With this lovely and inspiring spring and its various hues, I started contemplating how color choice impacts our review of a structure. In this particular case, there are other issues as well, but I have to ask: what compels someone to select a particular color? Was there a color swatch filled dart board at Home Depot 15 years ago for the indecisive would-be painter? Was “colorblind” not considered an impediment to working in the paint department? Might one select a house color from the clearance/ discontinued section of the store? How would the evaluation go after applying such a color? Does one stand back and say: “Ooooh! My purist heart is soaring with this historically correct color!” or “This will make my house stand out!” or perhaps “No one would dare attempt to stare through my windows with this eye scorching color…” or “80’s neon green crossed with baby puke? Right on!” Which is it?
I found a photo of this home immediately after it was built–designed by Herbert Foltz and built in 1896 in Morton Place for William M. Thornton. Comparing the photo of the home as it was originally designed next to its current appearance also makes me say “WTH?” Time has been less than kind to this structure. A new color, some reconstructive surgery, and this could be a gem of the neighborhood…


I actually have a photo of this same house on my blog! I went and took a walk around the neighborhood last month (when we had one of those freakish, warmer days). Mostly, I was testing out my film camera. But I was also scrutinizing paint colors, too. I actually kind of like this house color; it is the pinks and purples that bother me. (There’s a dark purple one on 18th, I think.) There’s that lilac-colored one up by you, too.