I prefer living in colour
David Hockney
The people who live in some houses do literally ‘live in colour’. Blues, pinks, yellows, reds – or even all of them at once!
While we do have some cheerfully painted houses in the UK, they tend to be the exception, and even then, pastel colours are usually preferred over brights. But in other parts of the world, it seems, the brighter the better.
For this week’s CFFC, hosted now by Dan, I’ve simply compiled a gallery of colourful buildings photographed on my travels in a number of countries. Latin America predominates, but there are some from Asia, Africa, the US and Europe too. Most, but not all, are houses, with the odd temple, hotel or other building thrown in because I loved the colour! Some are just details, some the whole building, and a few are a whole street popping with colour. These cheerful images definitely help to brighten the dark days of December here in the northern hemisphere.
I’ve captioned them simply with their location rather than complicate things with building details. Hover over any image to see that caption, or click to open a slideshow of all of them. Some (many?) you will have seen before but I thought it would be fun to bring them all together here.
My feature photo was taken in Salento in Colombia.
55 Comments
equinoxio21
Very nice colours. I sometimes wonder how our northwestern Europe houses and buildings would look with a touch more colour.
Sarah Wilkie
I think these deep bright colours might look odd in our duller weather, but maybe they would cheer it up a bit!
grandmisadventures
Beautiful houses and I really love how you assembled the pictures so the colors feel they blend together 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Meg, I did have fun playing with the order 😀
Caleb Cheruiyot
Wonderful ♥️
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
the eternal traveller
I think I have exactly the same photos of Valparaiso! Isn’t it a fun place to visit.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes I loved Valparaiso and wished we’d allocated more time to it. We just did a day trip from Santiago and unfortunately many of the funiculars weren’t operating that day as there was some sort of strike going on, so we couldn’t get around as easily as we’d hoped although we did take one of them which landed us close to this street if I remember rightly 🙂
the eternal traveller
We did a day trip too, with a wonderful driver/guide called Luis. It was just the two of us with him and he took us to so many places. Luckily the elevators were working the day we were there so we didn’t have to walk up too many of those very steep hills.
Tanja
Very pretty colourful houses!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Tanja 🙂
Amy
I love colorful building, Sarah! Beautifully captured!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Amy, I’m glad you enjoyed them 🙂
thehungrytravellers.blog
No denying those are colourful buildings huh 😀
Sarah Wilkie
I’d be worried if you’d suggested that they weren’t 😀
Anonymous
The people who bought the house next to my mother’s painted it purple. Well it did make it easy to give directions. It is the house next to the purple one. I have been told that in Curacao the PTB said that white gave him a headache, but that really he owned a paint company.
Rosalie
Sarah Wilkie
I like purple but I don’t think I’d necessarily want to live next door to a purple house, let alone in one!
Annie Berger
We were also told the same thing as to why the houses in Curacao were painted such vibrant colors!
Easymalc
From exqusite B&W images to full-on colur pics like these, it’s no wonder that you’ve accumulated a lot of admirers Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
You’re too kind Malcolm 😊
Graham Stephen
wonderful selection
-✧✦☆❖◈❋✤☆✦-∞-♡-∞-✦☆✤❋◈❖☆✦✧-
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Graham 🙂
Graham Stephen
🙏🙇♂️🌟✨💫
Jim Earlam
Yes very colourful pictures, Tobermory (aka Balamory!) is one of the few places I can think of here that has colourful houses. Can I ask what you use to create your galleries Sarah? I’ve been trying out a few but I like the look of yours 😀
Sarah Wilkie
I use Modula. I have the Pro version for its versatility but even the free one is pretty good I reckon and would give you a chance to try out its capabilities.
Jim Earlam
Thanks Sarah, I’ll have a look at that 😀
Vicki
All beautiful (in their own way). Love the one showing the washing line in Vernazza, Italy.
(makes me realise how much virtual travelling I do these days as I recognised most of the countries without hovering over the image). We rarely have brightly coloured houses in Australia as the harsh sunlight makes most surroundings colourful (as opposed to the duller colour of the U.K. for example) as they are, especially the beaches and seaside locations.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Vicki, I’m glad to have taken you on these virtual travels 😃 I see what you mean about the difference between Australia and the UK, but many of these buildings are in countries with consistently blue skies and very bright sunlight – Mexico and Colombia for instance.
Anonymous
W O W… what a vibrant collection. I would’ve joined but I am just not ready since I am on a break. Thanks for the share Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😊 I guess you could always join in belatedly? We can’t have too much colour in our lives!
Dan Antion
I love this collection! You have some wonderfully colorful buildings. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I really like the ones with the reflections in the water.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Dan 😊 I guess with the reflections we get double the colour punch!
bushboy
I just love the colour coordination Sarah. The gallery was a flowing delight
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian, I did have a bit of fun with the order in this gallery 😁
bushboy
I could tell 😀
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
Some Scottish villages also have pastel colours and I’ve seen pictures of a row of colourful houses on the Southside of Glasgow but not actually seen them with my own eyes. Nothing like these vibrant colours though! Quite a rainbow of colours you have given us – it’s gorgeous!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m pleased you enjoyed my ‘rainbow’ Anabel – I had fun putting it together!
Monkey's Tale
It looks like my comment didn’t go through, my computer ran out of power as I was sending, but sorry if this is a duplicate. Anyway, I had said that we also love visiting these colourful towns when we travel because where we live everyone seems to like to paint their homes in earth tones. Canada’s Maritimes though have very colourful homes which you would love. Have you been? Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 🙂 Your other comment did work, but I often have to moderate yours for some reason, even though I have my settings such that I should only have to do that for someone who hasn’t previously commented! I’ll delete that earlier comment as I’m replying here – I hope that’s OK? And no, we haven’t been to the Canadian Maritimes yet, although the region is on my long wish-list!
Annie Berger
Make sure to add Newfoundland to your travel wish list as there’s a Rainbow Row in its capital of St. John’s.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie – noted 😀
restlessjo
A job lot of colour, Sarah. It would definitely influence my choice if I was buying a house. I always wondered why Ireland has colourful streets but I thought it was to combat grey skies. That’s obviously not the case with many of these.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jo – no, these seem to complement blue skies rather than combat grey 😀
margaret21
What fun. The only place in the UK that I can recall having a positive rainbow’s worth of colourful houses was a town in Wales. And I can’t even remember which town. But one bright yellow house did have a bright yellow VW Beetle parked outside!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Margaret 🙂 I’ve seen plenty of pastel colours in seaside places in both England and Wales, and there are few streets in London with them too (Notting Hill springs to mind) but not these deep shades. The yellow house/car match-up sounds fun!
cady luck leedy
I love all the bright colors! Our neighborhood colors for houses are all pastels……that is determined in the HOA, but they are muted pastel colors! I would like the bright ones! Two of our original house colors were pink…….but they have gone by the wayside……new owners wanted new shades and not pink. My roof is greenish, so pink is out for me or pink it would be! Cady
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Cady 🙂 Look carefully and you’ll see one house above that’s pink and green – maybe you could get away with it?!
Anonymous
Joyful set!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂
Anne Sandler
These buildings are fun Sarah. The most colorful home I’ve seen in my town is a pink home. Pink is my least favorite color.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, I’m glad you liked them 🙂 There is a house near us with one pink wall. I do quite like pink (deep pinks, not pastels) but it ;looks very incongruous in our London suburb!
niasunset
I love colourful life,… and how nice you shared David Hockney’s quote. And also you well expressed too, Beautiful photographs. This country even has beautiful colourful hand works too, especially in their textile world. Thank you, Happy New Year and Beautiful Travels too, Love, nia
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too!
satyam rastogi
Nice post🎅🎅
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks!