I really like to use black accents both inside and outside of my home, however pure black can sometimes be too heavy, particularly over a large expanse. I was therefore really pleased when Colorbond introduced Monument into their range. It has been with us for some time now and is extremely popular with my clients. The appeal of it is that it is a very dark grey/off black which is very neutral. This post will show you how to use Colorbond Monument on your home.
What are the other dark Colorbond colours
Colorbond NIght Sky is pure black and is a mainstay in the range. I like it for gutters but I don't like it for roofs as it is simply too heavy, particularly for the majority of the Australian climate.
Colorbond Woodland Grey is an absolute classic in the range. Previously called Slate, Colorbond updated it some time ago and it became just a touch more green. A lovely dark grey but it does have a definite green undertone which doesn't suit every scheme.
Colorbond Ironstone is a charcoal blue which does become more blue as the sun hits it and therefore only suits certain schemes.
Colorbond Wallaby is a little lighter and its name describes it well – a gorgeous rich grey brown which suits schemes with greige and warm whites.
Colorbond Basalt is lighter too and is a nice grey that suits many homes. It does have a blue undertone although not as significant or obvious as Ironstone.
The appeal of Colorbond Monument
The reason that so many people opt for Monument is that it doesn't have the heaviness of black nor the undertones of any of the colours mentioned above. This makes it extremely easy to match as it works with pretty much any colour scheme.
If anything, it is a warm dark grey and some people say it is a touch brown, but you really only notice this when it is next to other dark greys, that for example contain more blue or green. To all intents and purposes it is a very neutral tone.
If you are using traditional red bricks or recycled dark bricks on your home then Monument is a perfect partner to these. You can also use it with either Dover White or Surfmist for a Hamptons look, while Colorbond Shale Grey is a great partner for a more contemporary look.
Colorbond Monument for roofs, gutters and facias
A Colorbond Monument roof suits many styles from a classic Hamptons home to an ultra contemporary one. It works in coastal areas if the house is a contemporary one, but usually I avoid it for this look which I prefer to keep light and airy. It is a classic roofing colour for an urban area and works well on a country style home. It is perfect for the new modern farmhouse look using lots of white and black.
My word of caution however is that it is one of the darkest tones in the Colorbond range and therefore absorbs heat. Great in a cool area, but not suitable in a hot area where you need a cooler roof to reflect the heat.
You can however still incorporate this colour into your exterior scheme by using it on the gutters with a lighter roof. This will define the roof well and is particularly effective on cottage style homes. I like this definition – some people see it as a band around the house, but I see it as some contrast which is often lacking on exteriors.
Related: How to select roofs, gutters and facias
Colorbond Monument also works well for downpipes. Generally, I like to paint these the same as the wall colour so that they disappear. However, if you want to use Colorbond and not paint it, then this colour works well if you have other dark trim on the house, for example, Monument windows.
Related: What colour do I paint my downpipes
Colorbond Monument on walls
There is an increasing trend to also use Colorbond materials for external walls and Monument comes into its own here. A standing seam profile should be used to get the right effect. This is a great look for classic barn style conversions and homes. But remember that it can get hot!
When specifying Monument for walls, I always use the Matt finish. This is a relatively new finish from Colorbond in a limited range of colours. Matt finishes absorb more light than their more glossy counterparts and therefore each colour is darker in this finish.
How to use for painted walls
Paint companies will be able to match their paints to Colorbond Monument which means you can easily tie in other elements of your exterior to those in Colorbond. The substrate you are painting and the finish that you select will make a slight difference to the appearance of the colour, but it will be negligible. You should always match finishes where possible though, so for example, a low sheen painted finish on a weatherboard should match the posts and downpipes of the house too. You can opt for a semi gloss or gloss for a front door or windows, but otherwise I like to keep the finishes as even as possible.
Colorbond fencing
I have to admit that I am not a great fan of Colorbond fencing, but I do accept that it is very durable and an effective solution. One of my go-to colours for fencing is Monument as it tends to recede into the background. I actually really like timber fencing painted in Monument. Greenery always looks stunning against a dark background, which is a good point to remember.
Which choice for a black window
When it comes to windows, I quite often specify Monument, however, this is one area where I do think that black can often be a better option. If the interior of your home has some other true black elements, for example in the kitchen or in custom joinery, then I like to use black for the windows. I probably use each as much as the other – they both look great but in some instances, one is the better choice. If you are installing double glazed windows, these come in a limited range and one of my favourite choices here is black. You can still use this with Monument on the external walls, it will just make the Monument appear as a dark grey, rather than an off black.
I hope this has answered your questions about how to use Colorbond Monument. It is a beautiful neutral dark grey that is elegant and timeless.
If you are building or renovating your home, I have a FREE Resource Library with e-books and comprehensive checklists to download. You can sign up for FREE here.
Are you interested in some of the other Colorbond colours? I have written about many of them. If you select Colorbond in the drop down menu of the Blog, you will see them all.
Hi Samantha
I’m doing a new build it is skillion roof and all surfmist, the windows are double glaze white.
We are building a large shed that will be only 6 mtrs from the house and it is monument color.
Just wondering, if we should incorporate monument on the house somewhere to tie in with the shed.
Hi Helen
I’m just completing a small beach house in Surfmist, with a Monument shed. The house is clad in Linea board with a corro dual skillion roof, corro infills above and below the windows. The roof, gutters and infills are Monument, all the Linea board is Surfmist. The shed has a mono skillion roof, Monument corro walls and roof, Surfmist roller door. It all ties together quite well without feeling like the shed is an extension of the house.
Hi Samantha …
Thanks for the great post.
I’m interested to know what colours you like to use alongside Monument. For example, what colour roof on a house with monument walls? What accent pop of colour on a front door? What contrasting colour on sills and handrails? What exterior white … surfmist? I know there must be infinite answers but would just love to know your favourites.
Janie
Hi Janie you’re right there are infinite answers, mainly as the appeal of Monument is that it is very neutral without an obvious underlying colour. Generally though if I were to use Monument on the walls, I would also use it on the roof. Surfmist is a good Colorbond white to use with it. You get a completely different look if you use all Monument without a contrast white – much more contemporary and then more classic once you introduce white trim. In terms of colour, I love green and orange with Monument. Sage greens and olive tones look great against it. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
Loving your posts on the Colourbond colours – would you being doing one on Basalt? Building a GF and looking at doing the exterior in the Matt Basalt – just not sure what roof colour to go – we live in a hot area. It will be a skillion roof.
Kerrie
Hi Kerrie glad you’re enjoying the Colorbond colour posts – I will do one on Basalt. How you treat the roof is very much dependent on the design and how it will work with Basalt. Some designs where matt Basalt is used on the walls, really cries out for it on the roof too. Shale Grey or Surfmist would work with the colour but you really have to consider the design first. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha
GF is an L-shape – main roof sth facing 15 degrees; small nth facing 7.5 degrees (bedroom). You really won’t see the roof much- leaning towards surfmist for heat reflection (hot summers). White windows/slider as I want to work with white inside.
Heat reflection is certainly a consideration in some areas of the country – well in fact most of Australia! If you don’t see much of the roof, I think this should work.
Hi Samantha, just found your website today and have poured over it. I’m building on 20 acres at the top of the Otways, so it has to be a modular or it would take til infinity to get a builder up there! But the modular is super ugly! So I think it has to be Monument with black windows. I’ll sign up for a consult when I know a bit more. Thanks heaps for sharing all your knowlege and expertise – fantastic resource – phew!
Thanks Diana – glad you are finding the blog a great resource Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Great post on colorbond monument! You mentioned dark windows with a monument roof but do you think other colours work well with a monument roof, gutters, fascia? eg white or silver/grey window frames? Maria.
Hi Maria Colorbond Monument is such a neutral roof colour that you can certainly use white or silver windows with it. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha, we wish we would have found your site earlier. I am trying to play catch-up but there is a lot here! We have our building selections to finalise this week. We are torn between our external colours namely the colorbond roof. I understand that Woodland Grey can throw off some green tones, Monument may be too dark (however is really neutral)
If our look is hamptons modern with:
Ground floor rendered: Dulux Rakaia
First floor Linea cladding : Dulux powered rock
Eaves, gutters, mouldings : Colorbond surfmist.
Window frames : surfmist
Would really appreciate your advise as to which is the better pick?!
Thank you
Hi Blake Colorbond Monument isn’t much darker than Woodland Grey – Monument has a light reflective value of 9% while Woodland Grey is 12% so in the scheme of things I would opt for the colour you prefer. My choice with your scheme and for a Hamptons style home would be Monument. Good luck with your colour meeting Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Im so glad I have come across your blog, great suggestions. I have just painted my terracotta roof tiles Monument and cannot decide between Timeless Grey or Klute to paint the rendered walls. I am painting my garage door, eaves, fascia and windows Lexicon. I would really appreciate your opinion , I just cant decide! TIA. Renae
Hi Renae it really depends on how much light the house gets and how much contrast you want to see between the walls and the garage and trim. The only way to decide is to paint two really large boards in two coats of each colour and just assess it next to the Lexicon and different times of the day to see which you prefer. There isn’t a right or wrong answer unfortunately! Good luck Samantha
Thank you sooo much for your reply and advice. I really appreciate it!
Hi Samantha, so happy to have stumbled across your website! My partner and I are building a house and he went and confirmed Monument for our window frames without also confirming with me.
Brief overview of our house – barn-style front, with skillion roof section at the rear. Our fascias and gutters will be Monument, with a white (?) Axon vertical cladding and a small section of horizontal Colorbond steel (colour ?) that wraps around the top of the skillion walled section (not sure if that makes sense :/). Our roof will also be Heritage Galv.
Anyway, I wanted black window frames, particularly because we are getting black tap ware and I like the impact black has on the interior of the house. I am hoping you can convince me Monument still looks bold/impactful on the inside… I’ve only ever seen black and so cannot compare it myself.
Zoe
Hi Zoe your partner is a brave man! However, I wouldn’t worry, I actually like Monument windows over black as they’re not as heavy. They will still work with black accents in the house and I think will work well outdoors with the other trim colours. Hope this helps Samantha
hi Samantha, thank you for such great post. Do you think Monument window frame goes well with red brick?
Hi Phil yes – I really like Monument with red bricks Samantha
Hi Samantha, we are building (soon!) in rural paddock NSW. 2 pods. One all woodland grey walls and roof with monument windows/doors and the other pod gal walls and roof with grey windows. Yes contrasting pods. There will also be a couple of external rammed earth walls. What do you think?
It sounds really interesting Annette – it will be good to pull it all together with an earthy tone on the rammed earth walls.
Hi Samantha,
We’ve just installed a Monument fence & it looks stunning! But my husband is reluctant to paint our roof in Monument to tie it in. So we are thinking Monument on the gutters & eaves, & we were planning to do basalt on the concrete around our house. Any suggestions on a roof colour? Our external walls are an old orange brick from the 1980s. Thank you!
Hi Letitia It’s difficult to say without seeing the house but my feeling would be to have the roof in Monument as I am assuming it is a tiled roof? I couldn’t say for sure though as it depends on how big the house is and the pitch of the roof etc. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
Our entire house is constructed of Monument Black, Enseam with timber reclaimed chunky posts and decking. I would like to place a few statement pots or cluster of pots and I am stuck on deciding what colour – black or concrete grey? what would you suggest. thank you.
sorry – monument Matt (not black – not sure where that came from!)
I was also looking at pots from “The Balcony Garden” should you wish to see what colours I am choosing between. (concrete grey or black)
thankyou.
Hi Kylie my feeling is to opt for concrete grey but you also need to consider the flooring – are you going to let the timber weather to grey or do you intend to maintain and keep the rich brown tones? Also consider your outdoor furniture too. I love the Balcony Garden – they have a gorgeous range of pots. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi Samantha, Our 70’s home is rendered and painted in Aumbry as we decided to go with the mission brown windows. We lightened the outdoors with Dune around our patio and gazebo (pool area). Grey stained the decks and put white plantation shutters on the windows. It all looks nice. Now we are repainting the roof tiles and thick ugly gutters. We have been advised to choose Monument over Basalt. My concern is that it’ll be drab and dark, I also want my gutters to blend into the roof. Will Basalt be too blue on painted tiles? Should we go with Monument roof and do the gutters in Dune or is that too busy? Greatly appreciate your help for our much-loved home.
Hi Kellie I generally like to hide the gutters with the roof unless there is a reason to pick them out. I think in your case I would keep it simple but you could paint your fascia in Dune. I do prefer Monument on roof tiles as it is more neutral. Hope this helps Samantha
Hi samantha
We are in process of getting our tiled roof changed to colorbond and I’m going with monument for roof gutters down pipes the roofer mentioned there is monument Matt available would u suggest the normal monument or Matt they do show different colours looking at the sample sheets he showed us we will be rendering our house down the track in pebble grey
Hi Kate there is a difference in colour between the matt and normal version of Colorbond Monument. The matt version is slightly darker as it doesn’t reflect as much light. I think that the matt version looks more contemporary but it is more expensive so you need to consider this – both finishes are very nice and will update your house nicely. Good luck with the renovation Samantha
Wonderful! Appreciate Samantha. Is the roof also Monument Black? I can see the guttering is, however thé roof appears a little lighter.
Hi Janenne yes the roof is also Monument in this image – roofing can look substantially lighter depending on the aspect of the house. Samantha
Thank you Samantha ?
Hi Samantha
Thankyou for such a great article and advice. I’m about to finalise our colour scheme for our new build, which is contemporary in style (think 2 shipping container-ish wings either side of a middle section that has a high sloping roof which also covers the alfresco area. You cannot see the roof on the 2 ‘wings’). The roof, fascia, guttering and garage door are monument (the garage is separate but adjacent to the house). The al fresco (at the front of the house) has 2 large timber posts and timber deck with timber ballustrade. The house is clad in Axon Scyon (the wide variety) and the garage has battens. I’m thinking of painting the whole lot in Monument but am concerned it will be too much, although possibly the timber posts etc will off-set that sufficiently? Any advice gratefully accepted. Thankyou so much Samantha.
Hi Michelle I love the look of houses completely in Monument and I think the timber posts will set it off well. Difficult to say without seeing it but you may also consider natural stone in your landscaping, timber side gates etc. and lots of greenery to soften the look. Good luck Samantha
Hi Samantha,
We are painting our queens lander style home; and leaning towards Tranquil Retreat for weatherboards, and vivid white for windows, trims, gutters etc. I thought about introducing monument on the stair tread, and deck surfaces as we can’t bring back to natural timber… any thoughts? Or should we incorporate the monument to the gutters?
We also have a horizontal timber front fence that I don’t know whether to do in monument or vivid white?! The other I was looking at is woodland grey…. Any advice? Thank you!
Hi Samantha ,
This is a desperate call .
Iam in really urgent need of your expert help . My house is about to finish and I need to give my exterior colour choice to the builder , but it is so confusing .
House facing -north
Roof, gutter, down pipe and window trims – monument
Fascia- white
Door and garage door – cabao ( dark brown
Now ,I really need help in deciding what colour should be my render and pillars .
I have choice of only dulux exterior colours ( builder suggested )
Or please advise in another brands.
I like my house airy , light and looking
Bigger . Kindly advise .
Much appreciate
Thank you
Priya
Hi Priya there are so many variables that it is hard to say. You need to consider whether you want to have light grey tones, off whites or green based neutrals. There is an option for pale greige tones which is successful with your scheme. I would recommend that you keep the walls lighter with the pillars in a darker tone to balance the dark garage and Monument trims. I hope this helps. I do have an online colour consultancy where I can review images and plans and give you more definitive advice. Samantha
Thank you for your advise .I will take your online consultation. Do I find it on the website ??
Thanks
Priya
Thank you for your advise .I will take your online consultation. Do I find it on the website ??
Thanks
Priya
Hi Priya yes, you can find all the details here https://www.makingyourhomebeautiful.com/e-consulting/ Thanks Samantha
Hi Samantha,
I am about to get my 6×4 shed painted but worried I might choose the wrong colour. The shed is currently an old, deep green colorbond. My fences have been painted Monument but I am worried painting the shed the same would be too imposing? Should I go for a lighter shade, perhaps Basalt? I am thinking of painting the roof Surfmist to deflect heat but would that be too stark? There is also a cubby house in the garden, surfmist roof, walls in tranquil Retreat.
Hopefully you could offer some advice.
Hi Glenna dark colours do make sheds look less imposing as they will look smaller but you also need to consider how it relates to your house and those colours. Dark wall colours, in addition to roof colours, can also make a building hot too so this is another consideration. You really need to consider it in the context of your house colour, it’s position in the garden so it is difficult to say if Basalt with its underlying blue tones would work. Samantha
Hi Samantha
We are rendering our single storey ranch style home in Dulux Flooded Gum. Roof will then be painted Monument and eaves Dulux Natural White. We will paint gutters in Monument also. Any suggestions for colour for fascia? And front door? And posts around the house? Our window frames are antique bronze which we are not changing. Thanks in advance
Hi Robyn The trim colour depends very much on the look you want for the house. White fascia and posts and front door will give you a very fresh look while dark Monument trim and posts will give you a different look. You need to consider the overall feel you want for the house and then think about colours. Hope this helps Samantha
Thank you so much for a brilliant site , most informative. Our house in Perth is red brick and red roof and is getting very tired. We are considering painting the render, which faces west Monument and the trim and eaves in Paperbark, gutters will be monument as well. Do you think that the monument will be too dark alongside red brick, they do have a black speck jn them. Also, would you advise using a Resene paint to reduce the temperature increase. Thank you so much. Best regards Jean
Hi Jean Monument looks fantastic with red brick – I really love the combination. However, for a west facing aspect in Perth I would be very careful about the dark colour. You should definitely look to use a cool colour paint from Resene but even then if it gets full sun it may be too hot. It will look great but just be mindful of how much sun it gets. Good luck Samantha
We have just been recommended not to use Monument on roof as will be too dominant. The recommendation is Shale Grey roof and gutters. Soffit in Flooded Gum to match walls. Fascia and posts to match window frame colour which is antique bronze. Monument door is ok. Can you picture this Samantha and do you think will look good?
Hi Samantha,
Very helpful articles! We are building a house with Monument roof and top floor exterior cladding. We have linear boards on the lower level. The painter suggests surfmist half strength for the linear boards. I’m not too fussed on the surfmist colour itself. In your opinion against the monument, would the surfmist half contrast to appear more white?
Hi Rachel Surfmist half strength will definitely come out lighter than the full strength but I would recommend that you get a litre of this made up to test it out on some boards first. As it is half strength you can’t see a sample card of it so to be sure I would take the time to test it. There are other whites too that may suit better – if you wanted me to review it for you, looking at your aspect and the other colours on the house, I can do this as a one colour question in my online service. Good luck with the build Samantha