Key West (Part 3 1/2)

This is the Key West home architecture part of the series.  So, if you are not real interested in seeing photos of a bunch of houses, you may want to skip this one.

My knowledge of architecture is pretty small, but I do admire pretty houses and buildings.  Pardon my lack of interesting things to say here.

I think this was by far the cutest feature I saw on a house.  The tour guide was pointing out the various types of “gingerbread” on houses (yay, I DO know what that means).  This designer took gingerbread quite literally.

Here is a big beautiful house. Sorry, I don’t know how to differentiate or identify the styles.  I love the soft color and the tilted window covers.  I also am a huge fan of big porches.  Not to mention second floor porches AND wrap around porches.  I think I’m going to faint!  Of course the landscaping really adds to the character of each house as well.

 

Here is a purple house used now as an inn.  Apparently someone had to make a nice donation to the historical committee to be able to paint their house purple.  And yes, for many of these homes, owners do have to comply with historically accurate designing for any changes or restoration to these older homes.

Elaborate gingerbread here.

Love the second floor porch fans and light fixture as well as the things (don’t know what you call them) above all the doors and windows.

You may notice a lot of these porches have their ceilings painted light blue.  I wish I could tell you why they do that, but our tour guide told us that the reasoning for it has been disputed.  One theory is that it comes from a custom in drearier climates that do it to keep people from getting so depressed during all of the cloudy days.  Doesn’t sound quite feasible to me.  It isn’t cloudy that often in Key West.  Unfortunately that is the only theory I remember him saying.  I think it might make you feel cooler in the warm weather??

Now you are noticing all the blue porch ceilings aren’t you?  This one looked very patriotic to me.  Loved the hanging plants in every alcove.

Look, more purple.  Just thought this was a stunning entrance.

Smaller but still cute.  I believe they call this roofline “eyelash” or “eyelid” style.  Of course with the function of keeping out heat from the sun.

Even the lower “rent” districts had some real beauties.

Even purple ones.

       

Now I am just itching to see the insides of some of these homes.  Many are guest inns, so I don’t think it would be a big deal to get a look at the interior of some of them one day.