I saw houses painted bright red, vibrant blue, day-glow orange, deep purple, and even pepto pink. Others were painted in soft shades of pastel, and a good number were multicolored. It was a cacophony of color and I loved it. In the neighborhood I grew up in everyone (and I mean everyone) lived in a brick house. We measured variation by shades of brick--camel, brownish red, dark red.
Things aren't much different in the DMV. There are more exceptions than in my hometown, of course, but as a general rule the houses here are just as buttoned up as their owners. Brick is where it is at, whether you live in a center hall colonial or a Wardman era row house. Even when people do paint their houses, they tend to be awfully conformist. The colors don't stray far from the beige spectrum--tan, taupe, or antique white.
Fortunately, not everyone in the DMV is a conformist! Here are some of the more colorful houses in my 'hood. With temps set to fall to 25 degrees tonight, these house colors remind me of Miami (and warm weather!):
