As you contemplate the best way to improve your home's curb appeal, you might be tempted to focus on those flower boxes or the front porch. However, since roofs take up as much as 40% of the visible exterior surface of your house, adding a few finishing details can make a big difference. Here are five exterior finishes that can make your roof look polished and pristine, so that your home can make a great first impression.  

1: Gable Decorations

That empty triangular space between those dual pitched-roofs doesn't have to look barren. If you want to make your home reminiscent of a country cottage, consider adding gable decorations. Wooden or vinyl gable decorations are available in a huge variety of different shapes and sizes, so you can customize your home's exterior. In addition to drawing the eye upwards, gable decorations can also cover up unsightly attic vents, and make your roof look more polished.

2: Weathervanes

Sometimes, your boring roof might just need a little jewelry. Consider topping the highest peak of your roof with a weathervane. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to love all things equestrian if you decide to install a weathervane. Instead of the quintessential horse-and-arrow design, consider investing in a custom weathervane that incorporates your favorite hobby, the initial of your last name, or your personal motto. For example, if you love playing music, you could have a custom weathervane created that includes intricately carved treble clefs or notes.  

3: Chimney Caps

If you really want to make your roof shine, consider showing off different elements of the area. Instead of leaving the top of your soot-coated chimney naked, think about finishing it off with a chimney cap. These custom copper metal covers can make your home look like an estate by showing off the fact that you have a fireplace. Chimney caps are available in a huge range of different shapes and sizes, and some are even carved to make your flue look more regal. 

4: Finials

After capping off your chimney and adding a decorative weathervane, the other pitches of your roof might start to look a little lonely. Fortunately, you can tie the design theme together by adding finials to the other vertical pitches of your roof. Finials are essentially ornamental details used to define roofing pinnacles.

In addition to streamlining your roof design, finials actually serve a purpose. Because finials bring the blunt edge of your roof to a fine point, there are fewer places for birds to rest, which can cut down on bird poop accumulation. If you live in an area where birds tend to migrate, adding a few finials might prompt those friendly fowls to hang out on your neighbor's house instead.   

5: Snow Guards

After investing in updated shingles and fascinating design elements, the last thing you probably want to deal with is damage from ice dams. After ice and snow sheets form on your roof, the heat from your attic can prompt them to slide off and curl around the edges of your eaves, forming ice dams. Although ice dams might seem harmless, they can rip away shingles, or even cause your roof to cave in.

Fortunately, you might be able to keep ice dams at bay by installing snow guards. These custom metal pieces are bolted to the area right in front of your rain gutters to catch snow and ice sheets. Instead of ripping away your shingles, those sheets will melt and flow into your rain gutters, keeping your roof in tact. Believe it or not, you can even find decorative snow guards. Consider more info and tying in your home's design theme by adding snow guards formed into mini fleur-de-lis, or interesting geometric shapes.

Dressing up your roof will give your home a sense of style, without completely remodeling the entire exterior.