How to Choose the Right Shingle Colors for your Home

Your roof is one of the most visible aspects of your home's exterior and is a key part of creating curb appeal and an attractive appearance. When it comes to getting a roof replacement, it's not surprising that the biggest question homeowners have is what roof shingle colors they should choose to match their home. If you're planning on getting a new roof in the near future, our roofing contractor in New Jersey is sharing some tips on how to choose the right roof shingle colors to match your house.

Keeping Your Existing Roof Shingle Colors

If you like the way your home looks, and you feel your shingles match your house's brick or siding, stick with the color you have. Most likely, it's what you're used to and comfortable with, so don't feel obligated to choose a different roofing shingle color just for the sake of change. However, if you're changing the type of roof material, such as going from asphalt shingle to a metal roof, or you're planning on updating the color of your home's exterior and your existing shingle shade would clash, then you may need to start looking at new color options.

Consider Your Climate

Before considering aesthetics, you need to consider practicality. According to the Florida Solar Energy Center, black roof shingles absorb 97 percent of the heat it comes in contact with, and light-colored shingles (such as light gray or tan) only absorb about 76 percent of the heat. Here in New Jersey, heating costs are often more of a concern than cooling, so homeowners may be more inclined to choose a darker roof shingle color to bring more heat into their homes. However, darker asphalt shingles can break down, crack, and wear more quickly due to UV and heat exposure, so that's a factor to consider, also.

Check Your HOA's Guidelines

If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, be sure to read your rules and guidelines. Often these organizations will have strict rules in place related to exterior elements, and that includes the roof shingle color you choose. If you don't see anything written, it's also a good idea to contact the organization and verify your choice or even see if approval is needed before you have the roof replaced.

Choose a Roof Shingle Color Darker Than Your Exterior

One guideline some designers recommend is to choose a color that is darker than the siding of your house. Of course, if your house is white, yellow, or another very light color, this is generally easy to do, but even if your home is a medium shade and has red brick, wood siding, or gray vinyl siding, a darker roof can still complement your home.

However, if your home has a very dark exterior, like black, navy, or dark gray, you would want to contrast it with a lighter shade. Otherwise, the home could look too dark and cramped overall.

Coordinate Your Roofing Shingles to Your Trim

Some homeowners choose their shingles by looking at the trim on their homes and using that color to create a cohesive appearance across the exterior. In addition to window and door framing, look at your columns, posts, fascia, or soffits, and coordinate your roof shingle color to those elements.

Stay in the Same Color Family

Another tip for matching your roof shingle colors to your house's color is to stay within the same color family. This doesn't necessarily mean choosing a different shade of blue shingles to go with a blue exterior, but it can mean keeping warm colors together and cool colors together.

Warm colors, such as red, orange, yellow, and brown may coordinate better with tan, terra cotta, or dark brown shingles. On the other hand, if your home is a cool color, like blue, gray, or green, consider cool-toned shingles.

Consider Your House Style When Choosing a Roof Shingle Color

While dark neutral colors work best for most classic and contemporary homes, if you have a specific architectural style, consider the roof shingle colors that best highlight that style. Traditionally, craftsman homes have very natural exterior palettes, including warm yellow, brown, and green with lots of wood trim, and often have brown or green roof shingles. A Mediterranean-style home is more likely to have red, orange, or brown clay tiles, while a historic colonial house is shingled in gray or black.

Look At Your Neighborhood for Inspiration

If you're stuck on choosing a color for your new roof, drive around your neighborhood. Most likely, someone has a similar style and color as your home and you can see what they chose and if you like it. Conversely, you may think you have a color picked out, but then you see it on another home and realize it's not what you want and this prevents you from making a costly, long-term mistake.

Schedule a Free Estimate for a Roof Replacement in New Jersey Today

If you need a new roof for your home, reach out to our roofing company today! We specialize in all types of roof materials and offer quality workmanship and competitive rates so you can feel confident in choosing our team. To schedule a free roof estimate, call us today at  (201) 773-0633 or fill out the form below to get started.