Using Color to Sell in the Home

By IKO Industries.

Offer a variety of shingle styles and color options to set your business apart.

Aesthetics are a top consideration for homeowners deciding on a new roof material – and color plays a major role.

But which roof colors are popular? And how do color choices differ between older and younger generations; between men and women?

As homeowners are beginning to demand more color choices to personalize their homes, offering them a variety of shingle styles and color options is important in setting your business apart.

Trending Roof Colors

“Shades of brown and black continue to be our most popular, but homeowners are starting to branch out into warmer tones as well as ‘coastal’ hues to complement their home’s natural surroundings,” said Mark Okland, Product Development Manager, IKO North America.

For example, The PPG Voice of Color® platform identifies trending color themes each year. Its 2017 HourGlass color palette includes various warm and neutral tones that “continue to be popular in architectural interiors and exteriors.”

Also the 2017 Pantone® Color of the Year, Greenery, is inspired by nature and “symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.” While this shade of green isn’t necessarily trending among roof colors, it does solidify the notion that homeowners are seeking a connection with nature through their color choices.

As such, IKO is continuing to expand its color offerings in 2017, including three new colors for our IKO Dynasty® with ArmourZone® shingle line – Brownstone, Driftshake and Frostone Grey – for a total of 11 diverse, high-definition options that suit any architectural style.

“IKO Dynasty shingles are growing to be a contractor favorite, and the demand for more color choices continues to grow as well,” said Mark Okland, Product Development Manager, IKO North America. “Knowing that color is one of the most important purchase considerations for homeowners, we are offering three new vibrant color options to give contractors an additional selling point to help close more prospective sales.”

Much like the other colors in the Dynasty lineup, the three new colors are engineered using an exclusive color blend technology process that enhances any home façade with a dynamic, artful roofscape.

The new Dynasty colors also reflect the latest home exterior color trends in the industry. Brownstone and Driftshake are warm, earthy tones that bring out the natural scenery around a home, while Frostone Grey is a two-tone grey with subtle contrasting shadows that help create dimension.

IKO also offers its RoofViewer™ Interactive Shingle Selector Tool to help make roofing style, design and color selection easier for contractors, which is available in a desktop version on the IKO site or by downloading the RoofViewer app on an Apple® or Android™ device.

However, it is still recommended that contractors share several full-size shingles with homeowners in person, in the daylight, prior to final color selection to ensure their complete satisfaction.

Cool Colors

Regionally there has been a lot of growth on the West Coast with Title 24 and cool roof shingles. Recognizing this, IKO has also expanded its popular line of “cool roof” residential roofing shingles, IKO Cambridge™ Cool Colors, to include more color choices.

The shingles are now offered in five dramatic color options, including Dual Grey, Arctic White, Desert Gold, Valley Oak and the newest color, Amber Burst. All five colors will be available throughout California with additional limited availability in surrounding West Coast states, while Dual Grey will continue to be offered nationwide.

“Some of our contractors are even requesting similar lighter colors for areas that are outside of California, such as areas in the Southeast like Florida,” Okland said. “Homeowners in these regions often enjoy a lighter rooftop color, which gives their home a more coastal feel.”

Age and Gender Preferences

Aside from knowing some of the latest roof color trends, having a bit of insight about age and gender aesthetic preferences can also assist with selling in the home.

For example, soft and neutral colors are the most popular among all ages, according to the Houzz Decorating Home Trends Survey.

But people under the age of 35 — otherwise known as Millennials — are more likely than older generations to select bold, bright and dramatic color schemes for their homes. This supports the notion that Millennials are particularly interested in creating their own unique spaces and differentiating themselves from their neighbors.

The same study also revealed that men are more likely to make color decisions based on trends than women. Rather than making these trendy choices to be fashionable, men have future home resale value and curb appeal in mind.

Understanding these color trends, customer preferences and more can help make a positive impact on your sales process. To learn more about IKO’s full portfolio of residential roofing solutions, visit iko.com.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on the IKO blog and can be viewed here.