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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

More like peppermint ice cream

Most of the numerous Victorian houses in Astoria are painted in subdued earth tones, grays, blue-grays, blues, shade of white, pale yellow, greenish, and similar colors. There are a few notable exceptions, and this is one of them. This original Italianate Victorian was brighter at one time (the base is also pink) and the owners got much abuse from locals, including having their home dubbed "The Kaopectate House." Astoria's houses are a lot of fun for viewers, and often for the owners, although I've heard stories from potenial buyers and from real estate people here that there is almost not a house in town without notable quirks.

A few of these architectural details (or anomalies) show on the outside as unique cupolas, intentionally non-vertical walls (not on this one, it's the camera lens), and one-of-a-kind trim. But to those in the know, the stories are endless. I lived in a renovated apartment in a very old building one time, and you couldn't put anything round on the floor or it would quickly roll against one of the walls - but I gather that was tame. Astoria is built on such hills, the houses are so old, and much earth settling has taken place. I'm sure there will be entertaining things to show and relate as time goes on. And maybe we'll get some good comments. This house is a little more than halfway up the 15th-Street Hill, almost to Irving. The hill starts climbing at Duane, and the streets are alphabetical, going as far as Niagara.

Happy Ruby Tuesday, everyone! As I said in the title, this may be more like peppermint ice cream than like rubies, but for sure it's in the right part of the spectrum!

8 comments:

Fred King said...

Wonderful, Sheryl! I wouldn't have believed the color scheme had I not seen this image.

Marie Reed said...

What a breathtaking house! I'm so glad that they stuck to their guns and kept to this wonderful colour scheme! It just fits the house so well!

Lowell said...

I love this house! It's just beautiful. Great composition, too, Sheryl!

Don and Krise said...

Things would be boring if we all liked the same color, drove the same car, etc. This house has character. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

Small City Scenes said...

I love the house and the color. Since we only have seen the older houses in black and white photos we do not know that sometimes this is the original color. Some towns have the people who restore older houses to paint them in the original colors and lots of research go into that task.

cieldequimper said...

As we would say: "la vie en rose" !

Susan said...

Actually, we have not at all gotten any "abuse" from locals, don't know where you got that. Never heard the "kaopectate" comment either, but we've gotten lots of "candy cane" comments, which is cool. The official name of the house is the "Peter Cherry House" so we tried to paint it in cherry blossom colors. Its base is white, not pink. It's a white house with pink trim and red accents. Not sure why that is really so outrageous, but then I guess after living 3 years in San Francisco I'm used to unique color schemes! Thanks to those of you who complimented it here in the comments! Long live "painted ladies" and the owners who understand them! :)

Unknown said...

We never even had any abuse from living here, unless you count endless tourists taking pictures "abuse". I'm in school still and even from classmates, they think the house and it's colors are cool as well.

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