Splash of Color

New Mexico has such different building traditions from Texas, my home state. Living in a huge city with sprawling subdivisions and every fourth house is the same elevation, we are attuned to brick, rock, green lawns, and landscape crews running amok around neighborhoods. Once you are in the heart of New Mexico, the home construction begins to take on its on sameness. The construction method of choice is adobe. The adobe is almost always a taupe/camel/tan color. In order to separate their homes from one another and as an homage to the south of the border aesthetic, many of the doorways have one very colorful element. The doorways can be incredibly ornate with carvings, ironwork, and statuary. However, even in the most basic home in some poorer villages, the homes still have splashes of color. I imagine they tell their visitors to look for the third adobe on the left with the aqua door topper :) These doorways always open onto a small or vast courtyard depending on the size of the home. I will post some photos of other homes and their doorways as a point of comparison. Can you imagine having a door like this in some of our neighborhoods with the "deed restrictions?" Letters would fly; neighbors would stare in dismay;threats would be made...not near as much fun as painting your door exactly like you want, is it?