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Bed-Stuy Colors: Tickled Pink
By The Changeling | November 5, 2007
Pinkstone on Van Buren
It’s so neat to see the variety of colors people use to make their homes stand out from the rest on the block.


November 5th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I actually think this color is kind of cool. I wonder if they do it just to stand out from the others around. Love the complimentary color on the bottom, and like how that steps don’t all have to be the standard grey color.
Is there any landmarking which prevents certain areas from homes painted any colors?
Pinkstone - what a great word.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Landmarking would prevent this type of artistic expression. This section of VBuren is not landmarked, but if it were, the owner probably wouldn’t have to change his/her style because they’d be grandfathered in, I’d assume.
November 5th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Yes, good point. There was an issue about this in park slope. I went to bread stuy this weekend, and as always it was nice, although a bit expensive. i’m glad these types of places are in the area, and always loving seeing how people decoarte their homes with flowers this time of year.
November 5th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
ohhhhh…I want to be kind, but I really think it loooks dreadful…
and the peak needs to be painted as the brown paint has peeled off.
Reminds me of a brownstone, I think it was on Garfield Place in Park Slope,… what an unpleasant eyeful… and I think it was grandfathered in “as is”…
November 5th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I love it for how awful it is.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
I usually like my brownstones, well brown, but I made an exception with this one, only because it has good bones (at least from what I see!). Tried to ignore the chipping paint on the top although I saw it! What do they use this top floor for anyway. Storage, a half floor or what - seems odd. What was it intended to be back in the day. And if they got a nice front door that would help. But otherwise, a nice place, but perhaps I’m falling for the trim around the doors and windows.
November 5th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Only problem is, it’s not good for brownstone to have paint on it. But what the hell. It’s fun.
November 5th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Bren: Yes, that place on Garfield, between 7th and 8th Ave (can’t remember the name of the little street nearby.)
Sally: That top floor would have been bedrooms, and may still be. The ceiling would be lower than, say, the parlor floor, but it was used as living space. There is usually a crawl space between the ceiling of the top floor and the roof. If the house is up to fire code, you can’t see that little crawl space as it should be enclosed for safety reasons. Not sure I am digging the color, but I agree with the new door assessment.
November 5th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
There’s nothing more gorgeous than a stretch of pure brownstone. Painting is bad for the stone. You can bring in color with flowers. I agree with poster above on the poor quality of the paint.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Why would you have bedrooms with only half a ceiling. That’s crazy, what were they made for midgets or small kids up to age 3? Parlor floors usually have much taller ceiling height than other floors.
I just love some of the homes on hancock and jefferson and how dark the stone is and how some of them have these beautiful stained glass windows in front. what a perfect combination.
does anyone else own a brownstone and is it hard to maintain and repair the stone. I’ve seen some brownstones for sale and they look awful from the outside and wonder how costly it is to repair and maintain this stone from long ago, and why don’t they make it anymore.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I am filled with glee at the brazen atrocity of this. It’s got its charm, that’s for sure.
November 6th, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Sally: lol. The ceilings are low, but I think most people can stand in them.
brownstone is very porous and is prone to fall apart after years of heat and cold. That is why people don’t use it any more.
The cost of a refacing can get quite expensive - say 50K+ and needs constant maintenance. That is why some people may delay the process of fixing it.
November 6th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
so is that what makes them so expensive, because they don’t make em anymore? sounds like a very costly process to maintain. Frame homes are so popular in the suburbs but not here in brooklyn, wonder why?
November 13th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
I live right up the block from this house in a yellowandorangestone.
November 16th, 2007 at 2:50 am
perhaps these are caribbean colors, wonder what your block party is like.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:14 am
yeah these look and sound like island colours to me *wink*. Also bstones are very expensive to maintain both inside and out…. I own mine, did a gut reno, so trust me I know.