What Color to Paint a House With a Green Roof

Start with the roof's undertone

Hold paint chips against the roof in daylight. Some green roofs lean blue, like a forest or hunter green. Others lean yellow, like sage or olive. Colors that share the roof's undertone look calm together. Colors with the opposite undertone can look muddy.

Color families that work

• Warm whites and creams. Clean and classic, especially with darker green metal roofs. Pure, cool whites can look stark in strong Florida light.
• Beige, tan and sand. Earthy neutrals suit sage and olive roofs and hide dust and pollen.
• Soft grays and greiges. Choose grays with a warm or green undertone. Very cool blue-grays can clash with yellow-green roofs.
• Pale yellows. A soft, buttery yellow with a forest green roof reads as traditional and cheerful.
• Muted earth tones. Taupe, clay and light brown pair well with darker green roofs on homes surrounded by trees.

Trim and accents

White or cream trim is the safe choice. For a stronger look, repeat the roof green, or a darker shade of it, on shutters or the front door. Keep the number of colors to three: body, trim and one accent.

Think about heat and fading

Lighter body colors absorb less heat and usually fade less visibly than deep tones. A color's light reflectance value (LRV), printed on many paint chips, tells you how much light it reflects. Higher means lighter and cooler.

Test before you commit

Paint large samples, at least two feet square, on more than one side of the house. Look at them in the morning, at midday and near sunset. Check your HOA's approved palette first if you have one.