Living colour: rainbow homes around the world

These bold and bright homes are anything but ordinary

Thanks to cultural, architectural and social circumstances, the world is home to incredibly diverse buildings. But while some are impressive due to their height, engineering or beauty, others stand out for being just a shade different.

From candy-striped huts in Portugal to a hillside neighbourhood in Mexico that was given a makeover, we've tracked down the world's most colourful houses, to prove that it's not just your interior where you can imbue personality.

Read on to start exploring...

Zhengbin Fishing Port, Keelung, Taiwan

Zhengbin Fishing Harbour was built by the Japanese in 1934 and was once the biggest fishing port in Taiwan. Today, however, it's a laid-back destination for tourists looking to fill their Instagram grid with snaps of its 16 vibrantly-hued houses neatly lined up on the river bank.

By night, Keelung is known for its culinary offerings, including mini pancake rolls and seaweed latte, according to Taiwan Tour Bus.

Rainbow Row, Oklahoma City, USA

Located in the Wheeler District on the south bank of the Oklahoma River, these cookie-cutter houses are known locally as the 'Wheeler Street Terrace Homes'.

There are six, three-storey properties in total, each with three bedrooms and three bathrooms and come with around 1,800 square feet (167sqm) of living space. However, their main appeal is pretty obvious!

The candy-coloured homes were designed by local architect Sam Day and unsurprisingly attract visitors to the bustling neighbourhood, which also features a Ferris wheel!

Kalisari Rainbow Village, Semarang, Indonesia

Aptly nicknamed the 'Rainbow Village', it's impossible not to feel uplifted when first glancing upon this small town in Indonesia. Kampung Pelangi only received its glow-up as recently as 2017, when the government sought to attract more tourists to the region.

In fact, according to Architectural Digest, it allocated a budget of Rp300 million (around £14.7k/$19.4k) yet the project – which saw everything from buildings to bridges painted in multi-coloured murals – is thought to have cost closer to Rp2 billion (£98.2k/$129k). We think it was totally worth it!

Psychedelic rainbow house, New York, USA

American artist and world traveller Katwise bought a rundown farm near Woodstock, New York back in 2009. Along with her partner Mason, she undertook major home renovations, funding the project by making patchwork coats crafted from old sweaters.

Kat and Mason painted their property in every colour imaginable, creating a psychedelic wonderland. From a candy cane-like chimney to its multi-coloured shingle siding, the house is one of the world's most unique and whimsical residences.

Bo-Kaap painted homes, Cape Town, South Africa

Thanks to these brightly painted houses and a mix of Cape Dutch and Georgian architectural styles, Bo-Kaap is one of Cape Town’s most distinct and photographed neighbourhoods.

Formerly known as the Malay Quarter, the area dates to the 1760s, when 'huurhuisjes', or rental houses, were built and leased to enslaved people, brought over to South Africa from Malaysia, Indonesia and the rest of Africa. When the houses were leased, they had to be white, so once those enslaved were freed and allowed to buy the properties, they painted them bright colours in celebration.

Blue City, Rajasthan, India

In the Indian state of Rajasthan, Jodhpur has been nicknamed the 'Blue City', because so many of its homes are painted in a deep shade of blue. Though no one knows for sure why the properties were painted, some people have a few ideas. It's believed that the blue paint helps in keeping the interiors of the houses cool during summer.

Others have suggested that the colour has something to do with termites. Over the years, several historic buildings in Jodhpur were damaged by termites, so it's thought that the blue hue was added to keep the household pests at bay.

Jewel-toned houses, Cinque Terre, Italy

Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are the five villages that make up Italy’s iconic Cinque Terre region. Each of the dreamy coastal villages, which date to 1276, benefit from vividly decorated houses that spill down the area's steep hillsides.

It's thought that the fisherman who owned the homes painted them in bright tones so that they could spot them when out at sea. It isn't hard to understand why Cinque Terre is considered to be one of the country’s most beautiful places.

Painted Las Palmitas, Pachuca, Mexico

These amazing, rainbow-hued homes that are scattered across a hillside in the Las Palmitas neighbourhood of Pachuca, Mexico, were purposefully painted to bring a bit of warmth to what was previously a downtrodden area.

A community project that calls themselves the 'German Crew' spent 14 months painting the homes of Las Palmita, reimagining the previously lacklustre properties into a living art mural. The colourful area now spans 430,556 square feet (40,000sqm) and the project reportedly cost nine million pesos, which is around £349,500 ($461k).

Yves Saint Laurent's villa, Marrakesh, Morocco

Yves Saint Laurent is one of the world's most iconic fashion designers. After impressing Vogue's then-editor, Michel de Brunhoff, with his sketches in 1953, Laurent became head designer at Dior at the age of 21. He went on to create the YSL brand with his partner, Pierre Bergé.

As you might expect, the designer's home was just as bold as the man himself. Known as Villa Oasis, this imposing pad lies in Marrakesh, Morocco, and once belonged to Laurent. Decorated in royal blues, yellows, reds and greens, the property's architecture is a vivid celebration of colour, Art Deco and Moorish design.

Mismatched market square houses, Poznań, Poland

The Old Market Square in Poznań, Poland, is as postcard-pretty as it gets when it comes to colourful houses. Also known as Stary Rynek, the square is filled with Renaissance-style merchant houses that date to the 16th century. Sitting side by side, with their mismatched colours and patterns, every house on the square is unique.

Sadly, much of the square was destroyed during World War II, but it was quickly rebuilt to perfection in the 1950s. Though we don't know why the homes were painted such bold hues, it might have something to do with the fact the merchants would sell their wares from market stalls below – their version of a pretty window display, perhaps?

Abstract painted houses, Venezuela

Across the South American country of Venezuela, you'll find bold, colourful homes. Resembling the abstract painting by Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian, the old, traditional houses of Venezuela stand out for all the right reasons: strong colour pairings, bold lines and a lot of creativity.

We don't know the history behind the buildings and their uniquely decorative façades, but visitors can see them in cities across the country, including Barinas, Cumana and Caracas.

Multicoloured beach resort, Pattaya, Thailand

If you ever find yourself in the coastal city of Pattaya, Thailand, be sure to venture to Xanadu Beach Resort, where you'll be able to take in some awe-inspiring homes, all elaborately painted in every shade of the rainbow.

The beach resort not only provides visitors with a gorgeous spot of sand for sunbathing but wonderfully clashing accommodations that would make for the perfect selfie backdrop.

Rainbow homes, Veneto, Italy

The Italian city of Venice was built on 126 small islands, in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea, in the 5th century. While Venice itself boasts gorgeous architecture and romantic canals, the islands surrounding the city are just as spectacular. There are numerous tiny, colourful islands in the Venetian Lagoon, including Burano (pictured), Murano and Torcello.

These quirky spots, only accessible by boat, benefit from narrow canals lined with rainbow-painted homes. It’s believed the tradition started so that fishermen could see their homes in the fog. Nowadays, homeowners have to put in a request to the local government to paint their house in a new colour.

Colourful houses on a hill, Valparaíso, Chile

The Chilean port city of Valparaiso is filled with bright, exciting colours, with a web of hills stuffed with vividly painted houses. According to Insight Guides, the tradition started before the Panama Canal opened in 1914.

"Boats travelling between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans used this city as a stopover, repairing and repainting their ships at the dock," they explain. "Locals would take the leftover paints to decorate and protect their homes against weathering from the harsh salt air." Since every tin contained a paint of a different colour, the town soon became a melting pot of shades.

Artful Hundertwasser Haus, Vienna, Austria

The Hundertwasserhaus (or Hundertwasser House) is one of the world's most unusual apartment buildings. Located in Vienna, Austria, the complex was designed by painter and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser and built in 1986. He blended his two passions: art and architecture.

Hundertwasser decided to paint the exterior of the building in a range of colours. Even the structure itself has an art-like quality. The building quickly became a local live-in landmark and remains one to this day.

Desirable neighbourhood, Oregon, USA

The Nob Hill neighbourhood of Portland, Oregon, is full of historic buildings, as well as Victorian and Craftsman homes, many of which have been painted in pretty hues.

Also known as the Alphabet District, the area is as charming as it is sought-after, with the colourful, clapboard townhouses selling for as much as £1.3 million ($1.7m), according to Sotheby's International Realty.

Bright storefronts, Little India, Singapore

Little India is a historic, buzzing district in the Southeast Asian country of Singapore. The neighbourhood is filled with colours in every nook and cranny, with sellers touting everything from brightly coloured flowers to food.

This multicoloured, century-old Chinese villa, which formerly belonged to successful businessman Tan Teng Niah, fits into the vibrant neighbourhood perfectly and is just one of many bold structures in this vivid and inviting part of town.

Colour-coded houses, Ilulissat, Greenland

The municipality of Ilulissat in Greenland is known for its incredible natural wonders, including the Ilulissat Icefjord. But it's also known for its brightly painted buildings, arranged haphazardly.

Since many of the area’s buildings were prefabricated and shipped over from Scandinavia, those of the same function were generally painted the same colour. For example, churches and shops were red, hospitals were yellow, police stations black and factories blue. Nowadays, the colours are simply decorative, but residents need approval before painting their homes.

Colonial houses, Guatapé, Colombia

Guatapé in Colombia has been called the world’s most colourful town and it’s not hard to see why. Everything from doorways to balconies is painted in an eye-catching selection of colours.

The houses in this colonial town date as far back as the 18th century. We don't know the history behind the structures, but that doesn't take away from their charm. This street is just one example of the colonial houses you could see on a visit.

Pastel-hued townhouses, London, UK

Chalcot Crescent, in London's affluent Primrose Hill neighbourhood, was made famous by the 2014 movie, Paddington, in which a young bear from Peru is taken in by the Brown family, who happen to live on the street, although in the film, it has a fictional name.

Filled with grand, pastel-hued terraced houses, the properties are as gorgeous as they are expensive, with some going for as much as £5 million ($6.6m), according to Rightmove.

Colourful bathing boxes, Muizenberg, South Africa

The beach suburb of Muizenberg, near Cape Town, is loved for its warm waters and great surfing opportunities. But it’s also a very picturesque spot, thanks mainly to its collection of bright beach houses.

Much like Bo-Kaap, Muizenberg became popular in the early 1900s and in a bid to provide beach-goers with a modest place to change, the local government decided to build a series of 'bathing boxes'. There's no real evidence of why they chose to paint them bright colours, but we're glad they did.

Charming Caminito, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Located in the La Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Caminito is a colourful street museum that is famous for its brightly hued houses, typical of the 'conventillos', or communal homes built by Genoan immigrants towards the end of the 19th century.

Caminito was largely abandoned following the closure of the railroad route that ran through it. It was left vacant until the 1950s when a group of neighbours decided to regenerate the area. Local artist, Benito Quinquela Martín, revitalised the tenement buildings, using them as his canvas.

Symbolic painted houses, Varanasi, India

Varanasi in India is one of the planet’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Its sacred status in Hinduism means several holy rituals, such as cremations and the washing away of sins, take place here.

The city is bursting with chaotically structured, radiant houses, all clustered on top of one another on the edge of the river Ganges. It's thought the buildings were painted due to Hindu colour symbolism. For example, saffron, or orange, is a sacred colour that represents love and wisdom.

Clashing coastal houses, Canary Islands, Spain

This street in Puerto de la Cruz, on the northern coast of Tenerife, Spain, is so picture-perfect it looks like a film set. The houses sit behind a row of palm trees and are each painted in a different, bold colour.

It isn't clear why locals chose to paint their homes in such lovely shades, but like with the other coastal properties on our list, it's likely something to do with making them stand out from afar, enabling fishermen or workers to see their homes from a distance.

Colourful residences, Bristol, UK

Bristol, on England's south-west coast, is famous for its brightly-hued buildings. From the rainbow terrace rows of Clifton to the street art murals of Bedminster, Bristol is definitely one of the UK's most vibrant cities.

According to Secret Bristol, there are plenty of theories about why the homes are colourful. Some believe sailors painted them to help chart their way home through fog, while others think Bristol’s former mayor, George Ferguson, influenced the work, after painting his own home in the 1970s. Another theory is that a local decorator came into some free paint and 'offered house paintings on the cheap'.

Multicoloured mountainside homes, Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck in Austria is by far one of the country's most attractive locations, not just because of its enchanting mountain scenery. The city is filled with amazing, historic structures of Imperial and Baroque style.

The buildings are painted in every shade imaginable and some benefit from decorations that depict the history of the region. There are no set reasons why the city has so many colourful structures, but they certainly stand out against the blues, greys and whites of the surrounding landscape.

Bold Stortorget, Stockholm, Sweden

Set in the heart of Stockholm’s old town, Gamla Stan, is Stortorget, a public square filled with colourful buildings. As the oldest square in the city (it was mentioned as early as 1420), the boldly toned structures that line it are some of the city’s most photographed and we can see why.

Built in the Renaissance style, they were influenced by Dutch and German architecture and as such, benefit from gorgeously painted façades with unique rooflines, pretty windows and quirky embellishments.

Getsemani houses, Cartagena, Colombia

The colourful streets of Getsemani, a residential neighbourhood just outside Cartagena’s historic old city, are famous for their foodie offerings, creative street art and buzzing nightlife. But they have also gained attention thanks to their colourful, colonial homes.

According to Cartagena Tours, the area "welcomed the city’s first free slaves" and housed various ethnic and cultural groups, including Africans and Spaniards, resulting in an eclectic array of buildings in every shade under the sun.

Colourful street, Diessenhofen, Switzerland

Switzerland is well-known for its picturesque villages and the small town of Diessenhofen is a great example of how pretty they can be. In the village’s main street, adorable painted houses sit side by side in a range of bright shades.

Some think that they were painted in lively shades to provide a warm welcome to visitors, which, if true, they've definitely achieved!

Traditional Icelandic homes, Stykkisholmur, Iceland

The beautiful town of Stykkisholmur in western Iceland has wonderfully well-preserved old houses in its centre. Each property is unique, resulting in a scenic collection of colours. And it isn't just Stykkisholmur. The country is filled with unique, bright structures.

According to Sigurjón B Hafsteinsson, a professor in the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics department, locals used to build their own homes and there were no restrictions over how they looked. So, when laws changed and people had to seek permission to build a house, locals found a way to still make them individual, painting them in whatever shade they liked.

Fog-proof houses, Newfoundland, Canada

St. John's, a city on Newfoundland island off Canada's Atlantic coast, is renowned for its vivid row houses. The prominent hues were first thought to be painted to make the homes visible to fishermen in the fog.

The tradition was revived in the 1970s, to breathe life into the downtown area and it caught on quickly, becoming one of the city’s most distinctive features.

Trendy terraced shops and flats, London, UK

London’s trendy Notting Hill area isn’t just a popular spot thanks to its cool restaurants, boutiques and bars, but also for its buzzing Portobello Road. It's home to antiques dealers, cafes and vintage shops with apartments located in the colourful homes above.

The area offers homes of every shade, from coral and baby blue to canary yellow and violet. Apparently, the trend started in the 1960s, when one of the residents decided to paint her house raspberry. Soon, other people on the street painted their homes so they would stand out.

Harbour-hued Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark

Possibly Copenhagen’s best-known sight, the port of Nyhavn is a colour-filled, picturesque part of the Danish city, with a row of old houses that have now been renovated, mainly into restaurants.

Nyhavn has been home to famous artists and authors, including Hans Christian Andersen, who lived in three different properties in the area. The oldest house dates to 1681, with its design remaining unchanged ever since. The buildings were likely painted so that the harbour was visible to any sailors out at sea.

Wonderful waterside homes, Groningen, Netherlands

The city of Groningen in the Netherlands is home to some truly spectacular buildings, but those that line the water in the Reitdiephaven district are perhaps the city's best.

These colourful structures make the marina one of the city’s most photographed areas. It was once a fishing settlement, so perhaps the colours are a nod to the history of the region, calling any lost sailors back to shore.

Bright houses, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Surrounded by blossoming trees, these arresting homes in the Mexican coastal resort of Puerto Vallarta, are painted in rainbow-like shades. In Mexico, many buildings are decorated in bold hues, with distinct embellishments.

This is because locals like to use bold patterns and bright colours to add individual style to their homes, influenced by the traditional wool textiles, folk art, pottery and leatherwork that the country is known for.

Art Nouveau homes, Lüderitz, Namibia

Once a German colony, Namibia's Lüderitz still features colourful, Art Nouveau buildings in a Bavarian style. Bavarian architecture blends influences of Baroque, Rococo, Classic, Neoclassic and Roman design, resulting in eclectic and eye-catching buildings.

Located between the Namib Desert and the South Atlantic, this time-warp town fell out of use as a port after the First World War and now feels like a surreal colonial relic.

Bright Balat district, Istanbul, Turkey

The neighbourhood of Balat is Istanbul's most colourful. Home to many Jewish and Greek Orthodox families, the area boasts many religious structures as well as vibrant houses.

The historic wooden homes are supposedly between 50 and 200 years old. Although we don't know the history behind the colours, we do know that Balat has fast become one of Istanbul's most photographed areas.

Striped wooden houses, Costa Nova, Portugal

These adorable, candy-striped huts can be found in the beachfront town of Costa Nova, Portugal. The village is renowned for its beaches and the traditional coastal homes, or palheiros, that line the seafront.

The palheiros provided shelter for fishermen, their animals and their boats. According to Visit Portugal, they were originally constructed on stilts, to "prevent the accumulation of sand, blown there from the nearby dunes". At the end of the 19th century, sea bathing became popular, so the fishermen began renting their huts to tourists. This is when some clever soul suggested painting them, making the place even more appealing. We can safely say their plan worked!