Why the ranch is different
A two-storey colonial shows you a tall wall and a strip of roof. A ranch shows you a low wall and a wide, low roof. Whatever colour you put up there becomes the colour of the house. Dark roofs make a ranch look lower and longer. Lighter roofs make it look taller.
Charcoal and dark grey
The most common ranch roof and for good reason. Dark grey suits brick, tan and grey siding, and it does not turn the house into a black box the way pure black can on such a large surface.
Brown and weathered wood
A 1960s or 1970s ranch with brick and wood trim was designed for a brown roof. Weathered wood and driftwood shingles keep the period look. Brown metal does the same with a longer life.
Black
Black on a ranch is a modern update, and on a white or light grey ranch it looks sharp. On a brick ranch it can be too heavy, because there is so much of it.
Terracotta and tile
In the Southwest and California, a ranch with a tile or terracotta metal roof is the regional style. Elsewhere it reads as out of place.
Metal on a ranch
The long, low roof of a ranch is a good fit for standing seam, because the panels run in straight lines with few breaks. Charcoal and bronze are the usual picks. The render at the top of the page is a brick ranch with a beige corrugated metal roof.
Try it on your ranch
Because the roof is so much of the house, small differences in shade matter more here than anywhere. Upload a photo from the street and compare charcoal, brown and black.
