Whether you’ve spent a lot of time in San Francisco or you have yet to visit, it’s likely you’re familiar with the icon known as the Painted Ladies. There are actually many Painted Ladies, but the most famous of them all is a stretch of Victorian houses at 710–720 Steiner Street. Boasting brightly-colored exteriors, these vibrant Victorian-style houses have been featured widely in media. They’ve been donned on postcards and calendars and most famously were featured in the intro to the television show Full House. But do you know exactly why the Painted Ladies were painted so brightly in the first place? Or what makes them so unique? Read on to find out!
Next to the cable car, it's hard to think of an image more iconic to San Francisco than the Queen Anne-era Victorian house. Many are aware that these "painted ladies" are a major part of the city's culture, but you may or may not know their whole story.
The name "Painted Ladies" took hold in 1978 when authors Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen published a book called Painted Ladies: San Francisco's Resplendent Victorians about the city's iconic Victorian houses.
The name was used to refer to Victorian houses that were painted using three or more colors. This came into vogue during the 1960s as a method of embellishing the house's Victorian architectural details. The trend was unique to San Francisco but it soon spread to cities all around the U.S.
Victorian-style houses are dominate in San Francisco as thousands of them were built from 1849 and on. The original style of Victorian homes included bright colors like orange, yellow, or blue. However, this had entirely changed by the mid 19th century when the predominate color of homes was gray due to a surplus in cheap gray paint during both World Wars.
Beginning in the 1960s, it became the trend to re-paint San Francisco's old Victorians with bright colors. The movement is credited to an artist named Butch Kardum who first painted his own house. Although some criticized the colors, others took notice and began to copy Kardum by painting their own houses! Before long, entire neighborhoods had completely transformed.
Of course, the most iconic Painted Ladies can be found on San Francisco's Hayes and Steiner Streets. Known as "Postcard Row", the iconic houses make for quite a memorable scene with the San Francisco skyline in the background. It's truly a photographer's dream!
The Painted Ladies are a San Francisco original that will never cease to charm. The next time you find yourself in The City, keep an eye out for these icons and appreciate them in all of their glory.
