When it comes to creating a trendy home, some of the main things that immediately spring to mind are beautiful interiors and picturesque garden landscaping. However, a key element that’s often overlooked is modern roof designs.
As the largest and one of the first parts of your property that visitors see, roofs are an essential part of modern architecture, particularly for creating the image of a home that’s not only visually striking, but warm and inviting too.
Whether gable, hip, flat, or shed roof styles are more up your street, check out our top 8 ideas for some modern roof design inspiration.
8 Modern Roof Designs to Elevate Your Home
From avoiding leaks to waterproofing, roofs serve a range of vital purposes for both the outer structure and interior fixtures of your home. Level up their design and functionality with the following 8 ideas:
1. Solar Panels
Roofs with solar panels are a popular option for those looking beyond just aesthetic appeal to also include sustainability within their roof space. These panels integrate seamlessly with the existing roof tiles to capture the abundance of sunlight we experience here in Australia, which can then be converted into electricity.
Compared to other roof styles, this is a great way to improve the overall energy efficiency of your home and cut those costly electricity bills.
2. Butterfly Roof
A butterfly roof is another great option if you’re looking for an environmentally friendly roof style.
Made from corrugated metal sheets and pitched at an angle for optimal water drainage, the sloping sides of this design form a V shape echoing the wings of a butterfly. Two adjacent tiers also slope towards the centre to form a valley, which effectively collects rainwater.
This can then be transferred to tanks and used as a more sustainable way to run toilets, washing machines, and other home systems that require water.
3. Green Roofs
Transform your outdoor space into an urban paradise with an aesthetic green roof, which is covered with plants and other vegetation. While a green roof creates beautiful scenery on the exterior of your home and makes a great habitat for wildlife, did you know that it can also improve air quality and provide a natural source of insulation for your home?
For homes with flat roofs, go one step further and create a complete roof garden. This offers an extra place to relax and reconnect with nature, which is ideal particularly if you live in a busy urban area.
4. Cross Hipped Roof
Consider a cross hipped roof for your home if you’re looking to put a modern twist on a classic design. With a traditional hip roof, either side meets at a high, horizontal peak. In contrast, the cross design of this roof style makes it much larger, forming a unique U or L shape.
This shape, where up to three hip roofs meet, protects your home from severe rain or windy conditions, while also providing plenty of shade to keep the property cool during the summer months.
Choose corrugated metal, concrete, or asphalt shingles for the roofing material and you’ll also have the option to install dormer windows, which project vertically from the sloped roof. These windows can help to bring more natural light into your attic, therefore creating a brighter living space.
5. Gable Roofs
Like hip roofs, the modern gable roof is another reinvented style that works well for newer Australian homes. Gable roofs feature triangular flat roof ends and two steep slopes that direct rainwater away from the building. This is especially beneficial for preventing mould and mildew, which like to grow in damp conditions.
Gable roofs come in several variations, such as the Dutch gable roof, crow stepped, Jerkinhead, and saltbox styles. Try this modern architecture option if you’re looking for an affordable way to add more attic or ceiling space to your home.
6. Glass Roofing
Ideal for both small and dark properties, investing in modern roofs made of glass helps to open up your home from the inside, which creates a much greater sense of space.
Due to their positioning directly above the floor rather than at a horizontal angle like windows, glass roofs allow you to forge a better connection with nature and the great outdoors. They also let plenty of natural light in during the day and provide the perfect portal for watching the stars at night.
If you’re unsure about committing to a full glass roof, why not try adding skylights to encourage more natural light?
7. Flat Roofs
Flat roofs may be an inexpensive option for those on a smaller budget, but they’re also incredibly versatile. Transform your flat roof into a terrace for summer parties, create your very own garden oasis, or install solar panels to enhance the energy efficiency of your home.
A flat roof is also a popular option for modern architecture as it’s relatively fast and easy for a roof contractor to install. Choose roofing membranes made from fibreglass, polyester liquid, or heated asphalt to minimise leaks from heavy rainfall and protect your home against water damage.
8. Dry Fixed Roofing System
Not only do modern roofs elevate the visual interest of your home, but they also play a crucial role in protecting your indoor spaces from severe weathers and extreme temperatures. So, along with aesthetic considerations, the materials, ventilation capabilities, and structural integrity of your chosen roofing style are key.
That’s why we recommend investing in RapidRidge, a dry fixed roofing system with the added bonus of ventilation. This innovative system facilitates a natural cooling across the whole roof, which reduces heat transfer through the ceiling.
You’ll therefore be able to keep your living space cool and comfortable during those scorching summer months without the need for constant air conditioning, significantly reducing your energy bills.
Once installed, RapidRidge also requires minimal maintenance and prolongs the lifespan of your roof, which ensures that modern aesthetic appeal lasts for many years to come. Learn more about RapidRidge and why it makes a great addition to all modern roof designs here.