Getting a new roof can be an exciting way to drastically change the look of your home. But with so many shingle colors available, choosing the right roof color for your home can be overwhelming. Whether you are looking to revamp the look of your home completely or maintain the same aesthetic, we’ve compiled a list of tips for choosing the right shingle color for your home:
Choose a roof shingle color that compliments your home’s trim. After looking at thousands of roofs throughout his career, Matt Munro, owner and president of Rampart Roofing, Inc. suggests coordinating your roof color with your home’s trim color. Rather than focusing on the body color of your home, look at your trim and choose a color that balances it well.
Don’t be afraid to go dark. Homeowners often express concerns over choosing a dark roof shingle, assuming that the darker color will absorb more heat. However, a dark color will not heat up your attic or home any more than a light color if the house is properly ventilated. We suggest choosing the best-looking color, even if it’s black, and then hire a professional to properly ventilate the attic. This will help you maintain a cool and even temperature in your home.
Look at lots of samples and addresses with the colors you like. At Rampart Roofing, Inc., we’re happy to provide a list of homes we’ve roofed and examples of what certain homes look like with specific shingle types and colors. Additionally, we have sample boards in our office that our clients are welcome to take home. Often, it helps to hold shingle sample boards against your home to determine the best color.
Consider your neighborhood and surrounding scenery. Look around you. What roofing colors do your neighbors have? Do you want your home to stand out against your neighbors’ homes or do you prefer that your home blends in with the rest? Homes situated in neighborhoods often have a cohesive aesthetic as the homes are usually built within the same time frame and with similar materials. Also, What scenery or landscaping surrounds your home? Is your home surrounded by lush greens, a blue mountain backdrop, or muted desert tones? Whether you want your home to blend in with the environment or stand out in contrast against it, it’s important to consider your surroundings. Choose a roof color that will not only complement your home’s color scheme but the adjacent environment around it. Cabins, for example, often look best with dark green roofs that tie in with their surrounding wooded areas.
Check with your homeowner’s or historical guidelines association. If you are a member of a homeowner’s association, make sure your chosen shingle color meets the homeowner’s association requirements. Furthermore, consider whether or not you live in a historical area. Some historical homes in Manitou Springs, for example, must meet certain requirements.
What are your future plans? Do you intend to re-paint your home or replace your siding in the future? If so, carefully consider which roofing color will tie in and complement your desired color scheme or choose a neutral color that will complement any future changes.
When in doubt, stick with the basics. Roof shingle colors can be warm, cool, or neutral in tone. As a general rule, cool tones can clash against warm tones as they are opposites on the color wheel. If your home has a cool grey color scheme, for example, choose a roof with a cool tone such as black, grey, or dark grey. Alternatively, if your home has a warm color scheme, such as a warm cream color, choose a warm-colored roof shingle such as a warm brown or tan. It’s easy to find a color wheel online or in a paint department to help you.
Preview your home with your desired roof color online or with an app. Some roofing shingle manufacturers, such as Malarkey Roofing Products, offer online previews of what your home will look like with different shingle colors. Check out Malarkey’s online roof designer feature here: https://malarkeyroofing.com/roof-designer. You just need a good photo of your home to get started.
