How much does colour matter?

There is a tiny building in Jersey called Le Don Hilton, it is set in St Ouen and has become famous as Jersey's 'White House' due to its white-washed walls.

Over the years it has been a venue for weddings, a temporary art gallery and a meeting place for people 'out West'.

But, after a campaign by the National Trust for Jersey, who own the building, it has now been turned green.

The colour was changed by the trust to highlight green initiatives they are launching to mark their 75th anniversary year.

They have made 12 pledges to make activities more sustainable.

The pledges will run throughout the year, in January they reviewed loft insulation in all their properties and in February they will introduce eco light bulbs.

In March they will introduce washing lines to all their 'tenanted properties' and in April they will provide vegetable patches.

So, the painting of the house came with a message for people - get green.

But it wasn't universally popular. Jersey politician, Deputy Colin Egre said the trust had "defaced an icon".

"I have always known it as the white house, my parents have known it as the white house, my grandparents knew it as the white house and my great-grandparents knew it as the white house - it is the white house.

"It is an iconic building in St Ouen's Bay, it's been photographed by people, it's been painted by people.

"What on earth have the National Trust done?"

The trust's chief executive, Charles Allutto, said the building will remain green all year in spite of the protests.

He said: "I do think you have to give it a heavy dose of realism in that it is just a coat of paint.

"There is an important message behind there, we haven't done it for a commercial reason, we haven't done it just to say the National Trust is out there.

"What we have done is said 'come on we all need to focus on making our lives greener'."

Canary wharf

It isn't just white houses turning green that caused 'debate' in the island - but somehow time seems to make the debate less fierce.

In 2003 builder's merchants, Norman Limited, turned parts of commercial buildings in St Helier bright yellow in line with their corporate re-brand.

Jersey Architect Paul Harding said at the time that bold colour schemes could improve the look of drab buildings, but warned against going over the top.

Peter Norman from Norman's said at the time that the company set out to re-brand itself and is delighted with the success of that move.

In his view, all reaction, positive or negative, was good.

Eight years on, while some still dislike the building's colour, it has become affectionately known as 'canary wharf' by others.

Tobermory

And it isn't just in Jersey that changing the colour of a building can cause debate.

When the owner of the Mishnish hotel in Tobermory, the real life home of fictional children's island Balamory, changed the colour of the facade from bright yellow to black in 2006, some locals worried about the postcards.

Olive Brown, who ran an ironmongery, said: "I think it is a pity to change the colour of something so world famous and we are mystified beyond measure as to why it is being changed.

"It is very strange given that the three colours of the buildings are on millions of postcards, as well as being in Balamory."

Another resident said: "The buildings are the one thing in the town that everyone knows and recognises.

"When you arrive by boat it is the first thing you see.

"It is only half-painted, so I don't know how many people know about it yet, but I think some locals will be quite upset."

Fade away?

So, how much does the colour of a building matter? And if it matters now - how long before the change becomes the norm and the controversy goes away?

Mr Alluto said he hoped once the arguments about the colour change of the white house had calmed down, the discussion would move onto green matters, such as energy saving and waste management.