What Color Roof Makes a House Look Bigger? (2023)

FAQs

What Color Roof Makes a House Look Bigger? ›

Light colors such as white, ivory, pale gray, and sage green reflect higher amounts of light than dark colors, tricking the eye into perceiving the home as larger than it is.

Most contractors agree that roofing and siding should contrast in color. Light-colored siding works best on a home with a dark-colored roof—and vice versa. A darker roof with lighter siding is common and naturally pleasing to the eye. However, the reverse can look amazing, too.

If you're someone who needs a more technical answer, this article explains that roofs with good resale value tend to be neutral-colored. This includes tan, brown, black, and gray.

Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms. Here, we dive deeper into this topic with 5 specific painting techniques to make rooms look bigger, brighter, and more beautiful.

White: White and white shingles are perhaps the most versatile shade to work with when you're deciding what color roofing shingles or materials you want. You could really do practically any color roof from black to gray to brown, blue, green, or go for a monochromatic look with a white roof.

Light shingles fair better in warmer weather, as light colors tend to deflect sunlight and keep your house cooler. Dark shingles are the opposite; they absorb heat, which makes them excellent for colder climates.

The Remodeling Report for 2019 found that a metal roof, on average, cost homeowners $38,600 and increased home value by 60.9 percent. Compare this to their findings for asphalt roofs, where the average homeowner spent $22,636 and got a return of 68 percent.

Lighter colored shingles might be better for longevity than dark colored shingles because of the way they react to light and heat.

White roofing products stay coolest in the sun, reflecting about 60 – 90% of sunlight.

What colors make your house look rich? ›

Fresh Paint will make your Home look Expensive

Light airy neutral paint colors make a room look expensive. Choose from white, beige (yes beige is back!), cream and off-white colors. Dark brown and black are also on trend so will make your interiors look more upscale as well.

'An easy solution is to use the same color on the walls, woodwork and ceiling. This instantly makes a space feel more unified. Plus, by eliminating color contrasts that distract the eye, you can make a space look and feel bigger. 'Remember, this idea doesn't just work with lighter, brighter colors,' she adds.

Use contrasts and light colors

In the design world, it's well known that light paint colors make a room look bigger and brighter. Light and bright walls are more reflective, making a space feel open and airy, which helps maximize natural light's effect. Dark shades tend to absorb light, making rooms feel smaller.

Owens Corning Announces “Midnight Plum” as 2023 Shingle Color of the Year. TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Owens Corning (NYSE: OC) today introduced “Midnight Plum” as the 2023 Shingle Color of the Year (SCOTY) and the latest signature color to debut in the Owens Corning® TruDefinition® Duration®shingle line.

A general rule of thumb is that lighter roof shingles go best with a light palette of paint choices for your house. Darker-colored shingles complement the same tones in your home's paint accents.

In general, lighter-colored roofs reflect away heat rays from the sun, but dark-colored roofs absorb much of that heat and transfer it into the rooms below. So, yes, black roofs do attract more heat.

Things to keep in mind when choosing light or dark shingles is that lighter shingles are more prone to showing dirt and grime, algae or mildew growth. However, lighter shingles absorb less heat, which means they are less likely to break down as fast as darker colored shingles do.

Gray House Roof Colors

Overall, try not to steer too far from your siding color when working with gray. Much like brick, gray can jump between warm and cool hues. If the gray siding mixes with tan, opt for a brown or sand roof. If it's a cool, blue tan, pick black, gray, or slate.

The color of your roofing shingles will affect the temperature of your home's interior. A dark-colored roof absorbs more heat from the sun than a lighter-colored roof. The lighter the color of your shingles, the more they can reflect sunlight.

What increases home value the most? ›

If you're wondering if a new roof adds value to your property, the answer is a resounding "Yes!" Curb appeal transformations bring increased property value because it makes your home more attractive to potential buyers.

Asphalt Shingles: 15 – 30 Years

Inexpensive and reliable, asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material but also one with the shortest lifespan.

At face value, this does make some sense. Darker colors absorb more heat, and warmer roofs make it easy for snow and ice to slide right off. Lighter colors reflect sun rays, keeping roofs cooler and helping homeowners in warmer climates save a little on their energy bills.

It is well known that dark-colored surfaces attract and hold heat better than lighter-colored surfaces; the same goes for roof shingles. Black roof shingles trap the sun's heat throughout the day inside the house, keeping your home warmer throughout the winter without having to run your heating source as frequently.

In general, darker roofs will absorb heat, while lighter roofs will absorb less heat. This means that having a black roof on your home can require you to use your cooling system more often in the summer. Not only can this increase your energy bills, but it can also put more strain on your system.

It turns out that, while a light-colored roof is slightly more energy-efficient than a darker-colored roof, other factors play a much bigger role in energy efficiency. Key factors to consider when thinking about your roof's energy efficiency include reflectivity, roofing materials, coating, ventilation, and insulation.

New paint colors can transform a room's atmosphere and increase your home's value—if you choose the right paint color. "Generally, going with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and grays lead to a faster sale," she shares.

7. Color combinations of black, beige, brown, gray, white and pastel colors. We believe that the colors listed above can be the easiest way to instantly change your outfit so that it looks more expensive.

How can I make my small house look expensive? ›

Choose bold, bright, neutral or serene, just make sure the colors are complementary. Give thought to the walls, decor, flooring or floor coverings, and furnishings and accessories. Everything should work together, creating a space that visually pleasing, no matter the style or the color scheme.

Giving your walls a fresh lick of neutral paint will make your home seem lighter and bigger. It will enable the viewers to more easily imagine how they would adapt the rooms to their needs.

The Short Answer

While some experts predict that inflation will dissipate some in 2023, it's doubtful that current economic conditions causing inflation on roofing materials will drop in 2023.

From the above information, we can conclude that color doesn't determine the durability of shingles. Both light-colored and dark-colored shingles can last longer if given the necessary maintenance.

White houses can go with virtually any roof color, but dark colors like black, brown, and gray work best. Out of these, gray is the best because it provides a more subtle contrast to white than black and provides a more balanced look than brown.

Most interior designers will say, as a general rule of design, that you should never paint your entire home one singular color.

A general rule of thumb is that lighter roof shingles go best with a light palette of paint choices for your house. Darker-colored shingles complement the same tones in your home's paint accents.

Go Dark for Light

Your roof provides attention-grabbing contrast to your home's exterior. Unless your exterior is very dark, a good rule of thumb is to choose a color that is darker than the rest of your home. Likewise, if your home is dark, choosing a lighter colored roof will give your home a contrasting “punch.”

Dark shingles absorb more heat than light shingles. In colder climates, this is an advantage. Another perk to having dark shingles is that they also help to melt snow accumulation faster than light shingles. There are other factors that impact how the sun impacts the internal temperatures of your home.

How do I match my roof to my house color? ›

For example, if your home has a warm-colored roof in a shade such as brick red or rusty tan, pick siding in a similarly warm shade such as tan, beige or brown. For a roof with shingles in a cool color like black or slate gray, select a cool color of siding such as blue, gray or green.

White or light-colored roofs reflect heat rays from the sun, keeping the attic and rooms below it cool during warm weather. As a result, the building's cooling load decreases, helping home and business owners stay comfortable and save money on their energy bills.

The idea that you should only ever have one color throughout your entire home is a decorating myth that still exists, but that's not to say you shouldn't. It is not unheard of to see some of the world's best homes painted entirely in one color. After all, it is your house, so do what makes you happy.

Black roof shingles absorb heat, forcing it downwards into the house. This extra heat can end up keeping your attics pretty toasty, even forcing your HVAC unit to work harder to keep the rest of the home cool in the summertime. This can increase utility bills during the hot months of the year.

It is well known that dark-colored surfaces attract and hold heat better than lighter-colored surfaces; the same goes for roof shingles. Black roof shingles trap the sun's heat throughout the day inside the house, keeping your home warmer throughout the winter without having to run your heating source as frequently.

In general, lighter-colored roofs reflect away heat rays from the sun, but dark-colored roofs absorb much of that heat and transfer it into the rooms below. So, yes, black roofs do attract more heat. Or course, color isn't the only aspect of your roof that affects home temperature.

White houses can go with virtually any roof color, but dark colors like black, brown, and gray work best. Out of these, gray is the best because it provides a more subtle contrast to white than black and provides a more balanced look than brown.