Southern Home

There’s nothing quite like spending time with family and friends in a second-home getaway. Whether situated along the coast or up in the mountains, such retreats offer the comforts of home without the hustle and bustle of daily life, giving you permi

1 BAMBOO MELAMINE DINNERWARE BY BALLARD DESIGNS; Inviting tropical motifs for your spring and summer table; Dinner and accent plates sold in sets of 4; $39–$49; ballarddesigns.com 2 BAMBOO FLATWARE BY AERIN; A perfect set for alfresco dining; 5–pie

Southern Home (SH): How do your roots in Mississippi influence your decorating today? Meg Braff (MB): There’s a certain graciousness in the South that is really special. It’s everything from manners to a way of doing things to being a good listener,

There is more to the word “atmosphere” than its scientific definition—just ask James “Jim” Howard. In his recently published book, Atmosphere: The Seven Elements of Great Design (Abrams, 2019), the Jacksonville-based interior and furniture designer e

Few antiques can boast a history marked by as many twists and turns as that of bamboo furniture. Although some experts believe the Asian tradition of making furniture from the pliable plant may date back to the 13th century, it was unknown to most We

When Richmond designer Janie Molster signed on to help clients Stevie and Marshall Wishnack downsize from a house to a condo, she expected the usual challenge of trying to shoehorn a house of furniture into a smaller space. The couple’s previous resi

As the slogan goes, “Virginia is for Lovers,” and that was certainly true for Christie Elliot, a single mom who fell hard for her home state while in middle school. “I’m a military brat. My dad was an admiral in the Navy, and we moved to Alexandria w

For Sallie and Warren Williamson, it was familial history and a pristine view that beckoned them to the quaint Florida town of Mary Esther. Thirty-five years ago, the Greenville, Alabama, couple chose a second home along the Intracoastal Waterway, ju

The pristine, tranquil beauty of North Carolina’s Bald Head Island is matched only by its relaxed, slower pace that residents and visitors alike experience when exploring this sandy Eden. Reached only by passenger ferry or barge, the island offers go

One look at the beautiful grounds and gardens surrounding this gracious Virginia home leaves no doubt that the owners have great appreciation for the landscape. And it is that appreciation that undeniably ties into the overall aesthetic of the home a

Full-time beach living warrants a house that invites respite, whether it’s for quiet moments of solitude or weekends entertaining family and out-of-town guests. Plenty of spaces for reading and napping, as well as sunning and swimming, are essential.

When a longtime client asked designer Patrick Lewis to handle the renovation of her newly purchased, historic home in Charlotte, he knew he would have to find a balance between preserving the integrity and classic beauty of the house and updating the

It was a 1980s Sheetrock soufflé,” designer Marcus Mohon says of this home, which sits on the edge of Texas’s Lake Austin. “But the location—right on the water—was spectacular.” The lake, which runs through the city and is a destination for boating a

In this age of ever-expanding technology, along with equally packed schedules, homeowners are increasingly challenged to keep up with daily obligations. Enter the home office. Whether consisting of an entire room or a small nook located just off a ki

First discovered by a Chicago couple who was traveling to the beach and stopped to take a break in Walland, Tennessee, Blackberry Farm has been a favorite vacation destination for decades. While the couple was walking through the idyllic setting, the