With its pairing of traditional lines and contemporary materials, this home in rural Pennsylvania certainly catches the eyes of passersby. A clean-lined standing seam metal roof, locally quarried stone cladding, and ipe wood siding take a back seat to the cupped stainless-steel tile gracing the home’s oversized entrance. The highly polished material almost has the appearance of glass block and was owner Tom Deignan’s first choice even before plans for the home began. As President of Carrollton Design Build, Deignan stays on the lookout for new and unusual materials.
Along with its arresting reflectivity, the tile creates a strong contrast with the matte steel roofing panels—both products from Petersen, which manufactures PAC-CLAD metal cladding. In all, 1,500 square feet of tile were used, along with 17,000 square feet of 24-gauge roof panels. Also striking is the use of angle iron for the gutters. The material’s strength allows the gutters to serve a dual purpose as a snow retention system.
In contrast to the lot’s previous modernist dwelling, this new residence eschews a flat-roof approach for a series of gables that give the appearance of a small village, rather than a single home. “We now have six buildings on the property, but four of those six are actually one building. We have a series of gabled roofs and several intermediate roofs over indoor gardens that are essentially connector rooms,” shared Deignan.
