Why does Newfoundland have so many bright colored houses? (to buy, yard)
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They used to paint houses with ship's paint. Ship's paint came in bright colours, so that sea vessels could be seen in the fog. It also lasts longer than conventional house paint--doesn't chip or peel as soon. At least, that used to be the case.
Just adding: A funny thing about the East Coast and house colours... once a house is built and painted in a particular colour, it's traditional custom to keep repainting it in the same colour. Old Victorian houses that are yellow, pink, green, white, etc., have very likely remained that same colour since the time that they were built.
I have no idea why this is the custom, and it does amuse me. It's as though, once someone's house becomes widely known as "the blue house on the corner", they're afraid no one will ever be able to find it again if they go and paint it another colour. LOL.
It's not only Atlantic coastal places that do it, I've seen it in some places on the Pacific coast too. There are a few coastal villages on Vancouver Island and along the BC mainland coast as well as Washington state villages where houses and marina buildings and docks that overlook the water are painted a variety of bright colours that really stand out. There are also a few aboriginal villages that do this including having brightly painted totem poles in front of buildings and near docks.
I don't know exactly why they all do it but I suspect it could be an old coastal and sea-faring tradition that was done to allow boats and ships at sea to more easily find and identify harbours and ports in rainy or foggy weather where everything else looks grey and the land and sea blend in together. The assortment and arrangement of bright colours ashore standing out from all the grey would be identifiers and be like a welcoming beacon to vessels at sea.
The denizens of the Maritimes, like coastal Yankees, are foremost frugal people. They probably found a source of ship's paint at the local shipyard or had some left over from painting their own boats. They are not about to buy new paint just for the house.
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