How To Choose The Right Shingle Color For Your Home
Black, brown, charcoal – oh my! With so many options, choosing a roof shingle color can seem like a daunting task. However, choosing the right shingle color is definitely important! A beautiful roof color can greatly increase the curb-appeal of your home, in addition to making it stand out to potential buyers if it comes time to sell. But where should you start? This how-to guide takes some of the guesswork out of selecting that perfect shade for your roof.
Create a Style Board ~ Start by creating a style board of all your ideas! Pinterest provides a great place to visualize all of your “looks” in one place. Nikki, our Marketing Coordinator at Code Red Roofers, has created several pre-made “look-books” and style boards, providing home inspiration photos. “I find that I am a very visual person, and like to see what colors, styles, and profiles blend best together. Pinterest allows me to easily search for homes in the style I am looking for, and then I can organize them into boards based on color or roof material.” You can check out some of the style boards by visiting Code Red Roofers Pinterest profile here.
Branch Out ~ When it comes time for a reroof, view it as a “clean slate” for your home’s exterior! The roof usually comprises about 40% of the view of the exterior of your home, so it’s important to choose something you don’t mind looking at. If you’re contemplating changing the style of your home, the roof color is a great way to start! Even something as simple as choosing a different shade in the same color family can really liven up your home’s appearance.
Check Your Lighting ~ It is important to take into consideration how the shingle color is going to appear in different lighting scenarios. Does your home receive direct sunlight all day? Is there a lot of tree cover that provides shade? Shading and sunlight can greatly change the appearance of the shingle color.
Match Your Paint or Siding Palette ~ A general rule of thumb is to always select a shingle color that is darker than the body of your home. A darker shingle color helps to balance and “ground” the house, especially on multiple-story homes. As far as color palettes go, it is best to break colors down into two groups: warm tones and cool tones. If your home is gray, blue, or a blue-tinged green - cool color palettes often look best. If your home is tan, yellow, brown, rust, terra-cotta, or yellow-tinged green - warm color palettes are best suited. If a home is white – both cool black tones or warm brown tones look stunning! Additionally, make sure your shingles will complement both fascia and/or gutter color. For example, if your fascia is dark brown, a gray shingle most likely will look out-of-place
Request a Shingle Sample ~ After you’ve narrowed down your selection virtually, don’t hesitate to ask your Sales Technician for a shingle sample to view in person! As stated above, lighting and exterior color plays a big role in selecting the color of your shingles. Sometimes it is best to view a sample of the shingles in person to match it to your home’s siding or paint, and to view it in different lighting.
Seek Out Other Opinions ~ Having a tough time deciding? Run your decision by a few of your friends or family members for honest input. Want an unbiased opinion? Send a photo of your home along with potential paint/siding color changes to nicole.p@coderedroofers.com . Nikki would be happy to assist in directing you to some shingle color options that will make your home stand out from the crowd!
By following these steps, you’ll be ready to rock-and-roll with your new roof color! Want to get started on your reroof project? Code Red Roofers provides FREE ESTIMATES.