Three rules for any roof

• Overhang by one block. Letting the roof stick out past the walls adds instant depth.
• Use a different material from the walls. Dark oak or deepslate on light walls always reads well.
• Mix stairs and slabs. Stairs alone look steep and blocky, and slabs make the slope smoother.

Roof shapes to try

Gable roof

Two sloped sides meeting at a ridge. It is the easiest roof to build and fits cottages and farmhouses. Fill the triangle ends with a different block, like stripped logs.

Hip roof

All four sides slope in. It looks tidy on square houses and handles corners well. Use stair corners where the slopes meet.

Curved Japanese roof

Use slabs near the edges and stairs higher up so the roof curves upward. Add a few upside-down stairs on the corners for the flick.