The Impact of Red Brick and Your Roof Color

Chad Esslinger of Chad Esslinger Design answers homeowners’ questions about how to enhance their home’s exterior design and curb appeal when getting a new roof.

Red Brick Dilemma

Homeowner Question: I own a home with red brick on the front and clay-colored siding on the exterior. I currently have a non-descript muted brown-colored roof, but I’m thinking about changing my roof color to something brighter and more colorful.

How do I handle the red brick in the exterior design if I change my roof color?

Chad’s Answer: When it comes to your red brick, do you love, dislike, or have no opinion about it? This is the first question I ask clients when they have a large existing element that will impact the rest of a design, such as your red brick and clay-colored siding. If you love it or feel neutral about it, then it should stay, and the rest of the exterior should coordinate and coexist with it.

"Do you love, dislike, or have no opinion about it?"  

–Chad Esslinger, Designer

If you stick with the red brick, then you’ll either want to choose a roof color that is neutral and lets the color of the brick stand out (Owens Corning 2019 Shingle Color of the Year Black Sable, for example), or you can double-down on the warmth of the reds and oranges and choose a roof color that has similar tones (maybe the 2017 Shingle Color of the Year Sedona Canyon, or where available, the Duration® color, Colonial Slate).

If you’re sick of red brick (and clay-colored siding), then don’t try to coordinate the rest of your exterior design with something you dislike. If you can change the brick or siding colors now or in the future, then my recommendation would be to choose a new roof color that will look fine with your current exterior design but will also look great if you make minor changes to your exterior elements (such as painting the red brick or replacing it with natural stone).

If you’re planning on making a drastic change to your exterior design, however, then you definitely want to pick your new roof color based on the future design. It might be a journey getting there while you make the ongoing changes of all the design elements, but you’ll end up with the home exterior look that you truly want and love—including the roof.

"Don’t try to coordinate the rest of your exterior design with something you dislike." 

–Chad Esslinger, Designer

I might recommend choosing a roof color that is dark and neutral, such as Black Sable, or contrasting and cool, such as Pacific Wave. I think both roofing shingle colors look great with red brick but also complement a variety of other exterior colors if you choose to change the red brick (or clay-colored siding) someday.

There are tools to help you. You can “try on” the many different roof colors using the Owens Corning Design EyeQ®visualization software found on their website. Just remember, the final color choice for your roof is yours, so pick the one that speaks to you.