When it comes to the design of a cottage, the outside is just as important as the inside. And while your first thought might be siding, the style of your roof can greatly change the overall silhouette of the structure. These nine different roof types are just a few examples of what you might see on a cottage.
Open gable
One of the most common types you’ll see. It’s identified by two sides sloping in opposite directions that meet at the top to form a ridge.
Hip
Hip styles have four sloped sides that meet at the top in a ridge.
Dutch gable
A variation on a gable. It adds a small gable on top of a hip roof for outer aesthetics and to add functionality to a loft space.
Flat
A roof that is almost level with the top of the building (it has a minor slope).
Shed
A flat roof that has a bit of a steeper slope.
Gambrel
A two-sided style with two slopes on each side. The lower slope is steeper and the upper slope is much more shallow. It’s often seen on barns or stables.
Mansard
Largely popular in France, Mansard roofs are similar to gambrel-style structures, but with four sides instead of two.
Dormer
Dormer-style roofs have a window structure placed vertically on a sloping roof. The dormer has it’s own roof, which can be a number of different styles, such as flat, sloped, or hipped.
Saltbox
Saltbox structures have two sides sloping away from a ridge, but they are asymmetrical—instead of being the same length, one side is short and the other slopes down to the first level of the house.
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