Southern Living this month has dedicated its issue to one of my favorite places, Charleston, South Carolina. Inside, they have outlined key elements in Low Country homes, identifying currents that run through many homes in the area.
The first spot, the piazza, is a Charleston standby. Built to combat the sweltering summer months before central A/C, piazzas trap the sea breeze that blows off the nearby waterfront. Muffie Faith (whose shop, Elizabeth Stuart Design, we spotlighted below) shared her lovely outdoor living area along with a few tips to capture the look and function for your own space.
The first spot, the piazza, is a Charleston standby. Built to combat the sweltering summer months before central A/C, piazzas trap the sea breeze that blows off the nearby waterfront. Muffie Faith (whose shop, Elizabeth Stuart Design, we spotlighted below) shared her lovely outdoor living area along with a few tips to capture the look and function for your own space.
“The focal point of your porch should be a seating arrangement where you can come out, relax, and welcome your company,” says Muffie. Alfresco dining is a key element of outdoor living spaces, and Faith nods that it is also the most important. A block-print rug is always a nice addition as well.
Traditional Charleston green wicker is characterized by its nearly black color. Faith recommends using it to create an intimate outdoor seating area where guests can gather comfortably. She also likes to bring elements of the outdoors to the porch, surrounding herself with potted plants and greenery to blend garden and home seamlessly. Faith recommends switching plants and patterns up to reflect the season.
In contrast, bringing indoor elements outside gives the space function by making drinks, bar ware, garden supplies, and other items readily available. Similarly, famed Charleston event planner Tara Guerard does the same thing inside her well-appointed dining room.
“I feel like everything is built on entertaining." says Guerard of Charleston-style homes. "It influences the architecture of your home and the way your interiors are designed.” She recommends, and I agree, that round dining tables are best - ones not too big, so that guests can all speak intimately.
I love Guerard's mis-matched chairs and David Hicks drapery. She, like many others, prefers the use of seasonal flowers and candles to decorate a table, mixing old and new china for a look rooted in tradition but still contemporary.
The same tradition meets contemporary approach is used in designer Jenny Keenan's home. All the little details make this living room so special. “Rooms in Charleston have a personal, collected look that is rich with layers of history,” she says. “If you don’t include those traditional pieces, such as an antique secretary, you’re cheating all the people who lived in your home before you.”
Keenan keeps that idea going by rooting her room with a contemporary block-print rug and bold wall paper, and mixing in classic and current elements (seeing more David Hicks fabric here).
Of course, the designer recommends accessorizing with southern staples like Carolina sweetgrass baskets and mint julep cups, which can be used for flower arrangements just as well as pencils. I use a julep cup on my own desk to corral pretty blue and white Crane's pencils that my boyfriend's mother gave me, and every day it makes me smile.
[Image credits: Laurey W. Glenn for Southern Living magazine]
6 comments:
The outdoor spaces are really beautiful, but my dilemma is this: how can I keep my pieces protected from the elements? I get exasperated with taking the covers on and off my back porch furniture, so I almost never use it. Any ideas?
I would use weather-safe fabrics, like Sunbrella, which is water proof and fade-resistant. You could also use Scotch Gard to make water bead up on upholstery. Of course, Faith's is a covered porch area so it is safer from the elements as well, and she has less weather-friendly items pushed up against the back wall where they are less likely to encounter bad conditions. As far as accessories and furniture, I would use metals, wickers, rattans, and other hardy materials and stick to accessories that do not easily break, warp or discolor. Obviously I think a lot of staging was done for the photos, and Faith probably doesn't keep quite so much on her porch every day. Plus her sideboard stores outdoor entertaining supplies for when she is ready to pull things out so that they stay secure and dry when they are not in use. And decorating with plants, flowers, and foliage is a great way to bring color and life to your porch without worrying about the elements!
I HAVE to get this issue- my dream is to live in Charleston!
Absolutely beautiful! I have always craved a spacious wrap around porch that allows for the house to be extended, opening up to another room for entertaining. This looks like an issue I will have to pick up. Beautiful!
I am dying to visit Charleston! It seems like such a charming city. I knew that dining room looked familiar! Angie Hranowsky designed this home. I adore her work!
wow! i lived on South Battery my first year of law school, and I always wondered what was inside all the mansions that neighbored my condo. sooo beautiful. charleston is by far my most favorite city in the states.
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