As much as I love San Francisco, I have to admit it: the ugliest houses that I've seen in my entire life, reside in the city by the bay. I lived there for 9 years and moved away 2 years ago; my memories of the Bay Area are the fondest and there are not enough qualities I can list in a single blog. Uncountable raving reviews about the city as a premier destination are easy to find. Architecturally speaking they cite the majestic Victorian mansions or the painted ladies in Alamo Square. But they fail (of course they do!) to mention some very unique houses located in the Sunset and Richmond district, I was a resident of the latter, hence very familiar with the area. These are houses which really give you visual cramps. Their color palette seems chosen by a colorblind victim, or picked directly from a preschoolers' art work. It is difficult, if not impossible to understand how did they get away with this. Wasn't anybody at the Building Dept. paying attention when it came the time for permit? Doesn't the city follow any guidelines on let's see.... TASTE? Or is San Francisco just too liberal that it cannot oppose the self expression of those who abuse color? Well, you be the judge and hopefully not the owner of what I'm showing you.
