Hello and welcome to Weekend Coffee Share #66! I’m glad you’re here. Please come on in, help yourself to a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate at my coffee station and let’s chat.
Week 16/ 52
When I cycle or walk in downtown Toronto, I’m drawn to study buildings. Most building exteriors are in neutral colours so those that are painted in non-neutral colours with unique architectural designs stand out to me. Here are a few painted buildings that I found interesting:
Painted Ladies
The first two images show six private homes in ‘painted ladies’ style. They’re located in a neighbourhood known as The Beaches in Toronto. I love that although these houses are side by side, each is unique in their architectural details and exterior colour schemes.
In American architecture, painted ladies are Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings repainted, starting in the 1960s, in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term was first used for San Francisco Victorian houses by writers Elizabeth Pomada and Michael Larsen in their 1978 book Painted Ladies: San Francisco’s Resplendent Victorians.
Wikipedia
P.J. O’Brien Irish Pub
P.J. O’Brien Pub is noticeable for the bright yellow and blue colour scheme on its exterior. Though the name of the place is P.J. O’Brien, it’s owned by the Quinn family. The building was completed in 1854.
Many people come to the pub for Irish food served with pints of Guinness, and to have their photos taken beside the Guinness clock at the side of the pub.
Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse
The Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse, designed by the architect Kivas Tully, is a wooden 11-metre (36-foot) octagonal lighthouse. It projected red light, and along with a second, larger white light lighthouse, marked the entrance to the Toronto Harbour from 1861. It was deactivated in 1912.
Today, the Queen’s Wharf Lighthouse is one of two surviving lighthouses in Toronto; the other being the stone Gibraltar Point Lighthouse on Toronto Islands that I last mentioned here.
Royal Alexandra Theatre
The Royal Alexandra Theatre, commonly known as the Royal Alex, is a theatre located near King and Simcoe Street in Toronto. Built in 1907 by the architect John M. Lyle, the 1,244-seat Royal Alex was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1986.
Constructed in 1906-07, this theatre is an intimate but lavish version of the traditional 19th century theatre, with two balconies as well as side boxes. John M. Lyle (1872-1945), one of Canada’s most distinguished architects of the 20th century, designed the Royal Alexandra Theatre following the Beaux-Arts style, thus providing an elegant setting for Toronto’s sophisticated theatrical and musical events. Since its rescue and rejuvenation by Ed Mirvish in 1963, when it was to be demolished for a parking lot, this theatre again plays a central role in the social and cultural life of the city.
Royal Alexandra Theatre plaque, Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
The Royal Alexandra Theatre web site provides a virtual tour of its gorgeous suites, lounges and seating map. Attending a show at the Royal Alex is a special experience.
Have you heard of ‘Painted Ladies’? What do you think of the above buildings?
Shared with #CellpicSunday, #PPAC, #ThursdayDoors, #ThursdayTrios.
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Natalie the Explorer 
This was a lovely post to read and view. I haven’t been overseas much but I did have a short tour of the west coast of USA in Jan 2006 and on a very rainy day took part in a bus tour of San Francisco and saw the Painted Ladies buildings that were used in backdrop of a family show. What I notice in your descriptions of buildings and architecture is our shared Commonwealth heritage where the words “Royal” may be used. We have many hotels with that name in country towns..”oh that person can be found at the Royal, having a beer every night. Thanks so much for sharing more of your city and its many items of interest! Denyse.
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Denyse, Your bus tour of San Francisco sounds great. San Francisco is a picturesque city with many painted ladies houses. I’m pleased you like my post. Thank you for joining me virtually.
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Beautiful houses and so big, very unique
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I noticed that these houses have many windows. Thank you Alison for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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You too Natalie 🌞
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Oh my goodness, Natalie. I don’t know where to start. I love painted ladies, and I love a corner door on an Irish pub, and I love theater doors and – what’s more love than love – I love lighthouses!!! You have everything here. You get bonus points today.
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Dan, Thank you for the bonus points. I love getting them 🙂 You’ve got to visit Toronto one day. Have a wonderful weekend!
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I would like to come back for a visit. Maybe when travel becomes easier to think about.
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Yes, when travel becomes easier. The driving distance is not that far if you don’t want to fly.
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The last time I was their, I drove.
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Those painted lady houses at the beginning were so sumptious Natalie – I want to live in one! I just love that style of house and the architecture that goes into them – just beautiful.
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Leanne, These beautiful houses have access to a beach across the street so they’re worth a lot of money in today’s market. I’d love to live in one for an extended stay.
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Those painted lady buildings are beautiful! Very colourful. And I like the details of the Irish pub. I can imagine there are a lot of Irish people in Toronto.
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Susanne, I’m pleased you like these houses. There are a lot of Irish people in Toronto. In the late 1840s, tens of thousands of Irish people migrated to Toronto during the Great Famine.
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I know about the Painted Ladies because of the TV show Charmed. The witches lived in one, and it was gorgeous. I’d like to visit the Irish pub. Looks inviting.
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Ally, Oh yes, things that we learn from watching TV. The interior of the PJ O’Brien Irish pub is nice. I think you’ll like it.
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The painted ladies are lovely. I don’t think I will ever stop being surprised by the wonder that is Toronto!
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Shari, I’m pleased you like the painted ladies that I shared. I love exploring downtown Toronto and along the lake shore.
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It’s nice to see more modern buildings (at least they look rather new) being designed with an architectural flair. I love the Painted Ladies in San Francisco and enjoyed seeing to Toronto versions. Also, the pub and lighthouses… oh my! Great post!
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Thank you, Janis. I’m pleased you like my post. San Francisco is a picturesque city, one of my favourites in North America. The Painted Ladies there are beautiful.
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Hi Natalie.
Painting things, mostly houses is how I earn my college tuition money in the late 1970s. Part of this time I ran my own painting company and for part of that time I’d fallen in love with the painted ladies described in that book. I obtained a copy if the book and brought it each job bid. Hoping to sell that service to my customers in the greater Seattle area. For all my efforts, I had few who were interested in doing it to their homes.
Oh well. I still love the audacious color schemes used and the final effect that a good job of this has on these older homes.
Thanks for the quick visit back to my history.
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Thank you, Gary, for sharing your history. I think the owners of these Painted Ladies are smart to have their houses painted the way they are. The colour schemes increase the house appeal and their uniqueness.
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Like everyone else, really enjoyed seeing the painted ladies. I’m on a weekend break away, but will try and post a link using my ipad…
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Thank you for linking up during your break. I’m pleased you enjoy the painted ladies. Have a wonderful weekend!
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I have definitely heard of the painted ladies though other than on TV I have never seen them. We have many colorful and historic homes in our local towns that are of the Victorian era and painted with flare and I just love seeing them,
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How wonderful that you have many colourful and historic homes in your local town. I’d love seeing them and photographing them.
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Hi Natalie, this was a great post to read as I always learn something from you. For instance I would have thought the Painted ladies title would have been from a time well before the 1960s for some reason! I love the little lighthouse too.
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Hi Debbie, I’m glad you like my post and learn something new. I’ve also learned more about Toronto as I explore the neighbourhoods and visit historic sites.
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What a grand post, Natalie. I echo Dan’s words. It has everything. The Painted Lady Houses definitely look reminiscent of San Francisco. And who doesn’t love lighthouses and painted buildings???? I just had a tour of our little Theatre in Prescott, which soon will be coming in my Prescott Downtown Series. It made your history lesson even more interesting and relevant. Ours was built in 1905, so same era. 🙂
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Marsha, Thank you for your kind compliment. I’m pleased you like this post. I look forward to learning more about Prescott from your blog. I think your idea to have a Prescott Downtown Series is excellent. When I plan to go to Prescott, I’ll read all your posts in that series again.
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And come to see me, I hope! 🙂
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Of course 🙂
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❤️❤️💕💕
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The “painted ladies” are gorgeous 👍
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Thank you, Teresa. I’m pleased you like them.
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What lovely architecture. Strange to see wooden buildings like that (for us). I saw Come From Away last year inbetween lockdowns…
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I hope you enjoyed Come From Away.
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I do love our virtual walks through your city – and adore the painted ladies. They’re beautiful examples. Have a lovely week.
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Thank you Jo for joining me on a virtual walk. I couldn’t resist taking pictures of the painted ladies. Have a wonderful week!
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Oh my goodness! I am so taken by the name & idea of “painted ladies”. And the buildings are so charming! I love the colours they have used and the detailing does really highlight the windows and other features!
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Ju-Lyn, I’m pleased you like these painted ladies. Whoever chose the paint colours for these houses did a fantastic job.
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I had a difficult time scrolling past the lighthouses, Natalie. Gorgeous shots today! Thanks for the tour. Enjoy your weekend!
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Jill, I’m glad you like my post and photos. How are you? I hope you’re doing well. Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!
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I love to look at architectures of building too. The only Painted Ladies I knew of until now are the ones in San Francisco. Great photos and thanks so much for sharing the info.
-Soma
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Thank you, Soma, for your visit and comment. The painted ladies in SF are lovely. Fortunately, we have quite a few of them in Toronto, too.
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Hi, Natalie – I love the Painted Ladies. How cool it would be to actually live in one of those.
I am also a big fan of The Royal Alex. Thank you for sharing them with us today.
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Hi Donna, I took a virtual tour of the interiors of the painted ladies. They have all the modern amenities and look beautiful. Thank you for stopping by. Have a great weekend!
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Those painted ladies are beautiful in their own right. Toronto looks a colourful city, Natalie. Have a good weekend!
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Jo, Spring brings fresh colours to Toronto. I’m pleased you like those painted ladies. Have a wonderful weekend!
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Cool architecture. There are a few Painted Ladies in my small town, though people usually don’t call them that. In ways, my house might be considered that. Though older, it is painted in three colors. Glad the Royal Alexandra Theatre was saved in the 60s – coll old buildings like that need to be saved. Have a great weekend!
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Good to know there are a few painted ladies in your town. The Royal Alex has been one of the major theatres in Toronto since it was saved.
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I have never heard of painted ladies. I do like the fact that they have updated the old buildings.
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Anne, The interiors of these painted ladies in Toronto have been updated to current amenities as well so they’re really beautiful inside and out.
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I am partial to painted ladies since I am a native of San Francisco and I love light houses. Great photos.
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San Francisco is a beautiful city. I’m pleased you like my photos. Have a great weekend!
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I love the color of these “painted ladies” and would love to see them in person. I kind of expect these type of houses near the water.
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Yes, there is a wide, sandy beach and Lake Ontario across the street.
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Sounds beautiful. We have a place called river row I think they call it. It isn’t in my state, but I have been past it. The little houses are all brightly painted.
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So very nice. I would love to have a drink at that pub. Very cool. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you, Patrick, for joining us. I’m pleased you like my post. Have a great weekend!
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Buildings from different times, different styles of architecture, and different colours have always interested me as well. Beautiful post Natalie!
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Thank you, Maria. If the two of us go for a walk together, we’ll have lots to talk about, from architecture to colours, to photography, and more 🙂
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Indeed! It would be a lot of fun to do that. After following your blog for a while, I’ve come to think that Toronto seem like an appealing place to visit one day.
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Yes, come for an extended stay and explore the city. Most (if not all) of what I’ve been sharing on my blog are free to the public, and from a downtown resident’s lens.
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I’d honestly never heard of “painted ladies”. Thanks for sharing these great displays of public art once again.
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Astrid, I’m pleased to share something new to you with you. Have a great weekend!
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Another fabulous tour. Thanks a bunch.
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Thank you, Antoinette, for your support. Have a great weekend!
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Last fall, we visited the Painted Ladies in San Fransisco. Those Victorian row houses are spectacular with a fresh coat of “makeup”.
I am always a fan of lighthouses, as well. Great post, Natalie!
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John, How wonderful that you got to visit the Painted Ladies in SF. Lighthouses have great stories. Fortunately, Toronto has kept a few historic lighthouses in or close to its harbour and it’s easy for me to visit them.
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Ooh, love the pics! I’ve always loved the Painted Ladies in San Francisco (I grew up about 60 mi east of there and visited fairly often). I didn’t know Toronto had similar.
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Yes, we have a number of Painted Ladies here. The ones that I share in this post are right across from a wide, sandy beach and the shore of Lake Ontario.
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Thank you for hosting us again 🙂
I’m a big fan of pops of color and the individualism that can be shown through paint choices and love those Painted Ladies!!
Our traditional architecture here in New Mexico is very beautiful in it’s own unique way but it definitely lacks in color choices 😉 Although, I do have to say that there’s something pretty special about seeing the old school turquoise windows from time to time ❤
Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you for linking up, Melissa. I imagine New Mexico has more earthy colours and turquoise is a beautiful accent. Have a great week ahead!
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Yes, definitely earthy. The goal is for the homes to blend into the landscape 🙂 The turquoise on the windows is to protect from evil spirits! I do love my home state ❤
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Beautifully painted ladies. That pub catches the eye, doesn’t it?
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Thank you IJ for your visit and comment. The pub’s bright colour and clock attract many people.
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I had no idea that Painted Ladies was a style because I think of the San Francisco houses since I am from California. In Los Angeles, we have many different architectural styles. We even have Victorian homes in some neighborhoods — some were built from the ground up. In my area, the Victorian homes were originally from downtown LA and the pieces were repurposed. I’m sure at the time it was a big house, but now they’re office buildings.
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Now you know the style name of those houses in SF (Postcard Row or Seven Sisters).
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I haven’t heard of ‘Painted Ladies’ before, but those are wonderful buildings. I would so love to visit Toronto again.
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I hope you get to visit Toronto again soon.
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Those painted lady houses are cool. I have never heard of that term. I’m not sure I could live so close to someone else.
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There are pros and cons living in a big city where land is scarce.
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