Color from the top down

By Emma Peterson. 

Get tips on choosing colors for your home’s exterior from a color expert.  

In a new episode of the AskARoofer podcast, Lauren White sat down with international color expert Kate Smith for a conversation about exterior home design. Kate, who is the founder of her own company, Sensational Color, has consulted with a variety of high-profile clients, such as Microsoft and NFL teams about the design of their spaces. She also wrote an eGuide for DaVinci Roofscapes titled FRESH Home Exterior Color Schemes for Brick and Stone. 

When most people think about the roof of their home, they’re probably thinking about whether it’s leaking or if the gutters need to be cleaned out, not what color they want it to be. But the color of your roof can drastically change the aesthetic of a home and increase the curb appeal. Kate explained, “The roof covers about 30% of what you see on a home exterior, making it one of the most influential elements in the overall color scheme.” In addition to being a way to express your own personality through your home, investing in a beautiful roof can be a great way to add value to your property. Kate elaborated, “I think there was some real estate studies that found the right color roof increases your home's resale value by 7%.”  

So what color options are out there for your roof? Most of us have probably seen a gray or black roof. But there are many more options than that! Kate shared, “Roofs can get fairly colorful. When I say that, a lot of people imagine a bright red or blue roof, but there are more natural-colored roofs that are not just black and gray. Choosing the right one can make all the difference in showing off the architecture or setting it apart from its neighbors, not in an odd way, but in a fantastic way because it stands out while still fitting into the neighborhood.” 

Listen to the full episode to learn more about designing a roof that will not only match your aesthetic, but add value to your home.