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3 Tips to Choose the Perfect Shingle Color for Your Roof

3 Tips to Choose the Perfect Shingle Color for Your Roof

Bob Harvey Roofing • June 29, 2021

A well-designed roof enhances your home’s curb appeal. Further, a roof is a significant investment, and you should consider many style and color options before settling on a design. Moreover, roofing solutions Utah can express your personality, whether you want to make a bold statement or explore traditional elegance.

Roof shingles play an essential role as they protect against ice, rain, and wind damage. Additionally, shingles complement your home’s architecture. Most homeowners tend to stick to brown, black, grey, blue, and white, but you can experiment with dramatic hues to make your Utah home stand out. Explore the tips below to pick the best shingle color for your roof:

1. Coordinate or Contrast and Siding

All colors in your home’s exterior must work together to create a cohesive look. Thus, you need to choose between a color blend or contrast with your shingles. If your siding is plain, you can use a bolder pattern on the shingles to make your house look attractive. The rule of thumb is to mix warm hues with other warm colors and a cool color with another cool tone. For example, beige or brown siding blends perfectly with rusty red shingles. On the other hand, blue or gray siding works well with cool-toned shingles like black.

Using a uniform cool color like slate gray for the siding and shingles on a home by the mountains lets the surrounding natural beauty stand out. In comparison, going all black is ideal for modern exteriors. If you reside in a wooded area, you can use brown tones to blend with the environment.

Shingles can also contrast with the siding for a bolder effect. For example, colonial-style homes commonly pair white siding with a black roof. If you have cream-colored or light brown siding, consider dark brown roof shingles.

However, choosing multiple but harmonious colors can be challenging. To make the process easier, pick one color, such as blue, green, or brown, and use it in different tones on the roof, shutters, and siding. When in doubt, you cannot go wrong with neutral colors.

2. Consider Your Home’s Architectural Style

The style of your home significantly influences the choice of roofing solutions Utah. For example, stucco-sided homes look great with natural clay roofs such as rusty reds. On the other hand, beach cottages in the Hamptons commonly feature white trim, dark roofs, and bright siding. Other styles include:

  • 19th-century homes : if you want to preserve the traditional appeal of your 19th century home, use dark brown or black roof shingles.
  • Mediterranean homes : Mediterranean houses commonly feature terra cotta roof shingles to complement the light siding. Experiment with different warm colors to get the perfect look.
  • Spanish-style homes : traditionally, Spanish-style homes featured clay roofing tiles. You can mimic this natural appeal with reddish clay-toned shingles.
  • Craftsman style : darker roofs perfectly match homes with a lot of woodwork on the exteriors and interiors. Use dark hues of gray or brown and white trim to create stunning contrasts.
  • French Country : French-style homes often use lightly-colored shingles to contrast the stonework and stucco walls.

You should also consider how dominant your roof is as viewed from the street. The higher the pitch or greater the slope, the more attention a roof commands. In this case, ensure that the shingle color enhances your home’s entire architecture. Also, you can drive around the neighborhood and identify homes with a similar style as yours.

Remember to check HOA rules, if any, about roof colors and styles. Additionally, ensure that the new roof palette is not an eyesore for your neighbors.

3. Take Note of Energy Efficiency and Environment

Climate and geographical location matter a lot when choosing shingle colors. When chosen well, the shingle color can contribute to your energy-efficiency goals.

If you reside in warm areas, your primary goal is to keep your house cool. Lighter colors are reflective, and they keep the heat off your home. As a result, the attic will be comfortable enough to live in. Moreover, light shingles keep AC bills manageable in the summer.

In contrast, dark shingles absorb heat, making them perfect for cold regions. Moreover, they facilitate the melting of ice and snow. In some northern coastal areas, dark roofs hide stains resulting from blue-green algae.

The environment also influences roof colors. For example, blue shingles are popular on beach houses with nautical themes. On the other hand, Southwestern homes feature earth-toned roofs while green hues suit homes nestled in greenery.

Additionally, consider how the natural light in your area casts and reflects on your home. For example, the sunlight in the Midwest and New England tends to have a cool, bluish cast. In comparison, it tends to cast reddish and warmer rays on roofs in the Southwest.

Consult a Pro

A roofing repair expert in Utah will help you pick a shingle color that complements exterior elements like the trim, shutters, and siding. Talk to our pros at Bob Harvey Roofing for the perfectly colored roof shingles for your home.

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