Stunning Exterior Paint Colors That'll Look Great With Your Red Roof

Selecting a color to paint the exterior of your home is a big decision. It sets the tone for your overall aesthetic, can make or break the curb appeal of your house, and is the very first thing that people notice when they pass by. No pressure though, right? But just because it's important doesn't mean it has to be overwhelming. For those with a red roof over their heads, the paint selection process actually just got a little bit easier, as it narrows the focus a bit when assessing which colors will best coordinate with the warm hues overhead.

Because a red roof is such a bold choice, choosing a muted color palette for exterior walls can help create a sense of visual balance. Consider neutral variations within the tan, beige, and gray families, which will help the red of the roof to stand out and won't compete. Gray with the faintest hint of blue underneath, or tan with rich yellow undertones are both a good starting place. Selecting a soft color on the bottom will also help to draw the eyes up. Of course, with so much of the design world, rules are made to be broken. Exploring dark paint colors for your home and bolder neutrals like charcoal, black, and even navy can make a statement and help your house to stand out.

If you follow the rules of color theory, then conventional wisdom dictates that certain colors play better together than others. When the color spectrum is laid out in a wheel, a line can be drawn across to link opposing — and thus complementary — colors together. So for a home with a red roof, this could actually mean looking at shades of green, or perhaps gray with green undertones, since green and red are opposite one another on the color wheel. Architectural color consultant Amy Krane says in a blog post on her site that when choosing a green exterior paint for a house with a red roof, earth tones like olive and sage are the way to go. This natural red and green combo will also ensure that your house doesn't look like Santa's workshop. Beyond that, "grays — both warm and cool — and blues all work well," Krane writes.

Instead of going directly across the color wheel, you can also look just beside for what's called analogous colors. Think of these like friendly neighbors. In the case of red, which is flanked by purple and orange, using an analogous color scheme in your home could mean dipping into mauve, a saturated violet, or tan that trends toward orange territory. And when it comes to "accessorizing" your house, there are plenty of stunning front door and shutter color combos out there already. Selecting bolder colors for house accents like doors, shutters, and trim creates a cohesive look, or you could go bold on the exterior and then link everything together with neutral accents.