Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style

This volume celebrates the warmth and easy elegance of traditional Southern architecture and interior design, featuring houses of unpretentious and old-fashioned grace that showcase the talents of the South’s finest design professionals. Comfort and hospitality are words that express the spirit of simple Southern style. Featured in tantalizing photographs is a discerning selection of residences decorated by Bobby McAlpine, Ken Tate, Ryan Gainey, Jackye Lanham, Amelia Handegan, and others. Located in old Southern cities such as Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans, as well as seaside and mountain retreats, these intimate dwellings are steeped in architectural tradition. The residences profiled illustrate fresh design interpretations of romantic Southern style, such as a New Orleans double-shotgun with a modern all-white palette, a nineteenth-century summer cottage with updated coastal decor, and a Louisiana plantation house with handsome Creole antiques. Two sections, "Pure and Simple" and "Simply Elegant," explore the varied ways that Southerners express their love of comfort and gracious living. Dating from the eighteenth century to the present, the houses featured exemplify historic styles that evolved in response to their natural settings, inviting families to live in harmony with their surroundings. Integrating time-honored lessons of the past, these cozy dwellings also incorporate contemporary design sensibilities, making them especially appealing for today’s lifestyle.

Susan Sully is a renowned expert on Southern style. Her books include The Southern Cosmopolitan and The Southern Cottage. She is also the co-author of The Home Within Us, and has written for Veranda, Town & Country Travel, Martha Stewart Living, and other magazines.