The colours of external architecture are crucial to the reception of urbanized space. An appropriate concept is necessary to maintain order and harmony of colours. Decision-making in this respect was analysed, based on Polish and Slovak legal acts. The formal and actual status was compared through analyses of local spatial development plans and site inspections. For a broader perspective, examples from some of the countries are presented. Using a survey, public knowledge of the current legal situation related to colour decision-making was investigated alongside preferences as to who should manage this issue. It was also investigated how space users assessed the external colours of buildings in the areas under study.

At present, an intensive increase in housing development in suburban areas can be observed — both private, single-family developments and projects in the form of single- and multi-family housing complexes carried out by companies specialising in this field. These projects, known as developer-built projects, have already become a permanent part of the landscape of Polish suburbs. Spatial and demographic analyses of the rural municipalities of the Kraków Metropolitan Area (KMA) presented in this paper indicate the largest concentrations of this type of development. Moreover, they make it possible to indicate certain directions in which these trends are heading, the pace of their changes and their interrelationships. These analyses may provide guidance to project sponsors, local authorities, or legislators on what measures to take to prevent, as far as possible, any negative effects that may be caused by uncontrolled development or spatial, urban, and architectural chaos.