After Cottagecore, MRA Says 'Master Mixologist' May Take Curb Appeal Mantle

Two MRA award-winning projects demonstrate the Master Mixologist exterior curb appeal trend at work, each highlighting the use of material, color and pattern combinations to create a more uniform-or contrasting-look)

Submitted By The Metal Roofing Alliance

Portland, OR — From Cottagecore and New Colonial, to Eclectic Grandpa and Coastal Grandma, social media is spurring trendy home décor styles that are as downright personal as they are shapeshifting.

The same is true not only for what’s inside a home, but the exterior too. Summer of 2024 has seen homeowners use their creativity and super-charge it with curb appeal designs that are capturing the imagination and moving far away from the cookie-cutter looks of yesteryears.

As a leading industry trade group, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) has dubbed one of the latest emerging exterior trends as “Master Mixologist.”  Master Mixologist describes how homeowners are mixing and matching not only different exterior colors, but a variety of material types and options, and using them in atypical ways to create customized curb appeal.That includes emphasizing unique roof planes, angles and details by mixing different roofing material patterns and shades of color, effectively serving to spotlight interesting architectural details or help a boring roof stand out. For example, using stamped metal panels designed to look like slate or stone is a beautiful look on its own, but imagine pairing it with a standing seam style used exclusively for architectural details like dormers to help emphasize them. Or, adding punch to a standard earth-toned color brown or dark gray roof by incorporating copper accents for overhangs, gutters and downspouts. A tile pattered metal roof in dove gray with smoky blue highlights designed to play up special architectural features such turrets or gables may be just the thing to highlight a beachy cottage design. 

The Master Mixologist creativity also resonates for homeowners when it comes to choosing exterior paint colors and materials. While traditional exterior paint jobs typically consisted of using just three or four coordinating and contrasting colors for the siding, trim and front door homeowners are now using a more expansive range of palettes to highlight different sections and areas of the home.

That includes using various paint combinations for different exterior elevations and to boldly emphasize architectural styles and shapes. Unusual exterior material combinations are popping up, with some homeowners merging traditional materials along with modern elements, such as brick or exposed wood with sleek metal siding, rough cedar shakes with stamped concrete, standard composite siding with formed metal panels to highlight front entryways, for example. Others are taking the opposite approach and creating a seamless, uniform look by using just one color or exterior material for much of their home.

“Master Mixologist is a trend we don’t see slowing down anytime soon. With so many options, patterns and colors now available, the sky’s the limit when it comes to one-of-a-kind style and design,” said Renee Ramey, MRA executive director. “Homeowners are just starting to explore how to combine these different elements in ways that take personalized curb appeal to the next level.”

For inspiration on the latest exterior roofing trends and options, download a free copy of MRA’s Residential Metal Roofing Buyer’s Guide at www.metalroofing.com.

About The Metal Roofing Alliance

Representing metal roofing manufacturers in the United States and Canada, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) was formed in 1998 as a nonprofit organization to help educate consumers about the many benefits of metal roofs. The main objective of MRA is to increase awareness of the beauty, durability and money-saving advantages of quality metal roofs among homeowners, as well as to provide support for metal roofing businesses and contractors. For more information, visit metalroofing.com.