You may not be aware of this, but gutter systems have a long and storied history of combining fashion with function. The most obvious example were gargoyles, whose presence on buildings and churches did more than just ward off evil spirits or improve the structures’ appearances; they also strategically hid the drainage downspouts from the naked eye.
Nowadays, people are finding other ways to express their creativity through gutter installation. Here are eight of the best efforts we found
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latimesblogs.latimes.com
This is one of those houses where traditional gutters would have stuck out like a sore thumb. That’s why the homeowner went with metallic exterior gutters that were positioned in straight lines and sharp angles.
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cre8ive-photo.com
The challenge was to get the runoff water from the upper story of this home onto the ground instead of the downstairs patio. This boxy copper design accomplished that goal with style and pizzazz.
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For a house with an exterior that exudes old-world charm, you can’t settle for gutters that scream new-world humdrum. These metallic gutters were angled and painted to blend in with the façade and not draw the eye away from the home’s timeless beauty.
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On the other hand, some homeowners want to utilize gutters to accent their dwelling’s appearance. Installing some of these intricately-designed copper scuppers and downspouts add a unique touch to a home while ensuring proper runoff water collection and direction.
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Traditional gutters don’t match up very well with the outdoorsy, old-west lodge look. That’s why this homeowner went with a rounded gutter fashioned to look like the wood which was found on many log cabins in the 19th century.
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If a structure was built with a heavy dose of European design, then American-style gutters will simply not suffice. The gutter pieces on this home illustrate two things: that leaderboxes can be customized for an ornate and decorative look, and that copper gutters do not have to be copper-colored.
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If you have a semicircular roof over your porch, then you’ll have to get creative with your guttering. This homeowner selected half round copper gutters with a continuously curved radius that were accompanied by cast copper decorative pineapple theme downspout brackets and decorative copper gutter hangers.
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But the most innovative award definitely goes to this homeowner, who wanted runoff water directed to a specific spot on the property. Billed as an “alternative sculpture downspout,” this series of gutters uses rounded sections in a “step-down” configuration to provide accurate drainage in an incredibly artistic manner.
