Red houses

I had read that Swedish houses are often painted red, but I was not prepared for the number of houses I saw that were painted “red with white trim” during my 10-day trip in Sweden.

I’ve read and heard some conflicting reports about why the Swedes have an affinity for red houses. One story states that the red pigment was a bi-product of the mining industry in Sweden. The Swedes then turned it into paint and called it Falu Rödfärg. It was the cheapest and most accessible paint.

Another version of the story is that wealthy Swedish people started a trend by painting their houses red, since colored paint for homes was expensive. If someone could paint their house, then this told others a little bit about the person’s financial standing. Once it was learned that red pigment could be combined with paint cheaply, EVERYONE wanted a red house. Let the painting begin!

Either way, traditions have a way of sticking as the majority of the houses in the Swedish countryside are still painted red. Please forgive my apparent “love affair’ with the red house – anyone from Waxahachie knows why, as my own home is painted red!





















I have thrown in a couple of other painted Swedish homes for good measure. Apparently, yellow is the second most popular color.