A roof is a big purchase. Not just because it costs thousands of dollars, but because it’s going to be on your house for potentially decades. Picking a color can be stressful, but hopefully I can make it easier on you. There are common colors for a reason- they work.
Most Homeowners associations limit your choice to one or two shingle colors, but if you have the freedom to choose, you want to be sure you make the best choice. I can take a little pressure off of the whole situation and tell you now that you will stop noticing your roof after a while, and I guarantee you no one is going to lose sleep over the color of your roof.
If you follow a couple rules, any color you choose should look just fine.
The first rule is contrast. It’s well known that having a level of contrast is essential in good aesthetic design. You don’t want your house and your roof to be the same color. If you have a red brick house it’s probably best you don’t go with a red shingle.
The second rule is always select a shingle color darker than the house. There are some white, or very light grey shingles on the market, and, in mine and many others opinions, look cheap and stain very easily. Also, consider the background. A light blue or even cloudy white sky will make a white roof look like it’s floating. This nods back at contrast. You want the roof to have contrast with the house and also the sky. This is why darker shingles prevail.
The most popular shingle color is Weathered Wood. It has grey granules along with some blueish and mild yellow granules. This color is the most versatile because it has warm and cool tones, and will compliment any color the house is painted. This is also very common and can be a little boring. Slate colored shingles can work very well with white or light grey, or even beige houses. Black shingles work well with light to dark grey homes. More natural tan shingles are not as in style but still work well with homes that have lighter brick or are painted white.
If you’re in doubt, drive around your neighborhood for inspiration. You’ll start figuring out what you like and what you don’t like. In the end it’s your home, find a color that suits you and that you are willing to commit to for years to come.
Bonus Tip: Go with a darker drip edge that matches the roof rather than the fascia. It will act the same way eye-liner does to make your roof POP!