Exterior Paint Colors to Make Your Brown Roof Pop
When choosing exterior paint colors for a home with a brown roof, it's important to select shades that complement and enhance the roof's tone. The right color scheme can give your home a cohesive, stylish look that really makes your brown roof pop.
Identify Your Roof's Specific Shade of Brown
Not all brown roofs are created equal. The shade can range from a rich chocolate, to a warm chestnut brown with red undertones, to a cooler, gray-brown hue.
Identifying whether your roof leans warm or cool in tone is key for choosing complementary paint colors. Here are some quick tips for determining your roof's undertone:
- Warm brown roofs have hints of red, orange or yellow
- Cool brown roofs take on more gray or blue tones
- Look at your roof in different lighting at various times of day
- Compare to paint swatches to see if it matches warm beiges, tans or grays
- When uncertain, get paint samples color-matched to your roof
With the specific shade of brown identified, you can better select exterior paint hues that enhance and highlight your home's gorgeous roof.
Warm Exterior Paint Colors to Match Warm Brown Roofs
If your inspection reveals your roof leans warm, with red or orange undertones, you'll want to choose exterior paint colors to match.
Shades of beige, peach, yellow and terracotta beautifully enhance a warm, chestnut-colored roof. The brown roof provides an earthy, natural backdrop that makes warmer paint colors really pop.
Consider the following exterior paint ideas for homes with warm-toned brown roofs:
- Light tan or sand beige
- Peachy sunset tones
- Buttery yellow
- Burnt orange or rusty red
- Deep terracotta
Here are some visual examples of houses with warm-hued brown roofs and complementary beige, orange and yellow paint colors:
[Include photos of houses with warm brown roofs and matching warm paint colors]
As you can see, playing up the warm undertones with exterior paint keeps things cohesive. The brown roof ties the overall color scheme together beautifully.
Cool Paint Palettes for Gray or Black Roofs
For homes with roofs in cooler, grayish-brown hues, the opposite color strategy applies. Here, you'll want to choose exterior paint colors on the cooler end of the spectrum.
Shades of light gray, powder blue, sage green and lavender beautifully accentuate charcoal or black roof tiles. The cool-toned roof provides contrast against these cooler paint colors, making them pop.
Some chic paint color options for cooler brown or black roofs include:
- Light gray
- Ice blue
- Seafoam or sage green
- Pale purple or lilac
- Dusty blue
Below are examples showcasing cooler exterior paint palettes with dark gray or black roofs:
[Include photos of homes with black roofs and matching cool paint colors]
See how the cooler paint colors allow the dark roof to stand out? Yet it still looks coherent and purposeful. This is the impact of choosing the right tones.
Consider Your Home's Size and Orientation
When selecting exterior paint colors, it's also important to consider factors like your home's size and the direction it faces.
Darker shades tend to visually recede, making a home look smaller. Lighter shades create the opposite effect, pulling a house visually forward so it appears larger.
Here are some tips based on size and orientation:
- Small house? Try lighter tones like tan, yellow or sage
- Large house? Go bold with deeper red, brown or charcoal
- North-facing? Choose warmer tones
- South-facing? Cooler grays and blues work well
Considering these spatial factors will help you select the most size-enhancing, natural looking colors for your exterior.
Tips for Selecting Trim and Accent Colors
When finalizing your exterior color scheme, careful attention should be paid to trim and accent colors. This is what really ties everything together.
For trim around windows, doors and eaves, it's best to choose a tone a few shades lighter or darker than the main exterior color. Common classic choices include black or bright white trim. Modern schemes might use bold colors that coordinate with the color palette.
As for accents like the front door, consider what bold interior element is visible from the outside, and choose a matching statement color for your door. This creates a nice sense of coordination from curb to indoor space.
Complement Your Home's Style and Surroundings
When selecting your exterior paint scheme, it also pays to consider your home's style and surroundings.
For example, traditional home styles often look best with classic color combinations like white, black, gray and red. More modern homes can get away with more adventurous colors.
It's also important your color scheme complements other homes in your neighborhood. Driving down a street lined with neutral tones, a vibrant purple house would look out of place. Select colors that enhance, not detract from, your home's surroundings.
Finally, take note of your landscape elements. Greens, blues and browns drawn from your environment can provide inspiration for exterior colors that fit into the natural palette.
Choosing exterior paint colors for a home with a brown roof requires careful consideration of roof tones, spatial factors, style and surroundings. But the end result is worth the effort.
A cohesive color scheme makes a tremendous impact on home curb appeal. Your brown roof can go from drab to dramatic with the right color accents.
We hope these tips help you select exterior paint colors that make your brown roof pop! Feel free to explore our other guides on home improvement and exterior design for more inspiration.