Adding Sweet Southern Style to Your Home
In homes from Dallas to Savannah and Atlanta to Charleston, southern style is alive and well. But what is it? Ask a dozen interior designers and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Chances are you probably don't live in an antebellum home. But that shouldn’t stop you from wanting to add a little southern charm to your life.
Although your house doesn't have to look like a neoclassical plantation home. Southern decor reflects many different eras, architectural styles and geographic areas. By experimenting with these five southern design elements you can easily incorporate this look into most any decor.
1. Collectibles
Using vintage items in edited collections is common in southern decorating. For instance, a small grouping of shiny antique toasters looks quite charming when displayed on open kitchen shelving. A collection of baskets made by low country artisans can be used to organize clutter in the great room.
Other logical choices for collections include family silver and china showcased in a well-worn hutch, on a buffet or displayed as part of a decorative tablescape in the dining room. Typically, items in a collection should be related in one way or another whether it be color, type, shape or use. One important rule of thumb is to keep the number of items in your collection to a minimum. Large collections can overwhelm the delicate sensibility of southern style.
2. Linens and Textiles
A hand carved mahogany four-poster, simple wrought iron or an elaborate tester reflect a variety of different bed styles found across the South. Your bed linens should coordinate with your bed design. Look for simple florals to dress an iron or brass bed. Formal beds look best when decked out in crisp, white linens with an embroidered family monogram.
Cotton was king for many years in the south, which makes it a great choice for upholstered pieces. Breathable linen is also a logical choice for drapery and pillows in hot and humid climates. However, remember to mix in contemporary fabrics to keep your southern style fresh.
Don't limit your use of southern-esque fabrics to the bedroom. Consider using flour sack tea towels for your French creole kitchen. If you have a formal dining room dress it up with an exquisite linen and lace tablecloth
3. Garden Inspiration
Elements from outdoors play a big role in southern homes. Some examples include magnolia leaves and blooms, dogwood stems, forsythias, azaleas, hydrangeas and Spanish moss just to name a few.
Bring these outdoor inspirations into your home via fragrance. Room sprays, diffusers and scented candles add subtle aromas that replicate southern blossoms. If you’re lucky enough to have them growing in the yard make arrangements from cuttings straight from your garden. Florists can also source these botanicals for your arrangements.
Another sneaky way to bring the southern landscape into your home is by using wallpaper featuring floral motifs. This is a great idea for a powder room. Wall-to-wall florals in small spaces equal big impact. If that's too much visual stimulation for you purchase a vintage floral still life to grace one of your walls.
4. Old and New Furniture
Interior designers have a knack for using antique and new furnishings to project what they refer to as contemporary southern design. You can do it too. Southern style doesn’t necessarily need to be matchy, fussy or formal. In fact, mixing old and new furnishings is a great way to achieve a trendy spin on southern style. Repurposing an heirloom sofa with new cushions and modern fabric will bring it preserve the past while looking to the future.
5. Family History
Southern style still has much of its roots in history. There has always been a rich tradition of framed family portraits as wall adornment. In families whose southern ancestry dates back hundreds of years, you might find an oil painting of the family patriarch elaborately framed and placed in a position of prominence above the fireplace.
You can continue that tradition in your own way with a grouping of photographs of family members printed in sepia tone and framed to suit the new, old south. Take a photo of the entire family and have it transferred to canvas. There are also artists who will paint portraits from a photo. It may cost a bit more but will surely be a family keepsake and focal point in your home. You can also use framed documents and old maps to help bring your family history to life.
Southern Decorating Tips
© 2013 Linda Chechar
Start a Conversation!
Linda what a great hub! I have lived in the south all of my life and love the southern decorating style. I love black and white toile fabric in the bedroom and of course magnolias whether in a floral arrangement or a picture hanging on the wall. And don't forget the handmade doilies ...
These are great ideas for getting Southern style into the home. I especially think of wrought iron beds and family portraits, but I like your suggestions for bringing the outdoors inside and southern-esque fabrics. Thanks! Sharing this and voting up.
Now, you've got me thinking of how to redo my kitchen! These are such warm and simple ideas. Thanks for sharing them, linda, and I am passing this on with votes up and across!
Living in the south, I see a lot of lace and antiques in the older homes around here. It is such a nice touch and makes you want to sit out on the veranda to sip on iced tea. Great post and so well done!
You hit the southern decorating nail on the Hub -- and thanks. Those of us who live in the south sometimes don't even recognize that "southern" decorating is a style all it's own -- and there's so many wonderful ways to go with it. A most enjoyable read -- thanks! Best/Sis
This hub was interesting and very well done. The Design & Construction of these older homes is amazing .
Nice tips and a well placed informative hub !
Good hub about adding a rich American genre of style to a home. Even if you live in the Northeast, as I do, southern touches can add to a home's personality.
wow my favorite is old furniture antique in fact.. I was a true southern.. modern does not do anything for me.. give me the old..
love this hub
sharing
debbie
I enjoyed this so much. I was born and raised in the South and my heart remains here still. I live in Florida which is different from the South I grew up in but I can still be Southern here. Being Southern to me is carrying on the sweet Southern traditions I remember from my youth. One thing, small thing, is using doilies and crocheted coverings for tables. I also have some real special pieces of furniture from my childhood which keeps me connected to my roots.
As I read your writings I was reminded again of how much I love the Southern way. Magnolia trees?? O, yes. and Dogwood blossoms..we had dogwood trees in our home in Virginia and now here in Florida magnolia trees line the roads.
thank you so much for sharing this...I enjoyed it so much.
Sending Angels your way :) ps
Making more beautiful and comfortable home will always be my first things to be done. You have inspire me another tips to make it.... another interesting hub..!
After living in Houston and traveling the south..I was in love with the old colonial homes.. I still am and love them ...I also really love the old style furniture...I could go back and live in another century with my computer of course. Thanks for a great hub and ideas. Voting up++++Pinning..
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