Until very recently, the Richard Howe House in Akron, Ohio, was a neglected, blue-painted eyesore. The former mansion built in 1836 had been the home of the resident engineer of the Ohio & Erie Canalway, whose transportation project transformed northeastern Ohio into a bustling commercial center critical to many areas of a young America.

More than ever, homeowners and building owners are using color and texture to personalize their roof and distinguish their property from others. Bold statements are being made with vibrant colors available with today’s composite slate. In fact, it’s not unusual now for a roof to have four, five, even six different colors of tiles.