When HGTV Bargain Block stars Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas visited Owens Corning to discuss color and the roof, the duo answered some questions that are commonly received on the company’s 1-800-GETPINK line. The following are excerpts from the conversation that offer practical insights for contractors fielding homeowner questions about shingle color selection.

With Bargain Block season 4, the final season of the popular HGTV series, currently airing, Bynum and Thomas continue their collaboration with Owens Corning to help homeowners and contractors make the most of roof replacement projects.

What makes the roof such a good place to make a design statement?

Evan Thomas: Representing a large amount of a home’s exterior, the roof provides an ideal space for enhancing curb appeal. However, a roof also needs to be designed to stand up to the elements to help protect one of a consumer’s biggest investments – their home.

New shingles give homeowners lasting peace of mind. They know they’ve made home improvement that will last for a long time. 

Keith Bynum: But there is also curb appeal to think about. In many cases, a home’s roof is the single largest thing you see when you pull up to a house, so it can have a huge effect on a home’s appearance.

What are some roof design trends you are seeing in the market?

Bynum: There are a lot more color options to choose from today. Owens Corning offers homeowners the option of so many dimensional colors. It’s kind of unbelievable how color options have expanded. When I was a kid, we had cedar, tan and black. Now, you get to have this luxurious moment with the roof and all of the shingle color selections. And luxury is something people expect now – even first-time home buyers.

Thomas: When you have so many options, selecting a color gets easier. The undertones in the Owens Corning TruDefinition® Designer shingle line are neutral, but the pops of color and dimensional textures in the granules make roof color more interesting. 

What advice do you offer to homeowners for choosing a shingle color?

Bynum: Color tools help homeowners make a beautiful decision that still feels safe. Matching a shingle with a monotone or selecting a complementary color makes it work. I ask people, “Tell me about colorful things that you love,” and that gets them going down a color path. Online style boards and color tools let people see how unexpected color pairings come together. I love the Owens Corning Duration Designer shingles in Black Sable, which give the richness of slate.  And I also love Owens Corning Duration Designer shingle colors Storm Cloud and Pacific Wave! 

I used to carry a color wheel. If you’re not confident, you just look across the wheel and there’s a complementary color on the opposite side.  

Thomas: As long as you are coordinating colors well, you can use almost any color and it will look good. It’s about making sure that you have the right colors paired together. And so, whether you go with a Prairie Craftsman or an Italianate look, it will still look good because you are pairing things properly.

How can a contractor assist homeowners in selecting a roof color?

Bynum: A color consultation is a good place to start. Contractors in the Owens Corning Roofing Contractor Network can offer design tools to help inspire a color decision. When looking at shingle boards, removing the color options homeowners don’t like makes it easy to focus on colors that may pair well.

In our business, we’ve proven that you can work design into the home’s improvement and still get the performance and budget you’re looking for. The mood boards Owens Corning put together help contractors and homeowners make use of a proven color process  

What does a color consultation involve? 

Bynum:  We ask people to tell us about themselves and about their house, and that really helps personalize color. It also brings a sense of luxury design into the process. 

Thomas: Sometimes homeowners have a perception that a luxury design roof has to be unaffordable. Advances in asphalt shingles and color pairing mood boards provide an approachable design moment that gives homeowners a luxury look at an asphalt price point.