The little ranch is hard to miss heading into town — purple siding, purple trim, purple stairs, fence posts, flowers, wind chime, pots and yard ornaments topped off with a purple PT Cruiser parked in the driveway.
It all goes quite nicely with the purple living room, bathroom and bedroom items that adorn the inside of the house. Hues from reddish-violet to amethyst are scattered throughout the decor, and include her purple fish, Obadiah. Purple pigments every room except that of her grandson, Marquez Fuller. The 10-year-old, whose room is decorated with blue walls and sports memorabilia, gladly notes his space is “purple free.”
Silas’ love of the color began at birth — literally. Born in February, which has the amethyst birthstone and violet flower.
As an adult, the dynamic color would be a symbol of her strength. A single mom, Silas said she raised four children and took care of her mother for 32 years. In 2000, she took Fuller into the purple house after his mother passed away when he was just 2 weeks old.
When she bought the home in 1995, it was dilapidated and condemned. When she got the money to repaint the blue exterior, Silas said the painter wanted her to pick a color that meant something to her. All she could think of was purple.
“I’m a bright, happy person and I didn’t need anything that is going to cause me to be depressed,” she said.
The house has been repainted three times, first with a purple dubbed “Dignity.” The second time it was “Majesty.” In 2008, Silas had it painted its current color, a custom mixture concocted from “Lavender Lane.”
While the place may seem to scream for attention — a writer once asked her if he could use the home as a landmark for a map he was making of Ohio 4 — Silas said it’s meant to evoke a sense of calm and welcome. In Middletown, Silas said, she can think of no better color to show the pride she has in her home and city.
“Purple is royalty. I love it. To me, it is just a peaceful color. When people come over they feel relaxed and feel like they are at home,” she said.
“I just thank God I have a house to paint,” Silas added.
Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2843 or jheffner@coxohio.com.
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