I came across this polka-dotted house on Pinterest and it just made me smile. I had to a do a bit of digging to learn more about it, but managed to find it in an April 14, 1952 issue of Life magazine. The house was the work of Emery Jernquist, who had painted his Warwick, RI house black, but then decided it looked too somber. Says the article:
He and his family painted the house black, then decorated its walls and white chimney with bright-colored polka dots—and it looked just fine. At first people were skeptical but, as he answered their questions politely, Jernquist conducted a private poll and came up with a confident statistic. Seventy-two percent of the critics, he says, like the dots just as much as he does.
Not sure I can vouch for Jernquist’s approach to research, but I’m definitely with the majority on this one. It’s a lovely reminder that what we find joyful is pretty much timeless, a reassuring thought. For more dots, which are ever on my mind these days, check out my pinboard devoted to them.
