Pink House

Our house was painted pink in November. My husband was in Phoenix the week that the painter decided that it was our turn so I was left to my own devices. I remembered that the designers on "Curb Appeal" had recommended warm neutral tones, and I found a paint chip at Sherwin Williams named "artistic taupe." For the front door I chose plum, just because it was a nice color.

I sensed the painter did not like my choice. When he came to the house on the first day, he painted one shutter and called me outside to check. I thought it looked good, although somewhat pinkish against the orange brick. After he had painted the porch, the siding was like raspberry ice cream in the reflected light. I really warmed up to the tone. I asked the painter if he liked it. "It looks better than I thought it would."

After the painter left, I began to wonder if the neighbors to the East minded living next door to a pink house. When I saw them a few weeks later, I asked them what they thought. They hadn't noticed our house was any different. The neighbors to the West hate us so I didn't ask.

In the intervening weeks, I have come to love my pink and plum house. On a gray winter day, the porch is warm and inviting. The creamy pinks blend nicely with the rough grays of the roof, the stone path, and the trunks of oaks and maples. Now that the hellebores are blooming, the house is a perfect backdrop to my garden.