25 Ways to Add Southern Soul to Your Home

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25 Ways to Add Southern Soul to Your Home

1. Create a Welcoming Front Porch.

From the jasmine–covered trellis to the parade of potted plants, it’s hard to tell where the Charlotte, North Carolina, landscape architect Laurie Durden’s garden stops and her porch begins. And that’s the whole point. “The magic of my porch is that it’s neither inside nor outside,” Durden says. “It’s a place where the two are one and the same.” To make your outdoor living space a welcoming and well-appointed spot, play up wicker pieces, soften them with cushions, and add an outdoor rug, like these great Southern porches do. Then layer in decorative flourishes. An avid antiquer, Durden found two faux-bamboo metal tables at an estate sale, and a faux bois mirror, which reflects the greens and whites from her garden, at a shop in Palm Beach, Florida.

photo: Brie Williams