Roof Shingle Colors: Choose One, Then See It on Your House

Choosing a shingle color is mostly about what stays on your house: the siding, brick or stone, the trim and the doors. This guide sets out the shingle color families, which siding and brick colors they are usually paired with, and the checks to make before you order. Then upload a photo of your house and describe the shingle color you are thinking about. AiExterior draws it on your photo and usually keeps the walls, windows and doors in place, so you can compare two or three colors before you talk to a roofer.

Upload a photo of your house Open the roof visualizer guide

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Before and after examples

Example images are AI-generated: both the sample houses and their redesigns. Results change from render to render, so treat them as concepts, not exact product matches.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a two-story house with white horizontal vinyl siding, black shutters, a pale blue front door and a faded, stained brown asphalt shingle roof over the main house and the small entry roof — Example 1 (prompt 1 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the faded brown roof with rust-colored stains, on both the main roof and the small entry roof, is now a very dark charcoal with a slight blue-green cast and a visible shingle texture. The white siding, the black shutters, the pale blue-gray door, the wall vent, the roof vent pipe, the gutters and the concrete walkway stayed in place. The lawn grass was redrawn, so its pattern differs from the before. Compare small details such as the hardware on the door yourself; we do not claim they are identical.

The same house with a very dark charcoal roof on the main roof and the entry roof; white siding, black shutters, door and walkway kept — Example 1 (prompt 1 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the faded brown roof with rust-colored stains, on both the main roof and the small entry roof, is now a very dark charcoal with a slight blue-green cast and a visible shingle texture. The white siding, the black shutters, the pale blue-gray door, the wall vent, the roof vent pipe, the gutters and the concrete walkway stayed in place. The lawn grass was redrawn, so its pattern differs from the before. Compare small details such as the hardware on the door yourself; we do not claim they are identical.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a one-story ranch house with red brick walls, a white window, a white door, a white two-car garage door and a dark gray asphalt shingle roof — Example 2 (prompt 2 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the dark gray roof is now a medium reddish brown (lighter than the "dark chocolate" we asked for). The red brick walls, the window, the white door, the white garage door, the wall lights, the gutters and the driveway stayed in place. The lawn grass was redrawn and looks a little different. A note on color words: our first try for this house used "warm weathered wood brown" and came out as a bright orange-tan, so we reran it with "dark chocolate brown", the prompt printed below. The words you pick for a color matter.

The same house with a medium reddish-brown roof; red brick walls, white window, door and garage door kept — Example 2 (prompt 2 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the dark gray roof is now a medium reddish brown (lighter than the "dark chocolate" we asked for). The red brick walls, the window, the white door, the white garage door, the wall lights, the gutters and the driveway stayed in place. The lawn grass was redrawn and looks a little different. A note on color words: our first try for this house used "warm weathered wood brown" and came out as a bright orange-tan, so we reran it with "dark chocolate brown", the prompt printed below. The words you pick for a color matter.

AI-drawn generic stand-in of a two-story house with dark slate blue horizontal vinyl siding, white trim, two white front doors under a covered porch with white posts and a black asphalt shingle roof — Example 3 (prompt 3 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the black roof, on the main roof and the porch roof, is now a light, slightly speckled gray. The dark blue siding, the white trim and gutters, both white doors, the porch posts, the windows, the air-conditioning unit and the neighbors' houses stayed in place. The lawn and mulch were redrawn, so small details differ. The light roof stands out much more against the dark walls than the black one did; whether you like that is a matter of taste.

The same house with a light weathered gray roof on the main roof and the porch roof; blue siding, white trim, doors and porch kept — Example 3 (prompt 3 below; the before is an AI-drawn generic stand-in house, not a real photo): the black roof, on the main roof and the porch roof, is now a light, slightly speckled gray. The dark blue siding, the white trim and gutters, both white doors, the porch posts, the windows, the air-conditioning unit and the neighbors' houses stayed in place. The lawn and mulch were redrawn, so small details differ. The light roof stands out much more against the dark walls than the black one did; whether you like that is a matter of taste.

What the AI can and cannot do

It can show how a shingle color, such as charcoal, brown or light gray, looks on a photo of your house, while usually keeping the walls, the windows and the doors as they are.

It cannot match the color chart of any shingle maker, tell you if a roof color is allowed by your HOA or local code, check your roof for damage or give you a price. The color you get also depends on the words you use: one of our tries with "warm weathered wood brown" came out bright orange. Treat every result as a picture of the look, not a product choice.

Shingle color families and what they are usually paired with

The table sums up what the roofing guides we read say. Shingle makers name their colors differently, so the family is what matters here, not the name. These are guidelines from roofers and manufacturers, not rules.

Color family	Often suggested with	Keep in mind
Black and charcoal	Red brick; gray siding; traditional and modern styles	Dark colors absorb more heat. On dark walls the roof needs a clear difference in tone, or the house reads as one flat block
Slate and medium gray	Gray brick; gray siding; cedar shake homes; cool gray or blue stone	A neutral is the most flexible choice when the house has several materials
Brown and weathered wood	Warm-toned brick; tan brick; beige and white siding; farmhouse styles	Check the undertone: it should sit with the warm or cool tones of the walls
Tan and light brown	Warm beige or brown stone; beige or tan stucco	Lighter colors reflect more sunlight
Light gray and cream	Dark homes	Gives contrast on dark walls and reflects more sun
Green, blue and red	White siding; beige siding; dark homes	Bold colors suit some styles; a bold wall color usually calls for a muted roof

Sources: IKO, "How to Pick Roof Shingle Colors" (iko.com, published April 22, 2025); Onto Roofing, "How to Choose the Best Shingle Color for Your Home" (ontoproofing.com, no date shown). The last row of the table is IKO's advice for dark homes and white or beige siding.

Pick a shingle color by what you are keeping

Brick

According to IKO, red brick suits black, brown or charcoal shingles; tan brick suits dark brown or warm gray; and gray brick suits black, dark blue, medium gray or brown. Example 2 on this page shows a red brick house. If you are also thinking about adding brick, our brick veneer visualizer page shows how that changes the picture.

Vinyl, wood and other siding

IKO says light homes work with both light and dark roofs. Beige homes suit brown, black, gray, green or blue, and white homes suit nearly any color. For wood, it suggests earthy brown, green or weathered gray, and for cedar shake homes charcoal, deep brown or slate gray. See our cedar shake siding ideas page if you are changing the walls too.

Stucco and stone

IKO pairs beige or tan stucco with brown, red or warm gray, and white stucco with black or deep gray. For stone it says to match the undertones: cool gray or blue stone suits charcoal, slate or blue, and warm beige or brown stone suits tan, brown or muted green. Our stone veneer visualizer page covers stone looks.

Checks before you choose

Contrast. IKO says to choose a roof lighter or darker than the walls so each stands out. On dark walls, a dark roof needs a noticeable difference in tone or the two read as one flat color. If the house is all one color, IKO suggests a multi-tone blend or a textured shingle.
Undertone. Match cool or warm tones in the roof to the palette of the house.
Heat. IKO says lighter colors reflect more sunlight and keep a home cooler, and darker colors absorb more heat. Some places require highly reflective roofs under energy codes, so ask a local roofer.
Your street and the rules. IKO suggests not standing out too much from nearby homes. Fixr lists HOA rules, the style of the house and the siding material as the main things to weigh. Check any HOA color list before you fall in love with a color.
Real samples. Both IKO and Onto Roofing say screens and light change how colors look, so look at full-size shingles outdoors, at different times of day, before you decide. The render is not a substitute.

Sources: IKO (iko.com, April 2025); Onto Roofing (ontoproofing.com); Fixr, "Match Your Siding and Roofing Colors" (fixr.com, published April 25, 2024).

How to try a shingle color on your house

The examples on this page used the same idea, one photo plus one written edit, but were run directly on an image model, not through this tool, so your results will look different.

Photograph the front in daylight, straight on, from far enough back that the whole roof fits in the frame, from the eaves to the ridge.
Open the photo enhancer, upload your photo, keep Standard Enhancement and click Generate Enhancement. This gives you a sharp copy of your house as it is.
Click Edit (the pencil button above the result) and paste one of the prompts below into Edit Instructions, or write your own. Name the shingle color, and name what must stay: the siding, the trim, the windows and the doors.
Check the whole image. Compare the walls, the trim and the doors with your photo, and check that the roof color is the one you asked for. If not, run it again with clearer words, for example "dark chocolate brown" rather than "warm brown".

The enhancement and the edit each use credits, so this route uses both free renders. To compare a second color, you need more credits. For metal, tile and slate roofs, read the roof visualizer guide.

The exact prompts behind the examples

These are the edit prompts used for the three examples, word for word. Paste one into Edit Instructions and change the color to suit your house.

Prompt 1: charcoal black shingles on a white house

Change only the roof: replace the faded brown asphalt shingles on the whole roof with dark charcoal black architectural asphalt shingles. Keep the white siding, the black shutters, the white front door, the walkway, the house's exact shape, every window, the front door, the lawn, shrubs, sky and camera angle exactly the same.

Prompt 2: dark brown shingles on red brick

Change only the roof: replace the dark gray asphalt shingles on the whole roof with dark chocolate brown architectural asphalt shingles. Keep the red brick walls, the white window trim, the white garage door, the driveway, the house's exact shape, every window, the front door, the lawn, shrubs, sky and camera angle exactly the same.

Prompt 3: light gray shingles on dark blue siding

Change only the roof: replace the black asphalt shingles on the whole roof with light weathered gray architectural asphalt shingles. Keep the dark slate blue siding, the white trim, the white front door, the porch and its white posts, the house's exact shape, every window, the front door, the lawn, shrubs, sky and camera angle exactly the same.

To write your own, keep the same shape: "Change only the roof: replace the [current shingles] on the whole roof with [new color] architectural asphalt shingles. Keep the walls, the trim, every window, the front door and the camera angle exactly the same."

Before you order

Ask your roofer for full-size samples of your two or three favorite colors and look at them against the house in daylight.
Look at the maker's own color chart. Shingle makers publish their own color charts and names, and our pictures do not match any of them exactly.
Ask about local rules. Energy codes and HOAs can limit color or reflectance.

Who this is for

Homeowners whose roof is due for replacement and who are stuck between two or three colors, people who want to match a new roof to existing brick or siding, and anyone who needs a picture to show a roofer or the rest of the family.

More exterior ideas

If you are also choosing siding, see the types of siding guide or the siding visualizer guide. For a full list of updates for a dated home, read how to update your house exterior.

You can also read the metal roof colors, the exterior house colors with a brown roof and the siding colors pages.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best roof shingle color?

There is no single best color. The roofing guides we read say the same thing: look at the siding, brick or stone that is staying, pick a roof that is clearly lighter or darker than the walls, and match warm or cool undertones. Then check your climate, your street and any HOA rules.

What color shingles go with white, gray or beige siding?

IKO says white homes suit nearly any roof color, and that beige homes suit brown, black, gray, green or blue. Onto Roofing says gray siding suits charcoal, black or slate shingles. These are starting points: try two or three on a photo of your own house before you decide.

What shingle color goes with red brick?

IKO suggests black, brown or charcoal for red brick, and Onto Roofing says warm-toned brick pairs well with brown, weathered wood or tan shingles. Gray brick and tan brick have their own pairings in the table on this page.

Does shingle color change how hot the house gets?

IKO says lighter colors reflect more sunlight and help keep a home cooler, especially in hot climates, and darker colors absorb more heat. Some areas require highly reflective roofs under energy codes, so ask a local roofer what applies to you.

Does this show a specific brand's shingle colors, such as TAMKO, Malarkey or PABCO?

No. The AI draws the color and the look you describe, such as charcoal, weathered wood brown or slate gray. It does not have any maker's color chart, and the names makers give their colors differ from brand to brand. Use the AI picture to settle on a direction, then look at the maker's own color chart and real shingle samples before you order.

Can I use this to pick colors for my HOA?

It can help you compare options, but it cannot tell you what your HOA or town allows. Ask for the approved color list first.

Is it free?

Signing up is free and gives you 5 credits, which is enough for 2 renders in most countries. Free renders carry an AiExterior watermark. If you want more renders or clean images, paid plans are available on the pricing page.

Do I need an account?

Yes. You need to sign in before a render starts, with an email code or your Google account. That is how the free credits are attached to you.

Try it on your own house

Upload a photo of your house

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