Spring is the perfect time for remodeling your home. From a complete re-haul to landscaping, to adding a little extra flourish to your home or barn, nice weather means the start of home remodeling. If you’re looking to add just a little something special to your home, shed or barn, an authentic cupola may be perfect for you.

A cupola can be added to just about any building to add a touch of country class. They’re typically a small dome-shaped structure with a metal roof. Generally, a cupola looks a bit like a tiny belfry without the bell. Adding a cupola to your home or barn not only adds curb appeal, it can often help a stuffy space with ventilation.

As with many trends, the cupola is a past design trend now repeating itself. You may notice many old houses and barns with a cute cupola perched on top. Newer houses rarely have them - unless the owners make a conscious choice to give their home a bit more country appeal. Which, today, more people seem to be doing.

Adding cupola to your home or outbuilding is a great way to catch the eyes of a passerby. They may not even notice what it is that drew their eye at first, but make no mistake, a cupola is a very subtle touch to add beauty to any home. With a variety of styles and colors, cupolas require very little upkeep through the years, especially if you choose weather resistant material.

Most cupolas have a house-shaped base with a curved or concave metal roof. The base comes in a variety of shapes such as square or hexagonal and can come in stain resistant PVC vinyl or more natural looking cedar wood. If you want less upkeep, a vinyl cupola is definitely the way to go.

The metal used in the roofing can vary, as can the shape. Copper is the most usual metal for a cupola roof, mostly because it looks elegant and even when it tarnishes it still has an antique appeal. Different roof shapes include triangular, bell shaped and concave.

Cupolas also come with a variety of decorative options available. Many buyers choose to add a weather vane to the top of their cupola, while others simply add crown molding. You can even add different styles of windows to the base of the structure, such as french windows.

Whatever your design specifications, you can find a company to make your vision a reality. Be sure to know the size, shape and pitch of your roof before you have a custom cupola made. And most importantly, ask to see examples of craftsmanship. A cupola is an addition to your building that will be around for a while, so it’s important to purchase one that exudes quality and excellence.