simply southern

There is a certain graciousness and grandeur about Southern homes that set them apart completely. Beautiful old houses retain impressive architectural details; comfort and ease trump formality; you’ll always spot something found, something passed down, and something unexpected in homes; and entertaining is serious affair.

These gorgeous homes, belonging to five of our favorite designers in the South, exemplify all of the above. From a fun-filled family home in New Orleans to a quiet escape in Atlanta, have a peek inside these stunning spaces full of welcoming Southern charm—and steal a few decorating tips for your own home.

Like relationships, houses that speak to you come so rarely into your life, and when they do, you have to seize the moment.  There is a masterful way of blending soothing neutrals with European elegance and big comfort that’s quintessentially Southern.  A true testament to that Southern intuitiveness is through thoughtfully appointed rooms in hushed hues. While varying tones of white is the presiding shade throughout, stark is not the goal here.  Make your Southern home gorgeous but livable with soft upholstery, beautiful wood pieces, and collected displays of favorite objets to warm up every space and corner.

Despite the formal architecture, don't get intimidated.  Mix it up by using a less serious approach when outfitting the interiors.  Start with bright hues, from acid green to deep purple, to provide enlivening backdrops to traditional club chairs, utilizing lots of playful fabrics and bold patterns, modern art, and, for true Southern style, have a guest rooms always ready with plush beds and linens. The result is a home that’s captivating as well as made for living. 

Keep in mind, Southern decor is far more than decorating and designing, it is a lifestyle.  If you are going to decorate with this style, remember the roots of the South.   It's hospitality on steroids.  The home must be welcoming and open, Tall cold glasses of sweet tea, tangy barbecue, spicy Tex-Mex, small towns, family values, and down-home, take-off-your-shoes-and-stay-awhile hospitality – when you think of the American South, these are probably some of the first things that come to mind.

What does Southern style mean to the Southerner and non-Southerner? Which states exude that Southern charm? And for those of us seeking the true, down-home, put-up-your-feet Southern charm where can we find it?

Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee got top marks for their Southern style and charm.  Savannah ranked as the No. 3 friendliest city in the nation with almost twice as many votes as any other state.  In Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, politeness was the defining characteristic. And for good Southern home cooking, Kentucky, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi may be the places to be – especially if you’re dying to try Texas barbecue, Louisiana’s Cajun specialties, a

At the end of the day, you’ll have to decide for yourself. Is your own experience of the South one of rocking chairs and front porches, sweet tea, and cookies? Is it chicken and waffles, Cajun music on the streets, and strangers offering a helping hand?

If you haven’t experienced the South firsthand, maybe it’s time for a Southern vacation. 

Let the South infuse your veins.  You can bring that Southern charm and hospitality home.  If the South is in your blood, this is your style.  You are Simply Southern.

Everything is a little bit different in the South — we enjoy sweet tea and and po’ boys, “y’all” is a legit pronoun, and leave-in conditioner is a required staple to combat our legendary humidity. And when it comes to proud accomplishments, Southern design is a standout, particularly Southern home design, which has withstood the hands of time and features many historical elements that can still be found in homes today.

Shotgun Homes

The design of a shotgun house is simple: a long, narrow, rectangular residence, usually without windows on the sides. You can’t pass through the house without going through every room, with doors at either end of the home. 

A traditional shotgun features a shared space — like a living room in the front, bedrooms stacked right behind each other, followed by the kitchen and bathroom in the back. A double shotgun is two shotgun houses sandwiched right next to each other; a camelback or humpback house includes a partial second floor over the back of the house. Open all the doors at the same time and you get steady airflow that’s crucial in surviving the hot summers.

There are many myths and legends about where the term “shotgun” comes from. Some say it’s because you could stand on the front porch, fire a shotgun through the house and hit a rooster in the backyard without touching a wall. Many believe the style originated in Haiti and came to the United States as the Haitian migrants settled into the region.

Joggling Board

You can find rocking chairs, hammocks and swings on any porch or yard in the South but ever heard of a joggling/jostling/joggle board? It’s an odd-looking contraption that resembles a long, sagging board that you might not realize is for sitting. Think about a park bench that only has one wooden plank and offers a gentle, relaxing motion.

Though it’s hard to pinpoint its exact origins, joggling boards are said to have been part of South Carolina’s Low Country area since the early 1800s. The narrow width of these benches make them ideal for any size porch or home (though usually regarded as an outdoor piece of furniture, they can go inside, as well). 

On top of the traditional design itself, joggling boards pay respect to their hometown by being painted in “Charleston green” - a shade closer to black. Legend has it that after the Civil War, Union troops brought in black paint to help reconstruct the city of Charleston. Residents weren’t thrilled with their beloved city covered in such a dark hue that they added tints of yellow and green into the paint and thus, Charleston green was born.

Wrap around porches and deep overhangs

Southerners didn’t invent the porch but they perfected it. Besides adding extra seating, wraparound porches and deep overhangs offer some utilitarian functions, as well.

Before central air conditioning became mainstream —before electricity became mainstream — people in the South had to endure the brutal summers with a few splashes of water on the face, man-powered fans and the occasional breeze. 

By lounging inside stately manors, you’d be baking in that hot, humid air. Wrap-around porches allowed family and friends to socialize without feeling like a chicken roasting over a pit. They provided a breeze-friendly place to relax and aided our Southern sense of community.

Deep overhangs were another way to shield homeowners from the South’s blistering sun while also keeping the rest of the home cool. This architectural element prevented direct sunlight from hitting the inside of the home for too long. An added bonus, The home’s furniture, curtains and other interior items were protected from sun damage and fading.

Haint blue paint

After describing our obsession with overhangs and deep porches, it’s only natural to talk about the blue ceilings that sit right above them. Go to the South and you’re sure to notice lovely blue ceilings above the overhangs. Is it some feng shui detail? 

Nope, Haint blue refers to the pale blue/soft green shade painted on Southern ceiling porches to protect the home’s occupants from “haints” — restless spirits of the dead who have not moved on from this world.

Another theory about the blue-painted ceiling is that it repels bugs. Modern science has refuted this idea, but it might be based in a nugget of truth. Back in the day, lye was used as one of the ingredients in paint concoctions; lye was also used in insect repellent.

Whether you think Haint blue calms and centers you while on the porch swing or keeps evils spirits off your property, it really is a lovely hue.

Elevated Foundations & Stilts

Houses located in coastal neighborhoods and those in flood plains are sitting ducks when it comes to Mother Nature and the first line of defense is to literally raise the building. By bringing the foundation up on stilts, the potential of flood-related water damage is greatly reduced.

Besides all the preventative measures, elevated houses also provide another source of cooling during the sweltering heat of summer. Breezes can pass underneath the home and help lower the temperatures, however slight, in overheated first-floor rooms.

Antebellum

Antebellum architecture reflects the lavish, opulent look of Southern estates pre-Civil War (hence the term “antebellum”). Sprawling plantation homes, like that of Gone With the Wind, all fit within the antebellum category, each following different architectural styles — Greek Revival, Neo-classical, Federal style and more. Though “antebellum” refers to a time in history rather than a specific style, there are a few design elements that were universal at the time.

Many antebellum mansions and plantation homes share a few key elements: symmetry, boxy look, stately pillars and columns, both front and rear center entrances, balconies and gabled roofs. Although the antebellum period has come and gone, homeowners seeking to capture this look in modern design add the above-mentioned elements to the blueprint. For example, detailed ironwork for balconies and columns create the look of Southern mansions from the past.

Eyebrow Houses

If you’ve ever been to Key West, you know there are plenty of things authentic to the city. In terms of Southern design, we’re talking about the area’s trademark “eyebrow houses.” These Classical Revival homes are identifiable by their gabled roofs, which extend well beyond the standard porch overhang. This design element creates an awning that completely shades the top-floor windows so as to protect the home and its second-story dwellers from the hot Florida sun.

As legend has it, the origin of eyebrow houses date back to the late 1800s as a means of providing as much protection from the sun and it’s heat as possible. However, given that the roofs shaded the entire second-story set of windows, ventilation was compromised as a result. Said to be a look influenced by either (or both!) the New England saltbox houses and/or the five-bay, center hall house found in New Orleans, you can definitely see similarities in each of these looks.

Today, there are less than 100 eyebrow houses left in Key West but they definitely are still a signature look of this rowdy Southern town.

Perhaps your own slice of Tara is just waiting to be built