Metal Roofs Top Green Celebrity Garden Retreat
by Jonathan McGaha | July 31, 2008 12:00 am
Follansbee, W.Va.-based Follansbee Steel’s KlassicKolors metal roofing tops six buildings at renowned celebrity gardener P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home Retreat near Little Rock, Ark. The vibrant red roofs contrast well with the abundant gardens while contributing to the overall durability and sustainability of the retreat.
Smith, who is best recognized as an award winning garden designer and host of public television programs “P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home” and “P. Allen Smith Gardens,” designed the Garden Home Retreat in accordance with his mission of creating “beautiful living spaces that blur the lines between indoors and out.” Frequently contributing to NBC’s “Today Show,” Smith continues to spread ideas and inspiration year round.
The Retreat’s main cottage, artist studio, outdoor kitchen, tractor barn, milk barn and gate house all feature Follansbee KlassicKolors in Red, lending a signature look to the retreat. Working with Minneapolis- based Valspar, Follansbee was able to create and deliver a prepainted metal roof that replicates the aesthetic tone, texture and warmth achieved by tinsmiths for nearly 200 years.
Together, Smith and architect Ward Lile built the retreat as a demonstration site to test and teach lessons in eco-friendly design, sustainable living and good stewardship. Created in the ferme ornée, or ornamental farm style, Follansbee roofing was the best choice for a product that fit with the traditional style of the buildings at the retreat while also serving as a durable and eco-friendly option.
Smith chose building materials that would naturally complement each other, ensuring one area flows seamlessly into the next. While he chose the Follansbee product for its intrinsic visual appeal, he says the material’s green, sustainable attributes were eventually the deciding factor in selecting KlassicKolors. The Follansbee roof is installed in combination with a Dawn Solar System from Dawn Solar Systems Inc., Brentwood, N.H., on the main house. Together they form a traditional-style roof coupled with a high-tech solar system, increasing the home’s energy efficiency.
The Garden Home Retreat serves as a venue for ongoing public events, like the recently held International Master Gardeners Conference. More than 1,200 people toured the site and witnessed the ways that Follansbee roofing enhances the retreat’s beauty and sustainability.
Source URL: https://www.metalarchitecture.com/projects/metal-roofs-top-green-celebrity-garden-retreat/