Cupolas, Well Proportioned, Create Curb Appeal

The apparent serenity of the past is oil spread by time. By Lloyd Frankenberg.

Serenity and beauty of the past---a cupola is designed to last, with character to capture the spirit of early American architecture. Placed in a prominent position on the roof, cupolas are a decorative architectural accent.

Have you ever wondered what those small buildings are that are perched on top of a building? It is a cupola! They can also be called a pavilion when they take the form of a small, round Roman temple.

Cupolas were originally designed for functionality, as a ventilating system. Now they are placed on the roof tops of houses, garages and businesses for decoration giving the buildings antique appeal. Cupolas beautify any structure. They draw the eye upward and create curb appeal with their Early American architecture.

When thinking of purchasing a cupola, one needs to be careful not to purchase without thought of size and the architectural style of the building it will be perched upon. One wants the cupola to add balance to create the appearance that it was not just an add on, but to create an asymmetrical appeal that gives your buildings to look their absolute bests.

In order to look their best, cupolas need to be sized proportionately to the building it will be placed on. The size of the cupola is determined by the height, length, and width of the building it will be placed upon.

In selecting the right size for the building, a good rule of thumb is at least 1 inch of cupola base for every foot of unbroken horizontal roof line. Example:  An unbroken roof line of 30 feet would require at least a 30 inch cupola base.

If the building is higher than 1 story or the roof is steep, it is recommended one increase the size of the cupola. A too small cupola could have the appearance of a bird house. Not creating the curb appeal a properly sized cupola would provide.

 The cupola straddles the roof much like a horse back rider straddles the back of a horse. Because of this, cupolas are designed to accommodate different roof pitches of the structure it will sit upon.

 Window cupolas will always appear smaller than the same sized louvered cupola on any building. How the cupola looks when seen on the ground will change once placed on the roof. Therefore, it is very important to measure appropriately to obtain the high quality results one wishes when creating curb appeal.

 If the building is greater than 100 feet long use multiple cupolas. A solution would be to have a large cupola in the middle with smaller ones at each end or place two cupolas one at each end.

 It is extremely important to properly seal the cupola against the elements. When looking to purchasing a cupola find out if it comes in a box to be built and sealed once received or if it arrives completely sealed by skilled professional craftsman.

 Looking to update your exterior buildings without breaking the bank? A properly sealed, well proportioned cupola will add a finishing touch to both new construction and existing buildings. Cupolas are a timeless masterpiece, a great way for adding curb appeal. Serenity and beauty of the past--- a cupola is designed to last with functional performance and character of tradition, to capture the spirit of early American architecture.