If you have visited Mexican towns like Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, and Saltillo, you probably fell in love with the charming homes that had been in existence for a long time. Or, maybe you've just seen Mexican style homes in states like Texas, California, and Arizona, and you knew that someday you would design a Mexican home of your own. If that time has now arrived, from selecting the facade material to selecting the roof, here are some ideas that might help you.

The Facade - For the look of an older Mexican house, consider either rocks or adobe for your home. For a more contemporary look, consider brick. Another idea is to combine two or three of those materials for the facade material. For example, the main material could be adobe, but then select brick of a contrasting color to ground the windows and the front door.

Think of having an archway as part of the design of your Mexican home. If you do so, you could alternate colors of rocks and bricks as the focal point of the archway. For example, if the house is an off-white adobe, then consider using light brown rocks and terra cotta bricks to create the archway on the front of the house. Follow that same design around windows and the front door. Consider sketching your design on paper so that you can try different color combinations, thus finding out the one that pleases you most.

The Roof - For a truly authentic look in the design of your Mexican house, terra cotta tile would be the best. However, tile roofs are probably your most expensive choice. Consider using shingles instead, selecting terra cotta as the color of the shingles. You'll more than likely be amazed that the terra cotta shingles give the house a very similar look as terra cotta bricks do. 

For a more contemporary Mexican style house, consider selecting a metal roof. A metal roof will more than likely be more expensive than a shingle roof would be, yet not as expensive as a tile roof. A tin roof isn't just attractive, it will do well in harsh weather, and it will last for a very long time. Again, choosing terra cotta for the color of the tin roof will give it the traditional look, yet with a contemporary touch.

If you're still undecided about which roof type you want, a roofing contractor will be happy to help you choose the right one for your Mexican style home.