How to Choose the Roof and Siding Colors

Choosing roof and siding colors can be a challenging task as all kinds of colors do not coordinate well with all materials. For a person who has not been trained in home designing, it’s very difficult to understand which kind of color would suit which designs in the house. As the roof covers an extensive area, choosing the wrong color can be an expensive mistake to make.

Your roof is the most prominent portion of your house, especially when viewed from a distance. So, a bad roof color will greatly reduce the aesthetic value of your house. It helps to keep certain aspects in mind when choosing roof and siding colors.

Color coordination

The color of your roof should match well with the color of your home. By “match well” it does not mean that you should paint your roof and walls in similar tones but the color tones should be complement each other.

Complementary colors are colors that are exactly opposite to each other on the color wheel. They generally look very good together as the combination is believed to stimulate maximum number of cones in the eye, which creates maximum visual impact.

Some examples of complementary colors are red and green, blue and orange, yellow and violet.

Different styles of houses lend well to separate color schemes. Ornate designs of Victorian houses lend well to vibrant contrasting color schemes while modern sleek lines dictate subdued tones on the roof if the walls are bright.

However, if the walls are subdued like grey or cream, the roof should be painted dark blue or brick red. The local weather, regional trends and cultural preferences also influence the choice of roof and siding colors.

Practical considerations

Choose a product that is durable, weather resistant and won’t fade easily. The brand of color you select should be environment friendly and easy to apply. If you have a garden with a special color scheme, your roof color should complement it.

Similarly, if you have designer porch furniture, the color of your sidings should look good with that. Your sidings are perhaps the most versatile area of your entire house as they can be decorated in various ways and are relatively less expensive to repaint.

Your driveway and chimney are features of your house that won’t be repainted often but will influence your choice of a roof and siding color. For example, a stone facade will look good with similar shades of roof color but a terracotta chimney or driveway demands neutral shades on the roof.

Tips to get the perfect shade

Don’t depend on nail sized samples or the small drop sized examples given in paint brochures. The actual color will look much different when applied on a much larger area. For example, a grey shade with a tint of blue will actually look more bluish once applied.

Also remember that the sun will wash away light colors to make them even lighter. If you have a problem coordinating roof and siding colors, chose a safe option like cream siding and beige roof with a basic accent of deep eggplant.