Southern Style Defined

If you read my profile you know that I am from the South and incorporate my heritage into my work and point of view. Recently I found an article from Southern Accents touching on this very subject. The magazine interviewed several top designers and architects about what it is that makes our region unique. I decided to share some of the article with you along with some random photos I compiled which convey the feeling of Southern design and architecture.

What do you think are the attributes that define Southern Style?

Southern style is unpretentious and extremely comfortable with an air of informality and relaxed elegance. Josie McCarthy

A sense of one's heritage and the importance of making a home welcome to family and friends. J.R. Miller

A sense of gracious invitation. Warm, personal colors. Respect and reverence of our past. Subtle intelligence. Barry Dixon

Southern style speaks of gracious living, hospitality, and restrained taste. Betty Lou Phillips

Gracious and eclectic with a strong architectural basis. John Chrestia

True "Southern style" has a subliminal sense of theatre and joie de vivre, complimented by a definite bend toward elegance. Joseph Paul Davis

Are there elements in your own work that are uniquely Southern?


I would like to think that like most Southerners, my work exudes quality and consistency with style and grace. Charles Gandy






Painting the porch ceilings sky blue. Using fine things in a relaxed way, say silver julep cups for water every night at supper. Suzanne Rheinstein

Wood floors, especially heart pine. A "generational" feel to new design; incorporating the look and feel of grandma's back porch that was enclosed to enlarge the kitchen once electricity became available in the area or to incorporate a growing family. High ceilings. Great detail on the front door. Jim Strickland

A not-too-perfect mix of new, antique, primitive, and found objects with some traditional values to create a very personal and timeless space. Never be a slave to perfection and rules. You need a little attitude! J.R. Miller






How has Southern style changed in the past 25 years?



Southern style is much more relaxed and less formal but still embraces its traditional nature. Jackye Lanham

With a clientele that has exposure, travel, and communication with Europe, Southerners have reconnected with our past. We have allowed ourselves to borrow what we feel a connection with Europe and our homes are showing a diverse, eclectic look. Cindy Smith

Southern style has been "distilled" over the last quarter century, reduced to its purist, most individual form. But it has remained warm, witty, and personal. Barry Dixon







Sparser, more pared down, and eclectic. John Chrestia





Southern style is as unique as the area. I feel it can't be reproduced anywhere else. Our heritage brings something special to the our way of living, and it shows in our homes and gardens. Several words and themes were repeated over and over in these interviews; gracious, welcoming, hospitality, refined taste, and relaxed elegance. Southern designers are adept at interpreting these qualities; combining old and new, low and high, and rustic and refined. Researching this post made me proud all over again of Southern heritage and design!

Decorating Elements I Love: Slipcovers

This is the first of a series of discussions about some of my favorite elements of design that I frequently use in my work. Today I want to show you a tried and true way to bring romance and comfort to a room.

_________________Slipcovers___________________

I love this chair with the simple, pleated skirt on the slipcover and the ties on the sides which allow the chair frame to peek through. And the stencilled monogram gives it such a glamourous touch. I visualize two chairs like this at either end of a big country dining table with a different type of chair, maybe Louis XIV, down the sides of the table. Ooo La La!


These two pictures illustrate a before and after look to give you an idea how slipcovers can give you a way to easily change a room's look from tailored to romantic.



The simple sheath style slipcovers give a totally different feel to the room, and the ties on the backs add just the right amount of detail without detracting from the simple elegance of the design. The addition of the floor-length tablecloth and cotton fringed topper complete the soft, romantic look.

Slipcovers are like custom tailored clothes for furniture. The type of fit they have to the piece of furniture they cover can be customized to reflect the type of interior they are placed in. They can be tailored and tighter-fitting for a little more formal look, or a less constructed, baggier fit for more casual rooms. I like both looks equally well, according to the look the client desires and their lifestyle.
Here is an example of a tailored look on an English-style sofa. It almost looks upholstered, just softer. I also like the way the sofa legs are exposed on this design since this leg style is so attractive.



Above we see the looser, more casual style. I especially like the dressmaker button details and the welted and gathered skirt.

Slipcovers aren't just for sofas and chairs. This is a pretty photo of a headboard slipped in a white linen, which beautifully highlights the curved shape of the bed. This home, while beautiful, is a little too heavy with slipcovers in my opinion. I prefer to use them a little more sparingly.

If you like to change the look of your home easily and love versatility, then I believe slipcovers may be an option you might want to consider. They are just one of the tools in the design toolbox that bring beauty, romance, and personality to a home.

Photos; 1. Southern Accents 4. Shabby Chic All Others Country Living