The houses on Glynne Street stand out from others in the area
WALK through the rows of residential streets in the Cardiff suburbs of Pontcanna and Canton and you could be forgiven for losing your bearings amid the endless Victorian terraces.
But Glynne Street is different.
Tucked away just off Llandaff Road, the array of brightly painted houses stands out to passers-by.
From deep violet to vibrant yellow, almost the entire rainbow is reflected as residents have, over time, transformed the street from a drab terraced row to a mood-boosting haven.
‘There has been a ripple-effect’
Geraldine Evans, who moved Glynne Street In 1998, was the first resident to brighten up her house.
“I did it because I wanted to,” said the retired interior designer.
“I suppose I thought I would be very cunning and chose a pale lilac, like a Cornish beach.
“I didn’t want to upset everybody, so I made sure to keep the door exactly as it was. I didn’t want the older generation to moan too much.”.
There was initially a lot of opposition from older residents who were used to the traditional pebbledash design that still covers many of the houses in the area.
Sylvia Fry, who has lived in five houses on the street during her lifetime, was, according to Ms Evans, the most resistant to the change.
“Sylvia was a funny lady, she knew absolutely everybody on the road. Nobody knows what is going now she is no longer here.
“She loved her pebbledash and always said she would never change it as long as she remained on the road.”
Ms Evans spoke at length about Ms Fry’s amusing opinions regarding the light pink at number 49.
“It was chosen by two young sisters who moved in around 10 years ago, Sylvia was really annoyed about it, bless her.”
Ms Evans has not just used the front of her house to add colour and spread positivity.
A self-painted cat mural adorns the walls of her back garden.
“It was a lockdown project and a good way to commemorate our two cats,” she said.
Ms Evans’s pride in Glynne Street, which she repeatedly referred to as being in Pontcanna not Canton, was evident.
“We have had so many derogatory comments about the house and why we are still here. People can’t believe that it is worth as much as it is,” she said.
Julia ‘Ann’ Stack, who lives at number 39, also values the impact of the coloured houses.
“It makes the street look really nice, I just like the brightness of it.
“There has been a ripple effect and people have all started to do it.”
The 77-year-old’s house is painted in mint green, a colour carefully chosen to compliment potted plants on the outside window ledges.
“Lots of us put different plants outside to contrast the colours, this is especially good at Christmas when the lights are out,” she said.
‘I wish more of them would do it’
Both Ms Stack and Ms Evans want the whole street to be painted.
“I go to Tenby quite often and I really like it, all the houses are painted” said Ms Stack.
“I wish some of them would do it across the road, it would look really nice.”
One side of Glynne Street is made up of mainly rented accommodation occupied by young professionals who move around often.
Aside from a spate of yellow and blue houses in the middle, the majority of these remain white, brown and grey.
Ms Evans hopes that, as seen in 2018, there can be a flurry of residents deciding to paint their houses in quick succession.
“After the two girls moved in next door in 2016, the whole thing sort of burst open,
“People followed suit quite quickly after that, it would be nice if it continued,” she said.
