I have been looking at houses.
I have to move this year, so I have been keeping an eye out on the houses for sale in my area for a while now. It’s been shocking and a bit crazy with what is happening in the housing market.
But I remain hopeful.
Last fall there was a cute little house for sale not far from me. It was a bit run down, but it was in my price range so I thought with a few coats of paint and a little bit of love it could be a perfect fit for me. It was an older home, so it had charm. (unlike so many creepy, stale, newly-built monstrosities) It was a pretty blue with white shutters and a front porch with room for a swing. This is on my list of must-haves!
So when it sold last fall I figured that a cute young family was moving in to love it. And I was happy.
The house recently went back on the market. I hardly recognized it. All the charm was gone. It was newly repainted both inside and out, but in order to make it “sellable” to flip, it was now dead. It is now a sad, “safe and sellable” non-discript “grey” so it can’t possibly offend anyone. The entire house got the insipid treatment. Grey, grey, grey, white, walls, floors, ceilings, cabinets.
It hurt my heart. I know realtors say this makes a place more “sellable” but what is going on with this countrys’ hatred of color? This house looks so safe and boring now I don’t even like it any more. And of course, it is twice the price now.
Expensive milk toast.
I recently walked into a furniture store since I needed a new coffeetable. Black and white and grey everywhere. Not even one red pillow. Not one colorful painting. It was creepy. The sales guy approached and so I said, “Where is all the color?” He laughed and said, “This is what is in style now.” I responded by saying. “I can’t stay, I feel my teeth rotting…” true story.
My daughter lives in the Caribbean full-time. The first time she came back from Antigua this past Christmas after an extended stay away due to covid, she commented that she now understood why everyone who came to visit us in Pittsburgh, PA from all over the world said, “Why is everything here so grey?” And they weren’t just meaning the weather here in winter. There is an overabundance of grey cars, grey houses and grey coats and mailboxs. Grey umbrellas and grey store fronts. The airport here was built brand-new when I was in college. What did they do? Grey, grey, and more grey. Grey walls, grey carpets, grey signs. Oooo! There is a pop of red- but only on armrests. So “shocking”….sigh…. She is now used to mint-green and pink houses. Bright teal swimsuits and yellow hats. Happy colors. She came back and remarked at how “safe and boring and dreary” everything seems here. How everyone is so afraid to stand out that they can’t help but blend in.
Sad. I can’t wait to buy my little house. I hope it will be bright yellow or red. If not, I will paint it that way. And then I will buy a purple jeep. (I keep telling my son it will be glittery, but after many eyerolls I had to say I was just kidding on that one)
And I will love it. I hope to be your neighbor. You’ll see me on my front porch swing. Planning out colorful paintings while sitting on colorful pillows.
Dear Christine, Hope you find your dream house soon.
I am leasing a teal blue Jeep Renegade. I got it because of the color. I can find it in any parking lot. It is a very fun color and uplifting Bikini is the official name of the color. I call it Aruba Blue. Reminds me of the ocean color off of Aruba.
Color matters a great deal. Love your use of color in your artwork.
Patty
yes!! I want a jeep like that!!!
So true! You are a gal after my own heart. I think this realtor thing about people not being able to imagine beyond your personalized space is the most ridiculous marketing concepts that has happened. Why doesn’t anyone have their own imagination? What happened? How did we all buy houses years ago that were in worse shape, with none of these neutering schemes? If anyone doesn’t think society isn’t influenced by TV and mass marketing, think again! Everyone used to want a stamp of originality, now everything has to be the same. Really????
yup…its sad….I wanna really live in a treehouse….
I now love my burgundy walls even more! I hope you find your perfect home soon!
thanks!!
Sometimes it makes me crazy with all of the “neutral “ colors. (?) Color? I was told that only children under 5 and woman between 17 and 23 wear red! Baloney! I wear what makes me feel good.
amen!
I agree. But, try to replace anything that is old with a color. You can find anything you want in neutral colors. So tired of gray. Clothing in the winter is mostly black white red or gray. I hate it.
go grab a purple t shirt!
I feel the same way about grays. I feel the same way about following “what’s in style”. I don’t care. I’m going to surround myself with lots of colors that I love. Screw the experts and the wanabees. I HATE gray!
I read a recent article, actually more than one, about things that are going out of style. Guess what? Gray is gone! White kitchens are close on its heels. Think of all those people who care needing to repaint their houses, inside and out.
good. Time for some sunshiny yellow all over the world!
Wearing a purple hat!!
yay!
I feel your pain! It’s the same here in San Diego. I’m in the market as well, and Zillow is filled with gray and white kitchens and baths, with grayish-brownish laminate flooring. Luckily, paint is relatively cheap. It’s like the opposite of goth.
absolutely. Heaven forbid a color offends anyone wanting to buy it.
I LOVE IT! Thanks for an honest approach to what is happening today. The new “in colors” are sooooo boring, dead, and depressive. We are artists with a calling to share our love for color and to let our light shine! Let’s do it!
amen!
I live in a retirement community in the Pacific Northwest and they just repainted the Clubhouse GRAY. I was stunned. With so many overcast days, gray is the last color I would have expected. I appreciate some vibrant colors along with some neutrals, but never gray! I’m not sure about a purple Jeep, but if it brings you joy, why not!
uggg. more grey so sad.
LOVE this!! Amen!
OH Christine, I totally agree with you!!! I have to live in a world of color- it makes me happy too!!! I don’t care about the current trends or what others like- my home is my haven, and everything in it nourishes my soul!
I surely hope youll be my neighbor!!! Xoxox
Thanks Linda! Well, we are in the same neighborhood now at least. 😊
So sad and so true!! I remember walking into Restoration Hardware a few years ago and asking the salesperson how she could stand working there! Yuck! They were the worst offenders back then but now everyone is doing it! So depressing!!
right?
Amen, Sister!
I commented to my husband that I don’t understand the “commercial” grey stucco/paint/siding that’s showing up all over. We live in New Mexico, for goodness sake! Sunshine and color! Bluest skies anywhere.
You would love the house a friend did: orange and green outside. Colorful art and geegaws inside. Lots of Talavera and sugar skulls. (Gotta admit: she’s braver than I am.)
Maybe I’ll paint the front door purple. Or magenta.
When are you coming to NM again?
Gaye
Hi!Yes I would love that house. I am in Albuquerque in June for IAPS and on June 27th and 28th I am teaching in Sante Fe at the new Blue Bird Studios. Contact me for more or check out my workshop page for registration info.
Did you know “trends” in color mirror the political state of the world/country? During good times people move towards color and in not so good times it’s the opposite. Maybe the pandemic had something to do with it. Make you wonder doesn’t it?
yes worth thinking about…..I know if I catch the news I have this overwhelming need to wear black….
Christine , for your new house, you can paint the front door yellow. It’s like Oprah shouting,
“I’m coming home to optimism”. And if you ever can go to India you’ll get a color rush to the max, taxi’s, auto rickshaws, marigolds everywhere. OK sending colorful best wishes for you to find your beautiful house…!!!
India! I would love to go one day… I love your phrase, “Coming home to optimism” so a yellow front door sounds like a good idea…