AIBU to ask if I can report my neighbour's bright blue house?

[Katey83]

I live in a terraced house. My neighbours have painted the back of their house bright blue (think swimming pool blue / like the Mikanos blue). It is horrible and looms over my garden. It’s really going to spoil my enjoyment of my space to have to look at this every day. I spoke to the wife earlier this morning and said it was not to my taste and would they consider changing and she said ‘the beige of your house isn’t to my taste but it’s your house. This is my house.’ And shut the door in my face. WIBU to report them to the council? Can I even do so? Surely you can’t just paint any offensive colour and expect neighbours to live alongside it?

At least we could have had a conversation about it

What 'conversation' would you expect to have? You knocked on her door, told her you hated your house, she pointed out quite rightly that it was none of your business. There was no further conversation to be had because your neighbour's favourite colour really isn't up for debate.

Maybe a chat about what colour the OP should paint her home to fit in? She could do a lighter blue toned to blend, or perhaps orange for a contrast?

Why would it be mad??

You should go to Brighton and check out some of the streets there - you'd be shocked at the madness I'm sure.

I spoke to the wife earlier this morning and said it was not to my taste and would they consider changing and she said ‘the beige of your house isn’t to my taste but it’s your house. This is my house.’ And shut the door in my face.

You painted your house beige!?! If that’s the case then I don’t think you have any right to comment on good taste.

Also, ‘the wife’… I think you mean the home owner. Unless, when you talk of ‘the wife’ you are talking about your own and you’ve fallen out of some 1970’s sitcom.

it seems mad you can just paint your house whatever colour you like!

That's not the mad thing there

OMG do you think the OP asked to speak to the man of the house??

I hoped that we could come to a compromise. It seems I’m unanimously in the wrong - I prefer to air these things and try to talk it to a resolution than letting resentment fester.

Sounds great! We could use more colour, maybe your other neighbours will be inspired and join in!

It's seems mad to you that a home owner can paint THEIR OWN house what ever colour they like?
That's mad to you
It's mad to me that someone has such a dull and boring life to whinge on mums net about this
The wife s reply was 💋
But there's you .. getting your knickers in a knot about how this bright house might affect house prices / the tone of the area... another hyacinth

How could there possibly be a compromise? What did you imagine the compromise position to be??

I think that you will have to design your garden area to make it less obtrusive or to create a feature. Maybe make your garden have Moroccan or Mexican theme which would have complementing colours.

The husband painted it and I expected him to be the one I’d have the discussion with. It didn’t occur to me his wife would have agreed with the choice as she seems reasonable and tasteful when I see them out and about. He is a bit of a lout. I really can’t do anything right by mumsnet standards!

I googled this just to check it wasn't someone I know who used to live in Edinburgh but has moved somewhere else and now has a pink door.

It's not them, but it seems that the Edinburgh pink door woman has now been allowed a pale pink door after being made to paint the over the first pink door, as well as a spearmint green one.

Nice series of sad face photos on the BBC

Edinburgh pink door woman finally wins paint colour approval - BBC News

In some places there are rules around this - but generally it only focuses on the front of the house (and the 'street appearance' - you have to be in keeping with the area). It varies from place to place. Out the back in their own garden, where passers-by cannot see it, there will be no rule.

Why don't you try painting yours a more bright colour? You might find the blue looks less jarring if it's against something more interesting than beige.

Yes, she should definitely go 'opposite side of colour wheel'.

Not your house, not up to you.

End of.

My neighbours have made some decisions that I personally think are pretty garish, but I can't do anything about that, either.

You are the rude one wanting her to converse
You are rude wanting to chat about it (force them to repaint)
You are a right rude, interfering busy body
You need to mind your own business
Get a hobby

You can see it from the adjacent street as we are towards the end of the terrace (my neighbour on the other side has the end house).

Whatever you do OP, don't visit Chefchaouen in Morocco.

https://www.google.com/search?hs=Lhp&scaesv=c5931a817e678147&udm=2&fbs=ABfTbFVyMZGZf1hfvX9uKjN-G8c4u0nXx4bEIpwm1lnNH832SMIiTl3t-JZ4hGJOxPbHYQR84vEJkyW62ul7Q3Bkhu9g8z81D2-lIcq-WwumzDBuU5gmFtBCVfpHMtBzsfCrekoj6mUwiC1-uMvJY65HR7jKk2L4ywOFHwSRXoMuBvaIjqud2c2oxx-P-O62CIO8AwL7BwqZEfj6JABKb1hc33gGA&q=chefchaouen&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZia7jxKyVAxUMZ0EAHTmoJxcQtKgLegQIGBAB&biw=1368&bih=684&dpr=1

My neighbour opposite painted his house bright purple, then bought a bright yellow sprinter to park on the drive, other than that he's an ok neighbour, DH made a joke to him about loving bright colours and he said oh I'm colour blind it doesn't really matter to me...... About a year ago the scaffolding went up and the painters arrived and we were taking bets what colour it would be this time, he's just doubled down on the purple and given it a refresh. It's an eyesore but what can you do about it 🤷🏼‍♀️

The fact that it is the colour of houses in Greece or swimming pools is that it looks great in bright sunshine. However such a cool toned blue will look garish in an English autumn and winter spring and half of summer.

Also, in the photos of painted houses, they tend to look good in a row, rather than one bright blue sore thumb.

What was there to discuss? She summed it up succinctly. It’s her house. You don’t need to like the color she’s painted it any more than she needs to like the color of yours. That’s really all there is to it.

This is a you problem to figure out for yourself, nothing to do with her.

You're actually way more interesting and odd than this paint colour. Why would you assume that the wife didn't choose the paint colour even if she wasn't the one painting it. I choose all paint colours for our house as DH is colour-blind. We hire people to do the actual painting. Why would you assume that a 'reasonable and tasteful' person wouldn't have a different opinion to you about what looks nice on a house?

The resolution is 100% on your side -get over it or move. No need for them to even entertain a conversation with you about it.

Lots of rude people on this thread.