Vinyl Siding Ornaments Showcase Emulated Styles that Enhance Both the Traditional and Modern Home Designs

By Matt Dobson, Vice President, Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI)

Current home building and remodeling trends continue to favor softer whites on the siding with moody, charcoal colors on the trim, and – paradoxically enough – monochromatic color schemes with wood elements and metal roofs. In chapter 3 (Ornaments) of VSI’s Architectural Polymers: Best Practices for Architectural Specifications (written by VSI consultant, author and builder Fernando Pagés Ruiz, with architectural drawings by Dana Johnson), there are some inspired vinyl and PVC ornament options emulating wood elements that could be utilized for your next project.

Rosettes popular in wood blocks are available in vinyl siding and cellular PVC trims that fit seamlessly into vinyl doors and window lineals. These treatments are more functional than their wooden counterparts as they can preserve drainage plains.

Vinyl dentils and composite crowns for top of wall or wood pediments come in a wide variety of colors to match their wooden counterparts in design quality, and they snap seamlessly into a vinyl siding assembly. These ornaments can also be painted if you have more unique colors in mind for your project. The dentils are also available in polyurethane, and their styles range from classical to Victorian.

Contrary to popular belief, ornaments are functional. They improve curb appeal, which is essential for boosting home values most cost-effectively. And for current homebuilding trends, vinyl rosettes and dentils work nicely with both monochromatic color schemes and the latest color-blocking styles.

The vinyl ornaments I selected for this article complement modern design styles quite well and are ideal for remodeling traditional neighborhoods. All seven ornamental categories in this chapter of Architectural Polymers should be earmarked for future projects. As the author states: “The full scope of decorative elements available for polymeric cladding, especially with cellular PVC, rivals any millwork catalog.”