There's no denying the beauty of classic Southern homes, but what design elements bring the charm?
7 Features That Only Classic Southern Homes Have
Updated on Mar. 11, 2022
You don’t have to live south of the Mason-Dixon line to love classic Southern homes—yet you may have to be from the area to understand Southern architecture. Defined by history, charm and generations of heat survival, Southern-style houses are designed with unique features. While most people know about wrap-around porches or high ceilings, for example, it typically takes a Southerner to know terms such as “sleeping porch” and “hospitality door.”
Here are design terms specific to Southern homes.
Sleeping Porches
Also called a Florida room, a sleeping porch hearkens back to the days before air-conditioning, when a porch offered overnight relief from the summer heat. Essentially a three-season room, this space typically has walls and windows, but no insulation or heating.
Haint Blue Porch Ceilings
From Savannah, Georgia to Charleston, South Carolina, Southern porches often feature blue ceilings. Known as haint blue, this blue-green shade is more than charming. It gets its name from its legendary ability to ward off “haints,” or spirits of the dead. This color is used for bottle trees, too.
Here’s a closer look at the history behind blue porch ceilings.
Elevated Foundations
Coastal parts of the South often feature homes with elevated foundations, built on stilts to avoid potential flooding. Added bonus: On hot summer days, having a breeze beneath the first floor offers slight cooling.
Charleston Green
Found on trim, doors and shutters throughout Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston Green is a color that, according to legend, dates back to post-Civil War. When Northerners sent black paint to rebuild the city, color-loving locals added yellow and green to make it their own.
Joggling Boards
Speaking of Charleston Green, it’s a popular color choice for joggling boards, those Lowcountry rocking benches that are essentially long, bowed boards held between two wood stands. Find them on front porches of Southern homes—and learn Charleston natives love joggling boards.
Hospitality Doors
In Southern cities, especially Charleston, front porches may feature what’s known as a hospitality door—intended as a social cue to friends and neighbors. If the door was open, you knew you were welcome to drop by. Learn more about the charm of hospitality doors.
Eyebrow Houses
A distinguishing mark of Key West, Florida, eyebrow houses are 1800s-era homes where the gabled roof shades almost the entire second story of windows—lessening exposure to the sun’s heat.
Up next: Why houses in the South don’t have basements.
Iced Teas to Pair with Your Porch Swing
Pineapple Iced TeaWe have a large family, so we go through beverages quickly at our house. This thirst-quenching tea is simple to mix together and has a sparkling citrus flavor we all enjoy. —K. Kitell, Lenexa, Kansas
Bella Basil Raspberry TeaBeautiful basil and fresh raspberries lend bright color and refreshing flavor to this grown-up iced tea. You’ll love the fun fizz and make-ahead convenience for parties. —Laurie Bock, Lynden, Washington
Cherry Limeade Sweet TeaSweet tea and cherry limeade are two of my favorite summer libations. So I decided to combine them—the result is wonderful. —Renee Page, Rochelle, Illinois
Hibiscus Iced TeaThis calorie and caffeine-free tea has a delightful rosy color.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin
Sweet Tea Boysenberry ShandyI love an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day. I also love sweet tea, so one day I got the great idea to mix the two. Wow! It was absolutely delish. I experimented with different flavorings, and this combination was my favorite. —Kelly Williams, Forked River, New Jersey
Smooth Sweet TeaA pinch of baking soda eliminates bitterness in this smooth and easy-to-sip tea and it has just the right amount of sugar so it's not overly sweet. —kelseylouise, Taste of Home Community Member
Honey-Citrus Iced TeaA frozen orange or lemon slice in the glass looks pretty and helps keep this refreshing punch nice and cold. Using honey instead of sugar adds a sweet touch. —Sheila Bradshaw, Columbus, Ohio
Iced Honeydew Mint TeaI grow mint in the garden on my balcony. For this tea, I blend two of my favorite beverages—Moroccan mint tea and honeydew agua fresca. —Sarah Batt Throne, El Cerrito, California
Lemony Pineapple Iced TeaI like to garnish this iced tea with some of our sweet Hawaiian pineapple. —Beverly Toomey, Honolulu, Hawaii
Refreshing Raspberry Iced TeaThis recipe makes two gallons, so it’s a sensible thirst-quenching choice for a springtime party when you have a medium-size crowd. It freezes well, making it a timesaver for party prep. —Arlana Hendricks Manchester, Tennessee
Sweet Tea ConcentrateSweet iced tea is a southern classic, and this is a fabulous recipe for tea lovers or for a party. The concentrate will make 20 servings. —Natalie Bremson, Plantation, Florida
Arnold PalmerQuench your thirst with our simple Arnold Palmer recipe, a refreshing blend of iced tea and lemonade concentrate. Ready in 15 minutes, it's the ultimate summer drink.
Agua de JamaicaThis agua de Jamaica is an iced tea made from hibiscus, which is tart and deep red like cranberry juice. Add rum if you like. —Adan Franco, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Raspberry Iced TeaThis raspberry iced tea recipe is easy to make and super customizable since you can toggle the ratio of sugar to raspberries up or down.
Rhubarb Mint TeaA bumper crop of rhubarb and mint from my garden inspired me to create this thirst-quenching pick-me-up. Raspberries deepen the tea's vibrant red color, making the drinks a pretty addition to your table. —Laurie Bock, Lynden, Washington
Iced Raspberry TeaFrozen raspberries lend fruity flavor and lovely color to this pretty iced tea that's good throughout the year. The recipe calls for just a few common ingredients and offers make-ahead convenience. —Lois McGrady, Hillsville, Virginia
Summertime TeaYou can’t have a summer gathering around here without this sweet tea to cool you down. It’s wonderful for sipping while basking by the pool. —Angela Lively, Baxter, Tennessee
Apricot Lemonade Iced TeaEvery special occasion deserves a refreshing beverage (and a lovely punch bowl). Our tea has a tangy flavor from lemonade, apricot nectar and mint. —Kay Chon, Sherwood, Arkansas
Sweet Raspberry TeaYou need only a handful of ingredients to stir together this refreshing spring sipper. Its brilliant color and smile-fetching flavor will make a popular thirst quencher as the weather turns warm. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Minty Tea PunchForget sugary (and boring) sodas for your next potluck and treat your family and friends to a refreshing homemade punch. —Crystal Bruns, Iliff, Colorado
Iced Melon Moroccan Mint TeaI grow mint on my balcony, and this refreshing beverage is a wonderful way to use it. It combines two of my favorite drinks—Moroccan Mint Tea and Honeydew Agua Fresca. For extra flair, add some ginger ale. —Sarah Batt Throne, El Cerrito, California
Orange Blossom Mint RefresherI came up with this recipe because I'm not a fan of regular iced tea. This version has the perfect combination of freshness and sweetness, and the orange blossom water gives the tea a distinctive flavor. People always request the recipe. —Juliana Gauss, Centennial, Colorado
Lemon Lime Almond TeaI got this delicious tea recipe from a friend and make it about twice a week. It's such a refreshing drink. —Tammy Griffin, Frankston, Texas
Sweet Citrus Iced TeaMy family has been making iced tea this way ever since I was a child. When I recently prepared it for a church function, everyone liked it so much that they asked for the recipe. — Diane C Kirkpatrick, Terre Hill, Pennsylvania
Cranberry TeaThis colorful tea with its sweet spicy flavor is a great winter warmer-upper. The aroma is sure to bring guests to the table! —Kathy Traetow, Waverly, Iowa
Looking for other iced tea options? Check out how to make Thai tea.
