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What Color Roof Goes With Red Brick

Are you replacing your roof or building a new home and wondering what color roof goes with red brick? Then you’ve come to the right place.

Homes with red brick are beautiful. It’s a timeless design that’s classy, durable, low maintenance and gives a home a rich look. And it works on a wide variety of styles ranging from beach houses to country cottages and ultra modern custom homes. But as good looking as brick is, you still have to get all the other exterior finishes right too. And one of the biggest ones to consider are the roofing materials. They come in a variety of colors and some are much better looking with red brick than others. So which color roof do you choose? In this article you’ll find out.

Ahead we’ll discuss the various roofing colors that go great with a red brick home along with some pros and cons, an FAQ, and a bunch of pictures.

Beautiful estate home with red brick siding, white trim, railings and columns. Dormers add a nice architectural detail to the roof line.

Beautiful estate home with red brick siding, white trim, railings and columns. Dormers add a nice architectural detail to the roof line.

Red Brick And Your Roofing Color

When you’ve got a red brick home, the type, style, and color of your roof is one of the biggest style decisions that you’ll need to make. Red brick is such a bold siding choice that every other exterior element on the house has to work with it. There are several key points you need to consider.

  • The most important thing to remember is the need for contrast. Avoid choosing a roof color that clashes with the brick or matches the tone. Your roof color and brick should have a clear separation.
  • Choosing the right type of roofing material, the right color, and the right style shingle are all big decisions that will affect not only your curb appeal, but also the maintenance costs and value of the home.
  • It’s important for your roofing color to work with the design of your home. If you have a classically styled house then stay within the established color scheme for the styles or you’ll risk turning off potential buyers.

Your home’s roof should increase the curb appeal and value of your home. If you choose a bad color shingle you could turn potential buyers off. It’s a bigger decision than you may realize. No one wants to live in an ugly house so the red brick and roof color combo have to work.

Roofing Can Make Up As Much As 40% Of What You See From The Curb

Depending on the style of the house, a roof can make up around 40% of what you see from the curb. So picking the right shingle color and roofing material makes a big impact on the homes resale value.There are a few key points to consider here.

  • The higher the slope of your roof, also know as the roof’s pitch, the more you’ll see the roof’s color from street.
  • If the roof is very flat then you’ll hardly see the roof color at all so it becomes less impactful.
  • When you pick your roof color, choose a color that enhances the beauty of the brick and draws the eye upward toward details like dormers and gables.

Your roofing color is a choice you’ll have to live with for years, so choose wisely.

red bricks come in a variety of colors 4 bricks lined up

Red bricks come in a variety of colors and tones. Make sure to match your roof color to your exact brick.

How Do You Match Your Roof Color With Brick?

Installing a new roof will create a big impact on the curb appeal of your brick home. The most important part of the job is picking the right color roof. Complementing or matching that color with your home’s brick exterior is a crucial thing to consider.

  • When you have a brick home, your first step is to examine the color composition of your brick. Remember that brick has underlying colors that add to the main color. This can include brown, black, pink, purple, tan, brown, orange, etc.
  • The most important color to consider is the overall color. The color you see when you look at the home from the curb is what you should match.
  • The subtle colors you see up close don’t matter as much because you won’t see those colors against the roof.

Once you’ve determined the overall color you see from the curb, you can start making your roof’s color choice.

You can choose a roof material with multiple colors or one with a solid single color.

Pro Tip: With so many roofing color options available the choice can be overwhelming. Be sure to look at lots of example pictures and get real samples. Don’t pick something just because you like how it looks in a picture. Taking real material samples to the site in real lighting is the best way to pick a homes exterior finishes.

What You Need to Consider When Choosing A Roof Color?

Your roof color is a very important part of your home, especially if you have red brick. Here are a few more bits of info to think about when picking the right red brick and roofing color combo.

  • Consider the color of your brick. Red brick is a very broad term, reddish brick would be more accurate. Bricks come in a variety of colors and tones so match the roof color to the exact color of your brick.
  • Your climate also matters. For example, in hotter areas a metal or clay tile roof may be a better options because they deal with heat better. An asphalt roof absorbs heat which makes it a better choice in colder areas. Not every color roof is available for every material so you really have to choose the roofing material and color at the same time.
  • Another consideration is the shape and style of your house. A roof can make up as much as 40% of what you see from the street while some roofs you hardly see at all. The more roof you see the more important the color is.
  • Architectural features like gables, dormers and multi level roof lines will affect how your home looks. Some home designs use two or more roof colors to highlight special features.

The perfect roofing color to go along with your red brick can give your house a warm, welcoming feel, a contemporary modern look, a historic traditional appeal, or create something more unique that sets your house apart from other brick homes.

Choose A Roof Color That Contrasts The Brick

Choosing the color to compliment your red brick is one of the most important decisions you’ll make when installing a new roof.

The color and type of roofing material and how they compliment or contrast the brick sets the tone for the rest of your home. The roofing and siding color scheme is one of the most noticeable and defining aspects of your home. That’s why is so important to get it right.

The type of home and style are important things to consider. For example, a trendy color or material might look perfect on a modern home but strange on a colonial. Some shingle styles are specific to a home style. Some are considered more old fashioned like a wood shingle while others are more contemporary like metal.

One of the most difficult aspects of replacing your roof or building a new home with brick is figuring out what color and type of roofing you should use.

Think about how the roof’s tone contrasts the rest of your home. It’s generally best to have a roof that’s darker than your brick. For example, a light red brick house can have a medium toned roof, however a house with a dark brick needs a very dark shingle.

Beautiful red brick house with black shutters. Gray and brown roof shingles with brown metal accent roofing.

Beautiful red brick house with black shutters. Gray and brown roof shingles with brown metal accent roofing.

Roofing Materials Come In Different Colors

When you think of a roof what material do you imagine. Depending on where you live it could be very different.

That because roofing comes in a variety of materials, the most commonly used on a brick house are asphalt shingles and metal. In this article that’s what we’ll be covering.

Your roofing contractor or architect can help you decide what material works best with the color of your brick and your home’s style.

Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material used on a brick home.

They come in a variety of colors and are relatively cheap compared with other forms of roofing.

Asphalt shingles come in a few different styles and a bunch of colors.

The color of most asphalt shingles isn’t solid. Like brick, up close you can see a variety of colors that from very far away appear to be a solid single color. From the curb you can usually make out two or even three colors within the shingles. While there are some shingles that are one completely solid color, most aren’t.

Pro Tip: When you pick an asphalt shingle you need to focus on the overall color you see from the curb. It doesn’t matter what it looks like up close because you won’t be standing that close to the roof anyway. And how it looks from 1000 feet away isn’t that important either. When you pick a shingle color put samples next to your brick and stand about 30 – 50 feet back. That’s far enough to get an idea of how the roof color will look against your brick from the curb.

Metal Roofing

Metal roofing can be used to cover the entire roof or as an accent along with shingles.

It comes in a variety of styles and is generally painted, so you can get any color you want. And unlike shingles, the color is solid.

Generally speaking we use metal roofing as an accent and shingles for the main roof. Check out the example picture above. This beautiful custom red brick home used a gray and brown asphalt shingle with a brown metal accent roof.

Metal roofs look more modern which doesn’t fit the style or your average red brick house. But they look great as an accent feature on architectural details or bump outs. However, if you have a modern styled home then an all metal roof may be the right choice.

Red brick home with stucco accents and a dark gray roofing shingle. White railings and plush green landscaping.

Red brick home with stucco accents and a dark gray roofing shingle. White railings and plush green landscaping.

Other Important Factors To Consider

There are a few other factors to consider when choosing the right roofing color to go with your brick house. These items are less important by themselves, however, as a whole they shouldn’t be overlooked.

How Does Climate Affect Your Roofing Color

Red brick homes are found all over the country. From red hot summers in Nevada to the frigid winters of Maine, your climate has to be considered when your picking a roofing color. 

Darker colors absorb heat and lighter colors reflect it. So it makes sense to choose a dark color in cold climates and a lighter one where it’s hot.

Metal surfaces reflect light and porous surfaces absorb it. Which is why we see more metal roofs in hot climates and shingles in colder ones.

Choosing the right color and material roofing won’t make the home look any better but it will save you money on heating and cooling costs.

Resale Value

Your roof accounts for up to forty percent of the building’s appearance from the curb. This depends on the style and slope of the roof.

If you plan on selling your home some day, building a spec home or flipping the property, make sure you choose a roof color that looks good to as many potential buyers as possible and not the one you like the most.

Use a good quality roofing material with a long warranty and a popular color that increases curb appeal.

And don’t forget all the other exterior elements. Many brick homes also have siding, stone or stucco so take those colors into consideration as well. Even though your brick is the most important thing to match the roof to, the other elements are all important too.

Look at other similar brick homes in the area that have sold for top dollar. Chances are the reason they got so much is because they had great curb appeal.

If you plan on selling in the near future, looking at local comps is a huge benefit. Not just in terms of pricing but also style and design. In some developments the homes all resemble each other and people like that sense of a community style. In others the homes are all completely different so you’ll have more freedom to choose whatever color roof you want.

Homeowners Association Rules And Requirements

Make sure you’re aware of any rules or requirements that govern your community, which includes rules for historic home, before you start making color choices.

Most homeowners associations have requirements regarding the color and style of your roofing material. Make sure that your color choice fits within their guidelines or you may get hit with high fines or be forced to change your roofing.

Consider Your Brick Home’s Architectural Style. A Simple Guide.

When your picking the right roof color for your brick house then consider the style of the home. Some home designs have a color scheme that traditionally goes with the style. You can choose your own color scheme but going to far away from what’s considered right for the house can cost you at resale.

Knowing your architectural style and choosing a familiar color scheme creates comfort in the eyes of potential buyers.

Below, you’ll find 5 common architectural styles that use red brick and the most common roofing color for each.

  • Colonial Style: Blacks and Grays.
  • Contemporary Style: Any color is fine with a contemporary style. They tend to use more metal.
  • Cottage Style: Any color is fine but they do tend to use darker shades.
  • Farmhouse Style: Any color is ok here as well. Farmhouses use lighter colors quite a bit but we also see a lot of black.
  • Mediterranean Style: Reds and browns. These homes traditionally have clay roofs but you can mimic the look with asphalt shingles or metal.

Red Brick And Roofing Colors

Below are some of the most beautiful homes featuring red brick and a variety of roofing colors and materials.

Keep in mind that these are just recommendations. Roofing and red brick colors will vary a bit from what they look like in person. Also lighting conditions and picture quality can effect how the brick and roofing colors look. Make sure to get actual roofing samples and compare them to your particular shade of brick.

If your building a new home then get samples of both the brick and roofing so you can compare.

Pro Tip: If your building a new home or adding brick to an existing one but don’t have time to order samples for a comparison then choose the brick first. Every element on a red brick home should key off the brick. Your brick color is a permanent decision that you’ll have to live with for decades so picking the perfect color is very important.

Red Brick Siding With A Black Shingle Roof and medium brown front door stained

Red Brick Siding With A Black Shingle Roof

black roofing shingle closeup by GAF

Charcoal Timberline HD Shingle

A really red brick looks great with a black shingled roof. Asphalt shingles come in a variety of colors, most of which aren’t a solid color, and black is no exception. Within the black you can see hints of gray. It’s a nice touch because brick isn’t all one solid color either.

From far away the house looks predominately red and black, however, from the curb you can see all the subtle variations in color.

The design is intended to mimic the look of a real wood shingle.

A medium brown stained real wood front door with all that white trim are also great choices.

gray blue roof shingle on a red brick house with stone columns

Red Brick Siding With A Blue Gray Roof Shingle

pewter gray roofing shingle closeup

Pewter Gray Timberline HD Shingle

Really bright red brick with lots of pigment look better with a dark roof. Dark roofs do a better job of capping the walls and creating separation between the walls and sky.

This shingle is a dark gray, almost black, but has some subtle hints of blue. If you don’t want all black then there are some options that are slightly lighter but still considered a dark shingle.

HD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

I like going a little lighter than black when the brick walls are this red. I don’t like the red and black look so throwing in a little gray and blue on the roof helps. Remember it’s all about how the roof color looks from the curb, not closeup.

gray brown roof shingle on a red brick home with freen front door and white trim

Red Brick House With A Gray Roof

gray timberline roof shingle closeup 1

Mission Brown Timberline HD Shingle

Another great looking shingle, maybe my favorite, is mission brown by GAF. It’s an HD shingle that we use here in NJ because the wind rating is high enough for use by the water. The brown found within the shingle is very subtle. From the curb it looks dark gray only warmer. Some of the other grays are more bluish and I refer the warmer tones with brick.

HD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

The green front door is another reason I like the roof to have some brown in it. Earth colors look fantastic together and red, green and brown all qualify. White trim and paneling works with anything and adds some much needed brightness to the exterior design.

beautiful red brick home with brown roof and black shutters stucco dormers black front door

Beautiful Red Brick House With A Brown Roof

brown asphalt roof shingle closeup

Shakewood Timberline HD Shingle

Red brick homes look great with other natural colors and materials. You really can’t go wrong when you pair red brick with stone, concrete or wood. That’s why a brown roof that resembles the look of real wood looks so good. Just keep in mind that the shingle you choose has to be dark enough. The roof has to be a darker tone than the brick your using.

HD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

The black metal accent roofing is also a nice touch. It matches the black front door and shutter perfectly and black is a very popular choice with red brick so you can’t go wrong with it. The stucco dormers add a little more brown that compliments the color scheme.

light red brick veneer siding with gray brown asphalt shingle roof color

Light Red Brick House With A Gray Roof

barkwood shingle closeup 1

Barkwood Timberline UHD Shingle

With a light red brick house you can get away with a lighter shade of roof color. However darker roofs still look better with red brick so I wouldn’t go too light. This Barkwood roofing shingle is a nice shade of gray mixed with brown. From the curb is has a nice, warm gray feel.

UHD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

The real wood front door with a medium brown stain is a great choice. Brown looks good with the brick and the subtle hints of brown in the roof. Tan vinyl siding accents and trim are also harmonious choices that work with the color scheme.

red brick house with a light gray roof color and white wall paneling white front door black shutters

Red Brick House With A Light Gray Roof

light gray roof shingle closeup

Fox Hollow Gray Timberline UHD Shingle

Although we prefer a dark roof color on a red brick house, light roofs work too. As long as the shade is lighter than the brick you still get some contrast. This light gray asphalt shingle by GAF is a nice choice.

UHD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

A white front door on a red brick house with black shutter is classic color combination. The white walls paneling, railings and trim work are also nice additions and so it the white band that caps the brick walls nicely.

red brick home with dark gray roof and huge white columns white wall panels

Red Brick House With A Dark Blue Gray Roof Color

pewter gray roofing shingle closeup

Pewter Gray Timberline HD Shingle

This beautiful red brick home with huge front columns, white paneling, trim and wall caps has the perfect color gray blue roofing shingle called Pewter Gray. It’s just a bit lighter than black but has a subtle blueish hue. It’s a great choice if your brick has a lot of red in it.

HD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

Classically styled brick homes like the one shown above look best with classic color schemes. A very red brick with a dark roof is the perfect combination. The trim is generally white with either a white or black front door and often include black shutters.

red brick home with blue roof color and black metal accent roof wood front door

Beautiful Red Brick House With A Blue Shingle Roof And Black Metal Accents

dark blue asphalt roof shingle

Biscayne Blue Timberline HD Shingle

This beautiful red brick home features a brick with hints of tan, brown and darker reds. If you have a brick where the main color is red with splashes of other colors a blue roof looks good. Even more so if the home has architectural details like the stucco corners, front porch and interesting roof line. A blue roof color doesn’t overpower the home’s design. I wouldn’t recommend going too light however, something in the mid range would be perfect.

HD shingles are an architectural series shingle that mimics the look of real wood shingles.

Black metal accent roofing top off the bump outs and the medium stained real wood front door is a fantastic choice. Brick homes have a rich, classy look so you’ll want exterior finishes that reflect that feel.

red brick ranch style home with green ivy, dormers, tan trim and a blue roof color.

Red Brick Ranch With Dormers And A Blue Shingle Roof

nantucket morning roof shingle closeup

Nantucket Morning Timberline AH Shingle

With a ranch style home featuring a roof line like this it’s even more important to choose the right roof color. Because the home is lower to the ground and the roof is steep, you see just as much roof color as you do red brick. From the curb it’s almost 50/50. The dormers break up the roof a bit but you still see tons of roofing. Blue is a nice choice. It’s a softer color that doesn’t overpower the home but it’s still dark enough to create enough contrast.

Red brick and ivy is a beautiful combination as lush landscaping. Green and red brick go flawlessly together.

Tan trim is a better choice here than white as is the case with many brick homes. It’s not as stark and blends in better with the natural color tones.

Large Red Brick Home With Dormers And A Gray Shingle Roof

Large Red Brick Home With Dormers And A Gray Shingle Roof

gray asphalt roofing shingle

Birchwood Timberline UHD Shingle

Two story brick homes with a shallow roof line, like the one shown in the picture above, don’t have much visible roofing. When you get up close to the home you hardly see the roof at all. However, from the curb the roof still provides a nice cap to the home. Think of a roof as a sort of hat for the house. This shade of light gray called Birchwood is a nice choice. It’s dark enough to add the contrast you want but light enough to not be overbearing.

Dormers are a nice touch for a brick house. Because they’re generally finished with trim or siding, the dormer helps up the roof color and adds so additional detail.

White shutters are a nice addition as is the white band you see at the top of the wall. That white wall cap help define and separate the red brick from the roof color.

redbrick custom home with a combination asphalt and black metal roof with white columns and trim

Classic Red Brick Home With Combination Gray Shingle Roof With Black Metal

pewter gray roofing shingle closeup

Pewter Gray Timberline HD Shingle

Pewter gray is a safe roofing color for a red brick house. Gray goes with just about any shade of brick so you don’t have to over think it too much. Just make sure the tone of the roof is a little different than the brick. You want some contrast between the roof and home so either darker or lighter is fine. Pairing the shingled roof with black metal is a nice look. Especially on a classically styled home. The black metal roof brings a modern touch to an otherwise old fashioned home design.

As you’ll see throughout the pictures shown, white or light tan trim are the best choices with red brick. The black shutters and matching black front door are other popular picks.

Beautiful Red Brick Home With Reddish Brown Roof Color

hickory roofing shingle closeup

Hickory Timberline HD Shingle

A reddish brown roof color is an uncommon choice with red brick but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice. Sometimes straying away from more traditional roof color choices can have nice results. Just make sure the tone works with your brick. This home has a lighter shade of red brick veneer and white siding with white trim, columns and railings so the home appears brighter from the curb than most red brick homes. The roof is a medium tone which works nicely.

The hot pink front door is where the designer really took some chances.

Exquisite Red Brick Custom Home With Gray Roof And Dormers

Oyster gray roofing shingle closeup

Oyster Gray Timberline HD Shingle

A red brick home and gray roof look great together no matter what shade of brick you have. Gray is such an easy color to match that it’s a safe pick. We recommend using a tone that’s darker then the brick which is what you see in the picture above. The black metal roof accents are a great way to cap the bump outs. Two center dormers with light stucco finish add a bit of brightness to the dark roof. White Trim and fascia add nice definition to architectural details.

The black front door is a great choice and matched the black metal roofing perfectly.

Red Brick And Roofing Colors Gallery

Below is our gallery filled with some of our favorite red brick homes. If your looking for the perfect roofing color for a red brick house then they’re should be something in here you’ll like.

Summary: What’s The Perfect Roofing Color For A Red Brick House?

Homes with red brick are some of the most beautiful. Brick is a fantastic siding material and one that can’t be overlooked. It’s not like neutral colored siding, gray or white. With those colors you can choose any roofing color you want because they go with just about everything. With red brick, your roofing color options will be limited and more impactful. But if you put in a little more time and effort, the finished product can be well worth the effort.

We hope the red brick and roofing color designs, styles, ideas and pictures shown above will help you with your next project.

If you have any questions or comments e-mail us any time.

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