Pretty home! I actually like your current roof color (that appears gray on my screen) and wouldn't go darker. Maybe something darker on the shutters for more contrast. The front door appears to need more presence to me. It looks small but see what the pros say.

ETA - A gray roof similar to this one would be nice.

Dark roof may = higher HVAC costs.

agreed. I love a dark roof but it's so bad for energy usage. I think the medium grey example chloebud posted above would look really good.

I have a black roof and love it! And please don’t busy your beautiful house with shutters

Disagree! I have a black roof that is a cool roof and meets CA’s strict energy requirements.

You can paint the window borders black or dark charcoal to match whatever your roof will be

A black roof will pull a lot of focus if you don't change anything else. Gutters can match the roof or trim, but keep the downspouts the same color as the siding.

Thank you for the input!! Adding more pictures with better lighting to show color of roof. Also pics of the food because it’s hard to see. Would love to make an entrance that stands out more but can’t cut into the brick right now. I think I’m adding house numbers above it though for visual interest.

Well, I don't see any pics of food! ;-)

Yes, definitely a brown roof! Since it looks gray in your original photo, I can see how nicely that will work. Opinions vary all over the place when it comes to black roofs. Do what looks best to YOU.

I'm curious what the pros here can suggest for giving the door more "size" . Just wondering if painting the brick trim around it the same color as the door would help and/or adding the house numbers to the left...? Truly a lovely home.

Thank you Chloebud!! Meant door instead of food. I think it’s time to get those reading glasses that I need...typing is getting harder 😂.

We have a gray tile roof that I love. Just a week ago a huge old oak tree fell and hit part of the roof. What a MESS with both the roof and lawn. 😢 Looking at your house makes me long for neat and tidy again.

Oh, I’m sorry! That’s not fun!!

I don’t know what that roof is called with all the different shades of colored shingles. Does it have a name? What ever it is called...don’t use it. I have never seen a house where it looked good. Why it is being sold I don’t know. Maybe someone can change my mind.

"Maybe someone can change my mind."

It won't be me since I agree with you. Some are very subtle but others look waaaaay too busy to me...like this one.

Medium Charcoal

Re: dark roof = higher HVAC costs.
Not necessarily.

https://www.tesla.com/solarroof

Would look lovely with black.

Chloebud. Yes yuck !!

Here’s a photo of a house from a Houzzer who was asking for some landscaping help a few days ago:

We just installed a new black roof. We had brown roof on a Dutch Colonial (this roofline means there isn’t much showing in front). Our siding is color of your house. We were a little surprised at the high contrast between black roof and light siding when roof first went on, to be honest. However, we had 25 solar panels installed on back roof of house the following week and they completely blend in with the black roof as they are also black. So black roof ends up being best possible choice. Good luck! I think either gray or black will look nice on your house.

Echviola, I’m glad you ended up liking it and that’s awesome you got solar panels! I appreciate the input since you just went through it!

Sharon Brindley, I appreciate the picture! I love that contrast.

the shutter color is a big influence on color choice..they call for a lighter roof color... a black roof would be crisper and more striking..so changing the shutter color may be necessary if you do black

Removing the shutters would complete the makeover to a whole new look

Since gutters/downspouts are not design features they should blend with adjoining colors

chloebud-

I love that first house you showed, and the landscaping is luscious! Is that your house?

loobab, I wish! I found the photo a long time ago when I was looking at gray roof colors. Loved the one in the photo, along with the gray siding and white trim. Yes, the landscaping isn't too shabby either!

Hi there,

I like the way your existing roof appears in the first pic. I am also agonizing over roof decisions, and not a designer, but my vote goes to a medium grey or grey-brown. I like Certainteed's driftwood for your house. (I am on the not-black team, so take that for what it's worth)>

Can you possibly tell me the brand and colour of your existing roof? It's similar to what I am looking for-- a basic brown--and I'm afraid that the browns I have been looking at (OC Teak) will be too red.

Here is my discussion thread: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5969704/please-help-me-choose-a-roof-for-my-pink-bungalow#25858278

Hi HU-931799248, thanks! I believe the color is Weathered Wood (https://www.tamko.com/roofing-colors/heritage-series-weathered-wood). Good luck with your decision too!

Those Tesla roofs are amazing - way better than solar panels.

On the multi-color roofs, they are meant to mimic slate - close, but no cigar. The real ones are lovely, though.

Shannon, one thing I did notice was your faux strap hinges. They need to be much larger. That size would never hold doors that big. Also, is there a lamp by your entry door? I think a statement one same style as the outer lanterns would be nice.

Latifolia, I never thought about that! I’ll look into it for sure. Agree that they would look better in a larger size! Thanks for the input! I don’t care for multi-color roofs either. For the lamp, do you mean the one on the ground by the door? I could definitely use something better there.

I had Weathered Wood color roof on our last home and loved it BUT our brick was shades of brown. Your home is perfect for black roof. It will be heavier contrast at first, but awesome and well suited for your windows and other colors. Go black. If you can paint your window trim go black there too.

A couple inspirational photos. If you put downspouts with catch basins as in the one house paint them black. If regular gutters paint or get black gutters. Paint downspouts house color so they visually disappear.

Thanks Shannon!

Btydrvn, I would love to remove the shutters, I’ve never been a fan of them! I’m worried when the house was repainted a few years ago that they didn’t take off the shutters and not sure how to tell without ripping them off. 😕 If we’re able to get them down and it’s not a problem, do you think it would look bare without them? I would love to find a way to photoshop them out so I can see. And maybe a stupid question but what if they were painted same color as house so they blend in?

Thank you Flo Mangan! Love the inspiration photos and really appreciate the suggestions!!

I think no shutters is better...money well spent...this is not a farm house...think sleek ...elegant....not plain...

Hi! We got our new roof, which is black, and really like it. Next question...trying to figure out if we should remove shutters (which means painting beneath them, not as easy as just taking them off), or even painting them same color as house. I don’t want dark shutters so that’s not an option. The first 2 pictures are of the house with the new roof. Third picture is a picture that my friend altered to show no shutters (has old roof in pic). Thoughts?? Thank you in advance!!

Roof and house looks fresh and bright. At first glance, I didn’t realize you had shutters! The house is transitional in style but the style of the shutters is farmhouse. I would remove them, fill holes and paint as needed. I don’t think they add anything. I would put a large bed with nice shade tree in front left of yard with a large boulder, evergreens and some variegated plants with border room for annuals. The tree should roughly line up between the high two windows on left side of house. Here is rough mock up.

Flo Mangan, I love that! Thank you!! It definitely needs some visual interest so that is a great idea. I really appreciate your insight!

I would remove them

They’re not adding anything. The new roof looks great!

I wonder how it would look if you painted the window trim black (no shutters) for definition. It would have the more contemporary look that is trendy now.

Canyon22, our painter suggested that too! I really like the idea and considering it but worried about looking too stark? Also, the inside of our windows have lines/bars (not sure what to call them) so not sure how that would look since they couldn’t be painted?

Those don’t matter. From the upside, the black trim on the window will be very different and “up” the look outside.

*outside, not upside