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Exterior Design Projects to Complement a Louvered Roof

Louvered roofs are perfect for outdoor patios and living spaces.  Louvered roofs allow natural light to come in and fresh air to circulate while keeping out rain and direct sunlight.  Louvered roofs first appeared during the middle ages and are traditionally built from wood.

Today’s louvers can be created out of metals, glass, aluminum, and wood, and their louvers can be adjustable or fixed.  Some are even automatic.

If you’ve invested in a louvered roof for your outdoor space, or you’re considering getting one, you’re probably wondering how to best complement a louvered roof.  Unlike traditional roofs, where they aren’t a focal point, louvered roofs are gorgeous, functional, conversation-starters, so it’s natural to want to design your area to highlight it.

Here are five design projects to complement your louvered roof.

Revamp Your Porch
If you’ve built your louvered roof over a shabby porch, it’s fantastic idea to put a little work into revamping your porch.  If you have a wooden porch, consider refinishing it or giving it a new stain to complement the color of the louvers.  If you have a concrete patio, consider applying a decorative stain to it to make it shimmer.

If you don’t have a porch, now is a terrific time to build one.  Consider building it with a complementary material.  If your louvered roof is made of wood try using the same wood for your porch.  Flagstone or sleet pavers also make for a luxurious patio that’s sure to look great beneath a louvered roof.

Redo Your Siding
If your home’s siding is taking away from the wow-factor of your new louvered roof, consider redoing it.  Wooden louvers have a certain rustic charm, and if you pair them with something like white board and batten siding, you can elevate that farmhouse aesthetic.

Just like with the patio, natural stone siding is an excellent option for a high-end motif.    And if natural stone is outside of your budget, fiber cement siding is a reliable alternative.  Ultimately, you just want to ensure that your siding complements the new louvered roof rather than detracting from it.

Infuse Some Greenery
No backyard is truly complete without a bit of greenery.  Louvered roofs can work a bit like upscale latticework, in that you can weave ornate vines and greenery through the open slats for a secret garden aesthetic.  If you do this, you’ll want to be careful not to go too overboard, as too many plants can disrupt the louvers’ functionality.

If you don’t want to go for vines, lovely hanging plants, or potted plants beneath the corners of the roof, help bring focus to the roof.

Match the Small Details

In addition to some of the more noticeable outdoor features, take some time to focus on the smaller details.  Your window trim, door, and outdoor furniture can all be utilized to complement the louvered roof.  There are so many awe-inspiring exterior window trim styles, but for a safe bet, you can match your outdoor trim to the color of the louvers, or choose a complementary color instead.

Be sure all your outdoor furniture is up to snuff, too.  If you have an industrial-style, metal louvered roof, flimsy, white patio chairs aren’t going to cut it.  Instead, invest in some ornate iron furniture.  Or consider upcycling some old furniture to match the new industrial vibes.

Add Some Lights
One of the most substantial benefits to a louvered roof is that it allows natural light to flow into your outdoor area without being blinding.  However, you’ll still need some lights for the nighttime.  If you have the rustic aesthetic going, consider stringing twinkle lights along the edges of the roof.  If you use your outdoor patio for entertaining large crowds, go all out with a functional ceiling fan and light feature.

Create a lighting design that matches the theme of your outdoor setting, and then spend some time bringing it all together.

Bring Your Louvered Roof to Life
These five ideas are just a few design possibilities for bringing your louvered roof to life.  Take some time to look at popular home exterior color combinations and find color combinations playing with your selected color palette.

Remember, a quick coat of paint and new decorations can do a lot for overall looks.  The most important thing when trying to complement your louvered roof is to find ways to make it more visible.  Unlike other roofs, a louvered roof isn’t one that you want to hide.  It’s appealing all on its own.

Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry.  He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.