When you’re thinking about choosing a color for your roof, or the shingles that will be used in its construction, you should keep in mind that whatever you pick will be with you for a while, since roofs generally last 20 years or more. To make the best possible choice, you should think about the style of home you have and the look you’d like to achieve.
You should also consider the climate you live in, and the impact of weather on your roof system. With this in mind, you can follow one of two approaches: you can either pick a color based on your home and your location or opt for a special shingle design that will make your home look unique or special.
Selecting By Location And Home Attributes
Pick a color that matches the color of your house
In some cases, homeowners prefer to coordinate roof color with the color of their siding, while others prefer to produce a contrast, which makes the whole house stand out. If you’re looking for contrast, and your house siding is gray, yellow, blue, or white, you’ll be able to achieve an impressive contrast with gray or black shingles. Red houses will look best with black, gray, or brown shingles, and with earth-tone siding, brown or tan colored shingles will coordinate very nicely with the rest of your home.
Emphasize your home’s architectural style
If you’re driving around your neighborhood looking for homes with an architectural style similar to yours, it might be helpful for you to take notes on the appearance of those other homes. For instance, some ranch houses look very good when a combination of colors is used, whereas a traditional colonial style generally looks better with shingles of one color. Spanish style homes are often best represented by reddish or clay-colored shingles.
Make your home more energy efficient
If you are located in an area where the climate is typically very warm, you may want to opt for an energy-efficient roof which is capable of lowering the temperature in your home by as much as 20 to 40°F. This might help you achieve energy savings and lower utility bills as well.
Check HOA rules about shingle colors
While you’re considering roofing options, you should find out if there’s a local homeowner association with guidelines about roofing selections. There may not be any rules or regulations set forth by the homeowners association, but it would still be a good idea to take a look at your neighbors’ homes so that you don’t stand out like a sore thumb when making your roofing color selection. If several of your neighbors have the same colored roofs, this might be a sign that those colors work very well in your area.
Consult with a certified roofing contractor
If you really can’t decide on your own, there’s always the possibility of simply taking photos of your home and consulting with an expert roofer or contractor. These are professionals who have installed all kinds of roofing systems, and one of them will certainly have some ideas on the best possible roofing selection for your home.
Choosing A Roof Color By Shingle Design
Make your mark with the shingle design or shape
If you decide to go this route, the best way to get started is to consult with a roofing contractor about using a unique design in your roofing shingles. Scalloping or layering are two techniques that can certainly draw attention to your roof. On the other hand, if you’re trying to minimize attention to your roof, you can use low-contrast colors such as brown and tan, which tend to reduce focus.
Choose different shingle materials for a unique look
For a natural tone roof with a relatively cool undertone, you could try staggering blue colored shingles with taupes or browns. Since shingles are available today in many different materials, you can choose slate, clay, or wooden shingles to achieve your unique look. These materials and styles may cost a little more, but if you really want that look, it can be aesthetically gratifying.
Blend with your siding color to make the house seem larger
By choosing a shingle color which is very similar to your siding, it can cause the roof to appear to be a continuation of that siding, as the eye is drawn upward. Stark colors such as black or white do just the opposite and tend to break your home into obvious sections. If you’re trying to achieve the effect of making your house look much more substantial, you should opt for a color that approximates your siding color.
Still Can’t Decide? Call HomeGuard!
As a top-rated roofing company in the Denver area, the expert consultants at HomeGuard can walk you through all of the color options available for your next roof. Contact us online or call (720) 708-4126 to schedule your free in-home consultation today.
