If you’re in the process of replacing your roof or you’re about to build a new home, the question of what kind of shingles to use has likely come up. Factors like climate, warranty coverage, and HOA requirements can all impact what you choose.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options, it’s time to think about color.
5 Important Considerations When Choosing a Roof Color
In addition to choosing your roofing material, you’ll have to give some thought to what color your shingles are going to be. While you can have some fun with this, it’s a good idea to be practical as well.
Here are five things to consider before you settle on a color:
Your Neighborhood
To start, take a look around your neighborhood. Do you notice any trends when it comes to color?
While you might not want your home to look exactly like everyone else’s, you probably don’t want it to clash either. Your HOA or community rules may prohibit you from choosing certain colors for that very reason.
Before you do anything else, have a look at any community agreements you signed. Some HOAs will have guidelines on what kinds of colors or entire schemes you can use for your property.
Once you know what you’re working with, figure out how you want your home to “fit” into your community. Do you want the color to make it instantly noticeable or to blend in seamlessly?
Cost
Every year, companies announce the biggest trends in exterior home and interior design. Owens Corning, for instance, named Evergreen Mist the shingles color of 2026.
While this color is really beautiful, is it something you’d be happy with over the long term? Also, would you want your home to have the same trendy roof color as other new homes built the same year?
Trends come and go because consumers’ tastes change. If you invest in a roof with a trendy color and change your mind about it a few years down the road, can you afford to replace the roof?
You could always save money by buying cheaper materials in case you’re worried about the color going out of style. You usually have to replace cheaper roofs much sooner than ones built with more durable materials, so you wouldn’t have to commit to the same color for as long. That said, you have to consider what else you’re giving up when you get a cheap roof, like safety, warranty coverage, reliable support, etc.
So, the cost of your color choice is something to think about.
If you fall in love with a color today, be sure it’s something you’ll be happy with down the road. Or that the next owners of your home will love. Choosing your roof’s color is just as much about making your house look great as it is about future-proofing your investment.
Color Harmony
Your roof color should complement the rest of your property. The siding and gutters of your home are the primary things to look at. That said, you may also want to consider the color and style of your landscape and shrubbery, walkways, and any furniture or decor outside your home.
Here are some things to consider when coming up with a color palette:
If your exterior is lighter, a light or dark roof will work well.
For example, this photo is from a roof replacement we did in Springdale, AR:
You can see how beautifully the black roof pairs with the white exterior. When the facade is this light and neutral, you have tons of color choices to work with for your roof. Dark greens, blues, and grays can also look nice.
Here’s some drone footage we took from a new roof we installed in Garfield:
The light-on-light works really well in this instance, too. So, if you’re looking to brighten up your property, this is a viable option.
Now, if your home has some color to it, you’ll want a roof that has a nice contrast with the exterior.
Take this brick house we worked on in Springdale:
The brown shingles pair nicely with the natural color and texture of the home. In general, if your home’s exterior is brown, then gray, brown, or even green should work well for the roof.
For a green exterior, aim for another earth tone — lighter or darker can work. Here’s a property we worked on in Van Buren:
The tan-colored roofing provides a sharp but complementary contrast to the dark green siding of the house.
Now, there are some colors you won’t be able to get too creative with when it comes to roof color.
This red brick house in Springdale, for instance, is a good example of how to balance out a brighter exterior with a more muted color roof:
The same principle applies to black-colored properties.
Here’s a shot of a new construction project we completed. You can see how the dark roof pairs nicely with the (mostly) black exterior:
In general, charcoal and gray roofs are best for black-colored home exteriors. You might also experiment with a darker brown if you want to add a slight contrast and pop of color.
Architectural Style
The style of your property may also impact the style and color of shingles on your roof.
For example, let’s say you have a more rustic home or cottage. You’d do well to stick with natural-colored shingles in forest green, gray, or brown. You might also consider a style like weathered wood.
Now, take something more modern or contemporary. You’ll likely want shingles with a sharp contrast to your home’s siding while still being a bit conservative. So, white and black shingles would be best.
Colonial-style homes, on the other hand, would benefit from warmer hues. Think a warm gray or chestnut brown. You can pair these colors with both brick and neutral-colored facades.
You may also want to look for color inspiration based on where your architectural style originates from. For instance, a Mediterranean-style home might look really nice with warmer earth tones that resemble sand or terracotta.
Size is also something else to think about. Say you have a single-story ranch with lighter siding. While a black or deep charcoal roof might provide intriguing contrast, it could make your home look diminutive in size from the outside.
Energy Efficiency
The color of your roof can have an impact on how warm or cool your home feels throughout the year. It works similarly to why we feel cooler when wearing lighter-colored clothes in the hot summer months.
In general, lighter-colored shingles reflect the most light and stay cooler than darker shingles. According to the U.S. Department of Energy:
“White roofing products stay coolest in the sun, reflecting about 60 – 90% of sunlight.”
But let’s say you had your heart set on something darker and warmer than a white or light gray roof. There are ways to make a dark-colored roof stay cool. Again, from the Department of Energy:
“[S]ince about half of sunlight arrives as invisible ‘near infrared’ radiation, we can boost the solar reflectance of dark materials by using special pigments (colorants) that preferentially reflect this invisible light. Such ‘cool colored’ products typically reflect about 30 – 60% of sunlight, staying cooler than conventionally colored products (though not as cool as white).”
If you’re worried about your home overheating and your energy bills skyrocketing in the summer, a lighter color might seem like the best option. But don’t write off that black or green roof you had your mind set on just yet. Talk to your roofing contractor about your “cool roof” options.
Wrap-Up
We know there’s a lot to think about when it comes to choosing the color of your new roof. So we don’t want you to feel like you have to do it on your own.
As part of the process of working with Foster Roofing to replace your roof, we give you color samples to look over. If you need help narrowing down the options and choosing one that best aligns with your preferences, we can help!