recommends all roofs be replaced with DaVinci Roofscapes Multi-Width Shake roofing tiles in a Tahoe blend of five shades of natural wood.

“Once someone sees this product installed, they love it and want it on their own home,” says Stines. “The simulated shake roofing has a good profile and dimension to it, the color blends are terrific and the advantage of knowing you have a roof backed by a 50-year limited warranty is extremely impressive."

At another North Carolina community, Stonebridge Log Home community in Todd, developer Shawn Gentry has also seen a rising interest in synthetic shake roofs. Once a completely all-wood cedar shake development of 200 rustic log cabins, the community has now adopted rules that require either fake cedar shake DaVinci Roofscapes roofing products or pre-approved wood cedar split shakes for both new construction and re-roofing projects within Stonebridge.

“The push towards polymer shakes made sense due to long-term maintenance and safety concerns,” says Gentry. “The wood cedar roofs on our one-of-a-kind homes are vulnerable to fire, decay damage and weather conditions.

“We did our research and found that the DaVinci Shakes are an excellent alternative to real wood. They have the tile thickness we needed plus the profiles that accurately replicate real cedar. But, most importantly, they resist weathering, insects and decay. The Mountain Blend and Weathered Gray Blend colors we’ve specified for our community perfectly replicate real cedar shingles.”

Another added benefit of the composite shakes for homeowners at Stonebridge is the peace-of-mind that comes with having a low-maintenance roof. “Many of our homeowners don’t occupy these homes during the winter months,” says Gentry. “When they’re away from their homes for such a long amount of time they’re less likely to worry about maintenance needs on the DaVinci roof versus the natural wood shake roofs.”

Visit What are Contractors Saying about DaVinci?to learn more about how roofing installers and experts feel about DaVinci synthetic slate roofing shingles and cedar shake alternative roofing materials.

Time To Take Another Look At Blue

Blue is a color that is always in style but for 2014 blue takes two directions. The first is blue leaning green. These blues feel warm and inviting rather than icy or chilling. The tones are those of water teaming with life, ancient tiles, or hand dyed textiles or crafts. These are colors that invite us to reach out and touch places and cultures around the world. Here are a few examples of how we will be seeing blue used on home exteriors going forward.

DaVinci New Cedar shakes with Georgian Bay on the exterior would give you the charming look of this lake home. (Image from Hendel Homes)

Perfect against white, these blue are as inviting as a warm breeze. (Image from Taradonne).Georgian Bay, its brighter cousin Capri or any shade of blue that leans a bit aqua or teal is on trend. These shades of blue are versatile and can complement homes of warm, earthy tones such as brown, cream, gray, stone, green or brick.

Another version of blue bordering on green, teal can be deep and sophisticated or bright and playful. Pick the mood that feels right to you. Try mixing a lighter or brighter teal with neutrals like the tan siding and Dark Shakes shown above. Add a pop of bright yellow for cushions on the porch or a pot by the door and you are sure to have a color scheme that will make people smile.

Notice the placement of the color under the eaves and repeated on the front door and in the mosaic on the steps. Not too much, not too little. Just the right amount of color turned this home into something special. (image Glenn Layton Homes)

Clear Skies, Clear Thinking

The second trend direction that is impacting the color blue is our desire for fresh ideas about how think and live. Many are asking themselves if there any alternative ways to solve a problem or accomplish something which are at least as effective as the current way of doing it but would require less effort.  With long days being inundated with information our minds simply don' have a chance to relax, refresh or to steal a term from our digital devices, reboot! This new way of thinking has us seeking a clear mind and cleaner, clearer colors.

Reflecting this desire there is an atmospheric blue among the trend colors. This is a color that allows us to take in the pure pristine color of the sky and open ourselves to unlimited thinking.

Blue with lots of white trim looks crisp and fresh just the way we'd like our thinking to be. (image Stephen Alexander Homes)

The door on this beach cottage is saturated enough so that the blue stands out but still soft enough to give the palette a relaxed waterfront look. (Image from A Beach Cottage)

Opposites Attract

Color theory shows us that colors opposite one another on the color wheel bring out the best in each other. You don't have to understand color theory, however, to know that blue and blue-green  are colors that complement orange, red-orange and all of the browns and warm grays that have these warm undertones All you have to do is look at these combinations to see how pleasing they are to the eye.

These are some examples of DaVinci Roofscapes shake and slate products that could play a leading role in a color scheme that includes blue. (Visit DaVinci Roofscapes site to view all profiles and colors available)

Who Else Is Talking About The Blue Trend

I have shown you my four favorite blues for 2014 but many popular paint companies are also singing the blues for 2014. Here is what they are saying about blue.

Sherwin-Williams included both Capri and Georgian Bay among the blues in their 2014 color palette called Intrinsic -- "Belonging naturally, essential. As the global melting pot slowly blends the world into one stew, there’s growing interest in preserving individual cultural traditions — before it’s too late." 

Pittsburgh Paints predicts blue as a strong color for 2014 and included an entire range of blues in their trend forecast.

Benjamin Moore named a pale blue called Breath of Fresh Air as their Color of the Year. This is a clear sky blue. They also included several blues in their trends palette-- Palladian Blue HC-14, Caribbean Teal 2123-20, Van Deusen Blue HC-156, and Normandy 2129-40. These are all slightly more grayed or muted than many of the colors I am seeing as on trend but all very usable color for home exteriors.

Even though blues is a classic color that never goes out of style there are several variations of blue that call out to something deep inside of us right now that can only be fulfilled by tired and true blue.

To see what else is changing for 2014, please visit The Top 10 Home Building and Remodeling Trends for 2014. As well, watch for the next blog on 2014 trends, Exterior Color Trends 2014: Quiet Elegance, in the coming weeks.

For more images and tips on using blue visit my board on Pinterest Exterior Color - Blue

Ready to "shake up" your roof? Then make sure to check out the different polymer shake roofing options from DaVinci Roofscapes!

DaVinci Multi-Width Shake displays the texture of natural cedar shake with a deep-grained surface. Available in 9", 8", 7", 6" and 4" widths along with a virtually limitless color palette, the multi-width cedar shake roof features both wavy and straight grains throughout the blend for an authentic appearance. Multiple widths of the 5/8" profile on the tiles help create a more natural, non-repeating appearance that can be laid in either a straight or staggered pattern.

Single-Width Valoré Shake tiles embrace the art and science of roofing to offer exceptional aesthetics and performance at a value-driven price point. Valoré Shake comes in a 9" tile width with a 5/8" profile to provide deep, attractive shadow lines.

Bellaforté Shake composite roofing tiles include a leading edge tab and a self-aligning ledge, which help reduce the installation time for the products. A square of Bellaforté tiles (with 100 pieces per square) weighs just 190 pounds. This lower tile weight helps reduce installation time and transportation costs.

DaVinci Fancy Shake luxury roof tiles provide a more refined cedar look when compared to traditional hand-split shake. With the clean, smooth look of a machine-sawn shake, Fancy Shake is available in 12", 7" and 5" widths with a tile thickness of 7/16". Using multiple widths helps create a more natural, non-repeating appearance that can be laid at a straight or staggered pattern.

All DaVinci shake shingles resist curling, cracking, fading, mold, algae, fungus and insects, making them ideal for installation in a wide variety of geographic areas. And, DaVinci fake cedar shakes are 100 percent recyclable and come with a 50-year limited warranty.

Visit Multi-Width DaVinci Shake Tiles - Providing a "Premium Shake" Look to Your Homefor more details on DaVinci shake roofing products.

"What color would you use on this home?" Decisions, decisions! I admit, I am guilty of playing it probably too safe when it comes to the exterior of my home, and I think most homeowners do the same. To aid you and your clients in your decision making, we have sought out the help of color expert Kate Smith, who has written two books for us, FRESH Color Schemes for your Home's Exterior and 5 Steps for Finding Perfect Hues for your Home. They are both free and downloadable from our website.

Also available to design professionals and their clients is our Color Designer, which will help you create those custom blends.

Happy Friday, Architects!

We are interested in putting DaVinci slate on roof over a wall with James Hardie lap siding. The siding is James Hardie color, evening blue. We were wondering what color you think would look good with this.

Nate King
Shawnee, KS
Product: Multi-Width DaVinci Slate

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Dear Mr. King,

Without knowing anything more about the home I am going to give you two possible directions you can take.

With the JH Evening Blue you could go with a cool gray Slate blend. Since the siding color is medium to dark I suggest having at least a portion of the tiles in light to medium gray. I am showing a 3-color light, medium and dark gray blend.

Or you can go with the warm Brownstone blend. This will complement the blue and work well if other elements on the home have warm undertones or colorcasts.

For more details on what to consider as you make your selection I suggest that you download a copies of my free ebooks. They give you a step-by-step method for making sure you select the perfect exterior colors for your home. You can download them on the DaVinci website - click here.

I hope that helps point you in the right direction. Enjoy your new roof.

Sincerely,

Kate Smith
DaVinci Roofscapes Color Expert

If you're a roofing installer looking to finish a course, rake end or valley with a solid piece of synthetic slate or shake, DaVinci has the solution. Solid polymer DaVinci slate and shake accessory tiles are available in the company's Multi-Width and Valoré product lines.

The unique design of DaVinci composite slate and imitation shake tiles has a rib structure to provide improved rigidity, reduced weight and allows DaVinci to create a thick profile that is lightweight.

“While a solid accessory tile is not required for a successful roof application, we recognize that some installers prefer to use it as an option," says Ray Rosewall, CEO and president of DaVinci Roofscapes. "The solid tile is just another method of blending the appearance of cut tiles to give a polished look to a finished project.”

Available in just the right color to match the color blend you have chosen for your roof, the solid slate synthetic accessory tiles are 18-inches long and 12-inches wide and solid shake accessory tiles are 22-inches long and 12-inches wide.

For more information, visit DaVinci Solid Tile.