Exterior trim packages looking up

fltntttt,ttNc out a house "from the top down" with lowI maintenance urethane products-from gable vents and louvers down to millwork and balustrades-is a growing trend for busy homeowners looking for easy-care home exteriors.

"Today's homeowners are selecting products for the outside of the home that are long-lasting and require minimal upkeep," says Fypon's Anita Piety. "Urethane and PVC products perfectly match the needs of consumers who are looking for stylish home enhancements that resist moisture, insects, cracking, peeling, rotting and warping.

Functional venting louvers feature corrosion-resistant screens to help keep insects out of the home and angled slates to protect interiors from rain while still encouraging ventilation.

"The windows on the front of a home gain tremendous curb appeal when accented by mouldings, a crosshead, trim and a window panel," she says. "Similar pieces-plus pilasters and pediments-can transform a ho-hum entryway into a stunning grand entrance for a home."

To add the ultimate finishing touch to eaves and window areas on the exterior, Piety recommends incorporating brackets, dentil blocks, and corbels. These pieces can be positioned under showcase window areas and on porches, and are also typically found under the roofline of a home. A trellis system installed above the garage door or a secondary entryway of the home carries through the decorative elements on the exterior.

"One of the best uses of low-maintenance products I've seen comes when people are adding balustrade systems, column wraps, and columns to a home exterior," says Piety. "These are products that in the past were made only of wood, requiring endless hours of scraping and refinishing on a regular basis. Now, with an abundance of PVC and urethane options in these product categories, homeowners can almost forget about maintenance woes. An occasional washing is all that's needed to keep these products looking fresh and new year after year."

Top Down Golors for the Home

Since they often come with a pre-primed surface ready to stain or paint, the lightweight products are an ideal way to add "top down" color to the home exterior.

"These products come with several finish options, including smooth, timber and stone cast, all primed and ready to paint or stain. The options encourage people to personalize their home exteriors with products that complement their home's design while reaping all the benefits of durable, low maintenance materials."

Top Down Accessories for the Home

At the roofline of the home, Piety recommends gable vents and louvers that come in shapes (such as octagons, cathedral, triangle and oval) and sizes to fit most openings.

"Painted crossheads or pediments that sit above windows or doors can help draw the entire color palette together for a home while providing instant curb appeal," says color expert Kate Smith. "While white trim is always striking on a home and can be a great contrast to darker colors, you can paint mouldings, brackets, trellis systems or louvers in a wide array of colors to truly highlight your home exterior. For example, a home with an overall green palette could use cream- or driftwood-colored accent pieces. Or, a Victorian-style home could use mouldings in shades of fuchsia or purples to set off its trim.