It’s a given that the suburbs in the U.S. are bland, taking a safe and generic approach to design. But that’s mostly true of the downtowns, too. You don’t see bold colors, bold designs, or storefronts with character, particularly in the nicer parts of town. I’ve seen more variety in the working-class neighborhoods.

The Parisian storefronts were more varied and exciting, which, of course, made photography more fun. Perhaps because the Montmartre area is known for creatives and is not as upscale as the central core, I saw several character-filled designs. Here are a few.

Most of us fear intense colors, and I’m no exception. There’s a restaurant chain in Austin called Taco Cabana, which is bright pink. I heard the owner’s residential home was also painted that color, which didn’t make the neighbors very happy. I wonder how that would fly in Paris.

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