OVERVIEW
As an award-winning, Melbourne-based designer of luxury homes, Evo Dimov is an expert in sourcing the finest building and design products for his clients from around the globe.  However, every once in a while a product comes along that is so outstanding both in style and quality that Evo is compelled to use it for his own personal building projects as well.

“I first came across Barrington Roof Tiles at a home design show in 2006 and suggested it to a client who was building an exquisite French Provincial-style house at the time as the roof required a flat slate look,” Evo said.

“Initially I was a little reluctant to pursue Barrington as it is manufactured from a polymer composite and is not natural slate, but after meeting with Brian Hughes, owner of Barrington Roof Tiles, and learning about all the benefits the product offers, the client and I decided it was ideal for the project.”


THE BARRINGTON LOOK
According to Evo, both he and his client were very impressed with the result and also with Barrington Roof Tile’s strength and lower cost, so much so that Evo decided to use the tile on his new architecturally-designed home in East Malvern.

 “Barrington Roof Tiles is a brilliant product with a fantastic look and I knew after seeing it on my client’s home that it would be perfect for mine as well,” Evo said. “In addition to its slimline look, which is very attractive and suits a wide range of house styles, Barrington Roof Tiles is about two-thirds the cost of natural slate and is far more lightweight and durable.

“Each tile has a 120 kilogram load bearing so it’s easily walked over and won’t crack. You won’t find another roof product like that.”


INSTALLATION
Evo’s house is inspired by the work of internationally renowned American architect and interior designer Frank Lloyd Wright, who is a pioneer of modern architecture and developed a very famous style called ‘Prarie’.”

Prarie-style houses hail back to the early 20th Century and are recognised for their spacious living areas, simple building materials, low horizontal lines, sweeping rooflines that overhang windows, and streamlined-looking roof tiles.

“I chose the Barrington Slate Tile, the smaller of the two Barrington Roof Tiles, as it is in keeping with the Frank Lloyd Wright look and is extremely versatile ,” Evo said. “The house has quite a low pitch, only 18 degrees, and this is in sharp contrast to the pitch of my client’s French Provincial-style home which was around 45 degrees, yet the same roof tile suited both builds.


THE RESULT
“Since my house was finished 18 months ago I have had many people comment on not only the unique architecture but also on the roof,” Evo said. “ Barrington is a great local innovation and I have recommended it for a number of clients now. I will continue to use it wherever and whenever I can.”

OVERVIEW
The French Provincial style of home, popular in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, is known for its impressive architecture and classic European features, and Mimmo Scrimizzi’s five-bedroom, two-storey masterpiece is no exception.

With touches of neoclassical and baroque design, this 100 square metre, rendered brick house is as grand and imposing as the Palace of Versailles after which it was modeled. It demonstrates all the well-recognised characteristics of French Provincial architecture including tall narrow windows, French doors and a steeply-pitched roof.

While slate is the traditional tile of choice for old-world, European-inspired houses such as these, in this instance Mimmo chose to embrace a modern, technologically sophisticated roofing system that has the appearance of natural slate but offers durability and weatherproofing characteristics second to none – Barrington Roof Tiles.


THE BARRINGTON LOOK
According to Mimmo, when he and his wife began building their new house in early 2006 they had yet to decide on a roof tile. However, after considering asphalt, terracotta and even natural slate, the couple opted for Barrington Roof Tiles, which their architect had alerted them to during their search for the perfect roof tile.

“Being in the French Provincial style the roof is very steep, about a 45°pitch, so it is very much ‘in your face’,” Mimmo said. “Because it features so prominently, I felt it was very important to select a roof tile that would suit this style of house and be easy to look after, and I have been able to achieve both with Barrington Roof Tiles.”