A roof is one of the most visible aspects of a home and a big part of its curb appeal. The roof color is one of the first things that your neighbors, visitors, or potential buyers will see. That’s why it’s important that a roof is not only functional but fits the look of your home and the neighborhood as well.
Design choices for roof colors can be fun but can also be overwhelming. You might be thinking to yourself, “how do I pick a roof color?” Well there are many things to take into consideration when making such a big change to your home.
Whether you’re building a new home or simply remodeling, picking the right look and color of your roof takes some thought. We’ll discuss what to consider when you’re picking the color of your roof.
What to Consider When Choosing Shingle Colors in Michigan
When designing anything, think about the big picture. Think “how will this look in the surroundings?” and “what color roof should I put on my house?” The color of your roof should provide an aesthetically pleasing contrast to the rest of the home.
Consider the color of your siding, shutters, doors, and other exterior features. A roof color that is too close to the color of your home could make it look bland. Pick a roof shingles color that provides enough contrast and matches well with the rest of the colors of your home.
Typically, contrasting color combinations work when one is much darker than the other. Consider the following combinations when thinking about the color of your siding and picking out the color of your shingles:
- Yellow and dark blue
- Red and black or dark green
- White and grey, black, or red
- Tan or beige and black, navy, or dark brown
- Teal and white
Keep in mind that you can either purchase solid color shingles or shingle blends that are a variety of different tones. A brown blend, for example, could include shingles of both light and dark brown varieties. This would look the best with a solid color home like tan or white.
A shingle blend can also help to incorporate tones of the rest of your home, making your roof complimentary to the other colors of the home. Be careful not to choose a blend that will clash with your home’s exterior. If you have an exterior that features different textures, like brick or stone, a blended roof may clash and not look as appealing.
Do You Plan to Sell Your Home in the Near Future?
If you are remodeling or replacing your roof for the purpose of selling the home, it’s good to stick to easily appealing colors. Remember that you are trying to increase the curb appeal of the home and you don’t want to stick out for the wrong reasons.
Sticking to neighborhood standards will ultimately help interest new buyers. Straying too far away from the neighborhood norm can be risky. This is a good reason to take a walk around your neighborhood and note how surrounding homes look.
Do You Have a Strict Budget You Need to Stick to?
Before you decide on a unique shingle that may be expensive, ensure you can cover costs.
A bundle of common asphalt shingles usually costs $30 to $50, while a bundle of cedar or wood shingles could cost around $160. Other materials like slate or clay could cost even more per bundle.
Make sure to shop around for estimates to confirm that the new look can fit within your budget.
Are There Any Residential Roofing Requirements in Your Area?
Some neighborhoods have homeowner associations that dictate how the houses in the area are allowed to look.
If you are part of a homeowner association, be sure to check their bylaws for exterior guidelines. You don’t want any legal trouble for changing your roof to the wrong color.
This may include checking local codes as well to make sure you’re choosing the proper roofing materials.
Have You Consulted with a Roofing Expert?
Getting a second opinion from someone who knows what works and what doesn’t, based on experience, is crucial before deciding on anything. The local roofing contractors in your area can take care of all of your residential roofing projects and make the best recommendations for aesthetics and function. There are also many online tools that can help you visualize what different shingle colors on your roof might look like.
Want to learn more about the different types of roofing materials available?
6 Tips to Help You Pick the Right Roof Colors
Consider How Your Shutter and Siding Colors Will Blend
As we mentioned, you don’t want a roof color that’s too similar to your siding. That wouldn’t create an interesting aesthetic and would likely look too bland. But you also don’t want colors or textures that will clash.
Your roof colors should have tones of your shutters, trim, and exterior so that they all compliment each other. It is recommended that you choose a 2- to 3-color palette to play around with on your home, depending on your exterior.
Determine How Natural Light Can Impact the Look of Your Roof
A general rule is that dark colors will absorb the light, and light colors will reflect it. Your roof will look different in natural light, which will be different depending on where you’re located.
For example, the natural light in the midwest is mild compared to the beating sun of the southwest. If your roof will be in a lot of direct sunlight, use bolder roof colors like blue or red since light or neutral colors will look washed out in the sun. A shaded home may already appear dark, so lighter roof colors could brighten up the outside of your home.
Be Sure to Match the Style of Your Home
Once again, you want to look at the overall picture of your home when considering a roof color and material. Your roof should match the style of the house — if it’s a modern-looking build, wooden shingles might look out of place. If it’s a classic colonial or victorian style then a metal roof wouldn’t be a good choice. Find houses similar to yours and take note of what they used for their roof.
Also take your landscaping into account. A home with bright pastel colors may look odd against your lush landscaping, with many trees and shrubs. In that situation you may want to consider earth tones or more saturated colors to match the overall look of your home.
Do Some Shingle Window Shopping in Your Neighborhood
Not only will this help you fit in with the area, but you can also see how different colors will look on houses that are similar to yours. Especially if you are selling the home, you don’t want to stick out on your block.
It will be best to choose a color that compliments or blends in with the rest of the homes, particularly when they’re close together, close to the road, and are easily visible. Remember that you are trying to improve the curb appeal of your home.
Let the Structure of Your Home Influence Your Shingle Color
Even your home’s architecture can affect the look of the roof color. Since dark colors tend to draw more attention than light ones, multi-level homes often feature dark colored shingles to balance the height of the home.
Ranch level homes often feature medium or neutral color roofs, as a dark color roof could overwhelm a smaller home.
Consider How Climate and Your Location May Impact Your Choice
Not only does the color of your roof affect the look, but your energy bills as well. What color roof is the most energy efficient?
Since dark colors absorb the sunlight, they will also absorb and keep in the heat. A light roof won’t keep in heat as well and could lead to higher utility bills.
Though you may like the look of a light-colored roof, a dark-colored roof may be the more energy-efficient option for you if you live somewhere that gets cold often. If you live somewhere with vast differences in seasons, imagine how your roof color will look in all types of weather, whether it be the golden hour of a summer sunset or a snowy winter scene.
Get Some Samples and Try Them Out!
Be sure to get samples of the different shingle colors you’re interested in to see how they look against your siding and exterior.
Remember, that features such as trim, doors, or shutters can easily be painted, but siding or chimneys are much harder to change. You will want to make sure you’re choosing roof colors that will naturally fit with the other colors of your home.
