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Choosing the Proper Cupola Placement

5/26/2020

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The right cupola placement can make all the difference on your home. On the surface, cupola placement appears straightforward: place the cupola in the center of the roof. But different roofs require different considerations. For example, a long roofline may require a cupola on either end as opposed to a central cupola. Here are a few examples of proper cupola placement to help you visualize a cupola on your home.

Examples of Proper Cupola Placement

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​For this L-shaped home, the customer chose two complementary cupolas. For the main building, a large, window cupola takes center stage, providing a beautiful focal point. The smaller louver cupola on the wing is both appropriate for the shorter, one-story roofline and echoes the main cupola instead of vying for attention.
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Cupola placement on this home is complicated by multiple roofs, a double garage and a pair of dormers. Centering the window cupola between the dormers creates a cohesive look that echoes the peaks of the roofs and brings balance to the roofline.
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For houses with multiple roofs and stories, it is best to place your cupola in the center of the highest roof, even if it is not perfectly centered on the house. As the highest point of your building, the cupola will draw the eye up and tie all the elements of your home together.

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For this elegant estate, the homeowners wanted matching cupolas for the house and three car garage. Opting for two cupolas on either end of the main home allowed the cupolas to all be the same size, creating a seamless, unified look.
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​This octagonal cupola is perfectly centered on the attached garage, and its round shape provides a nice contrast to the sharp lines of the architecture. The peak of the cupola draws even with the peak of the roof on the house, keeping an even sightline across the buildings and composing a complete picture.
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This quaint ranch offers a long, unbroken roof line, opening up the possibilities when it comes to cupola placement. A slightly larger central cupola with smaller, matching cupolas on either end of the roof provides perfect balance and maximum charm. ​
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The function of a cupola can also determine its placement. For barns and stables, cupolas often provide much needed ventilation to keep livestock healthy. Opting for multiple smaller cupolas rather than a large single cupola optimizes air flow and improves the air quality inside the barn.

Need Help With Cupola Placement? Ask the Experts!

The cupola specialists at Valley Forge Cupolas are always ready and willing to answer your cupola questions! From properly sizing your cupola to cupola placement to custom accents, we can help you design the cupola of your dreams. Call us today at 866-400-1776 for excellent customer service and top-of-the-line, quality cupolas!
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Weathervanes on Barns: the Perfect Combination!

5/13/2020

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​Cupolas and weathervanes on barns have been an American tradition for decades. Weathervanes on barns were originally a functional necessity, helping farmers predict the weather and know how to plant their crops for the best harvest. As weathervanes grew in popularity, farmers started choosing unique designs that highlighted a prominent feature of their farm or a prize winning animal. These traditions continue to this day, with beautifully detailed weathervanes on barns delivering both function and style.

Popular Weathervane on Barn Designs

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Cupolas are a great way to add ventilation to a stable and ensure fresh, healthy air for the horses inside. Top these cupolas with one of our elegant horse weathervanes, modeled after the famed racehorses of the 1900s. These copper weathervanes are available in polished or patina finishes, and are available in a variety of sizes to fit even the largest cupola.
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For the enthusiastic equestrian, this Horse & Rider are ready to leap gracefully over your stable or barn. At 32" long and 15.5" high, this weathervane is perfectly sized for both large and small stables.
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Love a good pig weathervane? We have a variety of pleasant porkers to choose from! Our fully-dimensional 3D pig is ready to take blue ribbon at the state fair - or a prominent place on your roofline. Our Country Pig, with his curly tail, points the way home, perching his trotters on a traditional arrow.
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This majestic bighorn ram is sure to delight wildlife enthusiasts and sheep farmers alike. Known for settling arguments by ramming each other with their impressive horns, bighorn rams take a no-nonsense approach to life. This gruff powerhouse is ready to strut his stuff above your barn. ​
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Do you have a prize steer or a barn full of hard-working heifers? Then you're sure to love our 3D Bull weathervane. With his head down, ready to charge, he's sure to strike fear into any intruders.
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Add the perfect finishing touch to your chicken coop with a chicken weathervane. On the left, a motherly hen carefully watches her playful chicks as they perch on wind directionals. On the right, a rooster has his head thrown back in a boastful crow to let everyone know he rules the roost.
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Roosters are one of the oldest weathervane designs and remain extremely popular today. As a result, we carry a variety of rooster weathervane designs in a range of materials. Choose from polished or patinated copper, gorgeous black metal, or our newest Bantam Rooster weathervane with enhanced rooster red details.
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Weathervanes on barns can also be whimsical and fun! Weathervanes are a great way to add one-of-a-kind style to your barn.

Looking for the perfect weathervane? Call Valley Forge Cupolas today at 866-400-1776!

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The History of Decorative Roof Finials

5/11/2020

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In architecture, decorative roof finials adorn the highest point of a building, whether that is the peak of the roof or a decorative element such as a cupola. At Valley Forge Cupolas, our handcrafted copper finials keep this tradition alive, adding classic beauty to any roofline.

Decorative Roof Finials Throughout History

Before modern composite building materials, the most common roofing materials were either ceramic or slate tiles. If your building had a round roof - such as on a tower - the tiles would form a gap at the top where the tiles met, allowing water to get in. To correct this problem, finials were created. Finials were often made out of stone or metal because their weight helped hold the tiles in place. Because finials featured so prominently on rooflines, builders began making them decorative as well as functional. 
Finials appear all throughout history on nearly every architectural style and building type. Some examples of finials were found on ancient Greek and Roman buildings, but it seems finials first rose to prominent use in Asian cultures around 700 A.D. as decorative elements on pagodas. These finials were primarily made out of stone, and their designs were heavily influenced by Buddhism. Most common was the lotus bud design: a closed bud represented the potential for enlightenment, while an open bud represented rebirth. Japanese builders began making finials out of metal - such as iron and copper - and also incorporated religious symbolism into their designs.

The rise of Gothic and Renaissance architecture brought with it a massive interest in finials. Gothic styles often incorporated ornamental figures - such as gargoyles and dragons - while the Victorian era brought about more regal inspired designs, such as the spike, ball and fleur de lis. Modern finials draw heavily on Victorian and gothic influences, capturing the dramatic elegance of the era.

The Beauty of Copper Decorative Roof Finials

Copper is a truly impressive metal, able to form and hold complex shapes while maintaining durability and strength. It is also corrosion resistant and can withstand the elements for decades on end. In fact, some buildings from the 1700s still have their original copper roofing! Copper develops a natural patina over time. This signature blue-green color is actually a protective coating that forms over the metal, helping it resist corrosion.
At Valley Forge Cupolas, our stunning copper finials come in a variety of styles, sizes and finishes. We have finials inspired by Arthurian legend, famous cities and the Smithsonian. They range in size from 13" high to a breath-taking 53" high, with each finial offering multiple size options. They can easily be mounted to one of our custom cupolas, or directly to your roof with one of our copper mounts. And they are available in a variety of finishes to complement any architectural style, from polished copper and brass to verdigris and black matte or gloss.
To learn more about our fabulous finials, or for help selecting the right one for your home, call us today at 866-400-1776.
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    About Us

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