Installing a roof on a new build or replacing an old one requires making the best choice possible. It’s not just a matter of choosing the right material but also the right shingle colors. Even then, choosing the right color isn’t just a simple design; it is your opportunity to improve your home and increase its curb appeal and value. It is a chance to increase energy efficiency, highlight and honor the architectural style, and even showcase your personality.
With that in mind, you ask yourself, which color of shingles is best for roofing my house? This article will guide you through choosing the best shingle color, considering numerous factors.
How to Choose the Best Color for Roofing Shingles
Choosing the best color for roof shingles requires considering much more than what colors you like best. That is not to say you shouldn’t be choosing a color you like, but you also want to consider several other important factors, like:
The Style of Your Home
Homes come in many styles, each with a unique architectural style or elements that help define it. The roof is one of those elements; what shingle color is best for a roof partially depends on the style of your home. Colonial homes are traditional, often favoring more traditional roof colors like browns, grays, and black.
Victorian homes have a similar color palette, with dark gray and black standard shingle options. However, these roofs are often slate, which opens Victorian homes to additional color options, like dark greens and blues. Brown can also work with Victorian homes, as wood shakes are another traditional material for this architectural style.
Wood shakes and shingles are popular with the Cape Cod style, making grays and browns the more traditional choice for this home style. Spanish-style homes like Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival favor clay and concrete tiles in vibrant terracotta red or a similar shade.
The Climate Where You Live
The climate where you live is another important factor in deciding what color is best for roof shingles because it will significantly and directly impact your home's energy efficiency. It will also affect your overall indoor comfort and the lifespan of your roof.
Hot Climates
Dark-colored roofs absorb more heat, warming your home’s interior. This can make your home feel stuffy and uncomfortable in hot climates, forcing your cooling system to work harder and reducing energy efficiency. This strains your HVAC system, potentially leading to overheating, reduced performance, and even failure. You’ll also pay higher cooling costs.
This means the best color for roofing shingles in hot climates is a light-colored or “Cool Roof” certified option. These roofs reflect more light, keeping homes cooler, lessening the strain on the cooling system, and lowering your cooling costs. What is the best color for roof shingles in warmer climates? There are many options: light gray, brown, and white are some to consider.
Cold Climates
In the same way, you don’t want a dark roof in a hot climate, and you don’t want a light roof in a cold climate. Since dark colors absorb more heat, that helps keep your home warmer during the winter months, lessening the load on your heating system and lowering utility costs. So, what’s the best color for roof shingles in cold climates? Black, dark gray and darker greens and blues are some options.
Overall Curb Appeal
Your shingle color can also significantly impact a home’s curb appeal. As mentioned, the best color for roof shingles on your home will complement the architecture and create a cohesive design, tying together the various exterior elements. The right color can also set the mood; a neutral color like brown or light gray can create a classic, welcoming look, while bolder colors like green or blue can create a feeling of intrigue.
The right color can also increase your property’s value. Generally, the best color for a shingle roof is something classic, as it will attract the most buyers. However, you must also consider the climate; homebuyers will pay more for a light-colored roof in hot climates.
Which Color of Shingles is Best for Roofing?
There is no single “best color shingles for roof.” The best color for your home depends on the factors listed above. Different home styles have different ideal colors, varying even depending on the location. Fortunately, there are many shingle colors available. Brava Roof Tiles, in particular, offers a wide range of colors, from classic options to bolder colors and everything in between.
These composite roofing tiles are highly durable and offer the highest fire, wind, and impact resistance levels. They also come in three styles that can complement any home: cedar shakes, slate, and Spanish barrel tiles.
Here are some shingle colors to consider:
1. Aged Cedar
Brava’s aged cedar replicates the natural cedar's beauty as it ages and weathers, giving it a rustic look and character. It is perfect for more rustic architecture, like mountain lodges and cabins, where it can tie together with the natural elements of the exterior, like stone and log siding, creating a structure that is harmonious and one with nature.
2. Aspen
Aspen is a versatile golden-toned brown that offers character and creates a warm, welcoming feel that is almost like a hug. The slightly weathered appearance makes it an excellent match for cottages and coastal homes, but also more rustic architecture styles like cabins, lodges, and farmhouses, where it will tie the home’s exterior in with the surrounding natural environment.
3. Green
What shingle color is best for a roof that is bold? Green isn’t a standard roofing color, but for homeowners with modern construction, it is an option that can complement a bold design. It is also a color that can work well with Victorian-style homes, adding a pop of color to the exterior and highlighting unique features along the roofline.
4. Canyon Gray
Canyon gray blends gray with a hint of lighter brown towns, creating dimension and warmth. It is a color option that can work with many architectural styles and exterior materials. When paired with brick on a Colonial-style home, it exudes elegance and sophistication; on a coastal cottage, it offers a more homey, rustic feel.
5. New Cedar
A light-colored roofing option like Brava’s New Cedar can work well with cottage, cabin, lodge, Craftsman, and farmhouse-style homes. The shake-like appearance offers a rustic look, while the color gives the shingles a warm look that can create an inviting feel in any architectural style. It is also a color that can tie the home in with the surrounding nature.
6. Blue
Blue, like green, is another bold choice for modern homes and other styles, including Colonial, coastal cottages, and Victorian homes. This color offers a fresh, peaceful feel that can make the roof the focal point of the home’s exterior and, in the case of coastal homes, tie it in with nature and water around the area, further enhancing the peaceful, relaxing nature of the color.
7. White
When you live in a hot climate, especially if it is often 90º or hotter, you want an energy-efficient roofing option that will keep your home cool without relying so heavily on your cooling system, no matter how hot it is outside. In this case, the best color shingles for a roof is white, which will reflect the most sunlight.
8. Red
Red shingles are a vibrant, lively option that can brighten any home. The warm, earthy hue creates a warm and inviting feel while also offering a touch of elegance. It is an excellent option for warm climates and Spanish and Mediterranean-style homes, which often have light-colored stucco walls that allow the roof shingles to be one of the prominent features of the exterior.
9. Onyx
What color is best for roof shingles on most home styles? A classic black shingle is the perfect option for most homes, working well with traditional and modern homes. It also works well with many exterior colors, making it one of the most versatile options. However, it is essential to remember that it is best for homes in cooler climates, where they can benefit from heat absorption. Brava’s Onyx cedar shakes offer a softer black with lighter highlights that provide some warmth.
Get Endless Color Options with Brava
Brava is a company dedicated to making high-quality roofing materials. They offer its products in a variety of pre-designed colors, from deep, rich greens and grays to brighter options like reds and white. The options don’t end there, however; if none of these colors suit you, the Brava team will be happy to work with you and create a custom color match that fits your home perfectly.
Contact Brava today to learn more about the different roofing colors and find your perfect fit.
