As native of Houston, it’s hard for me to quantify what it’s like to live in the South, as it’s something I live every day. I can’t adequately express in words the scent of a magnolia tree in bloom, or the graciousness of passersby on the the street, or the delight of cornbread fresh from the oven. But when it comes to Southern Style in the home, the designer in me does know just what makes it special and unique! Join me today as we explore what makes Southern Style so welcoming and exciting.

First, we Southerners love our climate, so we spend a lot of our time outdoors. We also love to visit with our neighbors, which makes inviting outdoor spaces a must. We even have our own word for the expansive porches that ring grand Southern homes. It’s veranda, more commonly known as a porch up north. Ironically, the HGTV dream home I’ve selected as an example of an inviting porch, is in not-so-southern Minneapolis, but it was designed by Atlanta native Brian Patrick Flynn, so it counts…

Another signature of Southern Style is homes built for entertaining, as we southerners love our guests. I think the open floor plan all Americans have come to desire is especially important to Southerners, as a house is not a home unless it’s filled with people laughing and eating.

Another factor that makes Southern Style unique is family. Everyone in the South has a family item like Grandma’s parlor table or Grandpa’s leather wing chair. And we want to incorporate our family heirlooms into our homes without feeling like we live in an antique shop. Hence the treasured Victorian spindle table I incorporated as a nightstand in a home I designed.

In fact, I’d say that’s a pretty good definition of Southern Style overall. We value our pasts while always looking forward to a better tomorrow, and our homes reflect this in a blending of history and modernism. Talented designer, and quintessential Southern gentlemen, Barry Darr Dixon’s Washington, D.C. home sums up Southern Style just perfectly, with a nod to the the past, but looking forward to a modern future. Old and new, blending into a harmonious whole.

What does Southern Style mean to you? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Warmly,

Beth