The Colorful Houses of Notting Hill

Oh Notting Hill. How I love you.

Forever memorialized by the Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts romcom of the same name, Notting Hill is a district in west London, located north of Kensington within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Riddle me this: why can't all cities and neighborhoods start with "the Royal Borough"?

Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan neighborhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and home to the Portobello Road Market.

Very run-down until the 1980s, Notting Hill now has a contemporary reputation as an affluent and fashionable area, known for attractive terraces of large Victorian townhouses and high-end shopping and restaurants, particularly around Westbourne Grove and Clarendon Cross.

Since it was first developed in the 1820s, Notting Hill has had an association with artists and "alternative" culture.



Just Google "the colorful houses of Notting Hill" and you'll feast your eyes upon this lovliness:

So of courseI had to see these with mine own eyes. 

We got off on the Notting Hill tube stop (very convenient!) and I was flooded with memories of 11 years ago. I lived in London for 4 months in the summer of 2005 during an art & art history study abroad with BYU. Notting Hill was "our" tube stop (the one closest to the flat we stayed at) so it was just a crazy rush of emotions and flashbacks getting off and walking around this neighborhood!

We didn't really know where to go, so we just started walking. One of the first things to catch my eye? These ultra colorful doors. SWOON.

After meandering for awhile we eventually found the brightly painted streets and walked along Portobello Road.

Love this color combo.

Portobello Road. I spent many Saturday mornings here perusing the shops back in 2005!

PINK!

The building with the colorful doors.

Mint door love!

How do they pick the colors? How much do you think one of these cost? What if you want to change the color?!

One of the roads right off of Portobello is also equally as colorful and charming.

Hot pink door goals.

I could have spent hours meandering around, finding all of the colored house, but it started raining so we rushed back to the hotel for a nap.

The trees were starting to bloom!

Pick a color, any color, there's probably a house painted that color!

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Oh Notting Hill. How I love you.