Mother and daughter remodelers and home improvement television personalities (Two Chicks and a Hammer), Karen Laine and Mina Starsiak are joining Owens Corning at the 2017 International Roofing Expo on Wednesday, March 1. On their television program, Laine and Starsiak use color to elevate the curb appeal of homes in their Indianapolis neighborhood. At IRE, they will be sharing their color expertise with roofing contractors and offering insights on how a color coordinated roof can boost a homeowner’s pride in their home’s exterior and sharing tools Owens Corning has created to help contractors and the consumers they serve use color as a design element on the roof.

Q. Is this your first appearance at IRE?

A. (Karen) Yes, this is our first appearance at IRE and we’re happy to join the Owens Corning team at Booth 1031 as we help introduce roofing contractors to the Owens Corning SHINGLE COLOR OF THE YEAR. We’ll be doing “meet and greets” at the booth between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on March 1.

Q. How did you become interested in color-coordinated roofs?

(Mina) Homeowners love to use trending colors to personalize their homes. Color is a big part of what we talk about on our TV show. Color can transform a home’s interior and the roof is no different. In the research Owens Corning conducted, homeowners said they want their home to reflect who they are and express their personal style without making too much of a statement. Nobody wants to be “that house!” 

Q. Has color always been part of your approach to roofing?

(Mina) There was a time when I didn’t think a lot about the roof beyond its functionality. I viewed the roof as something you put on to “top off” the home. When I saw the impact the right color roof could have on a home, a light bulb went off and I wished I could go back and do-over some old remodels.

Q. What changed your mind about color and roofing?

(Karen) We just completed a new home office that serves as the “world headquarters” of Two Chicks and a Hammer. The home is vintage yet eclectic. As we were remodeling the house last fall, Owens Corning suggested that we consider the Sand Dune color – part of their TruDefinition® Duration® Designer shingles. We were intrigued and decided it looked like a color that would definitely fit our design aesthetic.  When we saw the roof on our new office, we knew it was the perfect color complement to the house — one that truly reflects our personalities. And it’s worth noting that most homes will eventually be sold to a new owner. The nice thing about the color Sand Dune is that it complements so many different colors if a new owner decides to change up the exterior design.

(Mina) But it was funny to see the contractor’s reaction when the shingles arrived on site and he opened the package!

Q. What was your roofing contractor’s reaction to the roof shingles?

(Mina) I got a call from the contractor saying the shingles were the wrong color and I needed to come over right away. So, I headed over and confirmed that yes, those were the shingles we’d be using. I think the contractor was skeptical because he was definitely used to using a basic Estate Gray color.  But after installation when he saw how the shingles complemented the color of the home, it was an eye-opening experience for him. Suddenly, he saw how shingles tied the whole house together.

Q. Why is color so often a missed opportunity on the roof?

(Mina) It’s surprising that homeowners and contractors don’t think of the roof as a critical design element – especially when it can make up such a large portion of a home’s exterior.

(Karen) A lot of times, it comes down to homeowners not knowing how to choose a roof color, so they rely on their contractor. But contractors historically haven’t had design guidance either, so everyone stumbles through it and makes the ‘safe’ choice. It seems hard to imagine a contractor selecting your granite countertop color or the color for your bedroom walls, but roofing contractors are constantly placed in that position for a new roof color.  Color is a powerful tool when it comes to home design—on the interior and the exterior; it can affect our moods and feelings. Anywhere color is used-including the roof-it can make us happy.  It influences the way we feel.

Q. How can contractors help the homeowners they work with consider color on the roof?

(Mina) Owens Corning has put a lot of thought into how color serves as a design element on the roof. They worked with color guru Leatrice Eiseman who serves as Executive Director of the PANTONE Color Institute™. Lee talked about how different colors make people feel and the role of color in our lives. Owens Corning took the next step, putting together tools and resources to inspire homeowners to discover the right color and style for their home.

Q. What tools has Owens Corning put together to assist contractors?

(Karen) The Owens Corning Roofing web site offers free design tools contractors can offer their customers. The resources make it easy for homeowners to discover the right

shingles complemented the color of the home, it was an eye-opening experience for him. Suddenly, he saw how shingles tied the whole house together.

Q. Why is color so often a missed opportunity on the roof?

(Mina) It’s surprising that homeowners and contractors don’t think of the roof as a critical design element – especially when it can make up such a large portion of a home’s exterior.

(Karen) A lot of times, it comes down to homeowners not knowing how to choose a roof color, so they rely on their contractor. But contractors historically haven’t had design guidance either, so everyone stumbles through it and makes the ‘safe’ choice. It seems hard to imagine a contractor selecting your granite countertop color or the color for your bedroom walls, but roofing contractors are constantly placed in that position for a new roof color.  Color is a powerful tool when it comes to home design—on the interior and the exterior; it can affect our moods and feelings. Anywhere color is used-including the roof-it can make us happy.  It influences the way we feel.

Q. How can contractors help the homeowners they work with consider color on the roof?

(Mina) Owens Corning has put a lot of thought into how color serves as a design element on the roof. They worked with color guru Leatrice Eiseman who serves as Executive Director of the PANTONE Color Institute™. Lee talked about how different colors make people feel and the role of color in our lives. Owens Corning took the next step, putting together tools and resources to inspire homeowners to discover the right color and style for their home.

Q. What tools has Owens Corning put together to assist contractors?

(Karen) The Owens Corning Roofing web site offers free design tools contractors can offer their customers. The resources make it easy for homeowners to discover the right colors for them and help them envision how a roof color or style will look on their home before the shingles are ever ordered. The tools are available on the Owens Corning web site. (https://www.owenscorning.com/roofing/design-inspire)

(Mina) The Roofing Color Compass^TM  Color Personality Quiz asks 10 simple questions that help a homeowner determine what color is right for them. Women really enjoy the quizzes. And the Design EyeQ® Visualization Tool lets homeowners upload a photo of their home and “try on” new roof colors. Consumers can also see inspiration boards online that allow them to see how color can really tie together a home’s exterior.

Q. What is the Owens Corning SHINGLE COLOR OF THE YEAR?

(Karen) Each year, Owens Corning will announce a SHINGLE COLOR OF THE YEAR. The 2017 Color is Sedona Canyon. The color was selected because it pairs well with both trending and traditional colors. A 2018 SHINGLE COLOR OF THE YEAR along with pairings will be announced later this year. 

 Q. How can IRE attendees learn more?

(Mina) Stop by booth 1031 during the show to see the SHINGLE COLOR OF THE YEAR and learn more about the Owens Corning visualization tools and color pairings. Mom and I will be doing “meet and greets” on March 1, from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.