Home & Garden

The Best Stuff Inspired by the South

From mason-jar lighting to denim throw rugs, Southern influences are everywhere
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Inspired by:
Buttermilk
From buttermilk biscuits to buttermilk pie, this humble butter byproduct is central to the tastes of Southern cuisine. And now the folks at Cruze Dairy (who are famous for their brand of buttermilk) are expanding the horizons of the tangy ingredient by substituting it for milk in their hand-churned ice cream. Strawberry, Lemon Custard Buttermilk Ice Cream, $30/ four pints; cruzefarmgirl.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
Rye
Rye, Bourbon’s drier, fruitier cousin—and a spirit that nearly vanished after Prohibition—is back on the bar scene. Try it in an old-fashioned or a sazerac (after all, both original recipes called for rye instead of bourbon), sip it neat, or go crazy and pour it over ice with a splash of spicy ginger ale. $28; bulleitbourbon.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Harvest
April McGregor’s canned creations for The Farmer’s Daughter are a fresh spin on Southern recipes, from her Strawberry Jam with Black Pepper and Mint to Bourbon’d Figs and Tomato Jam—all divine combined with goat cheese on crostini. Scuppernong Chutney, Strawberry Pepper Jam with Mint, Tomato Jam, Bourbon’d Figs, Twelve Pepper Jam, $8, Green Tomato Pickles, $9; farmersdaughterbrand.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Magnolia
Bring the Southern scent of blooming Magnolia trees inside, with this brand new candle from Sydney Hale Co. $22; sydneyhaleco.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Honeycomb
Modern ceramic dishes take a decorative influence from Southern honeycomb in this collection from Dbo Home. $30-$87; dbohome.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Letter
Lyonstate designer Reba Cunningham translated the art of the Southern letter into fashion when she collaborated with Old Village Hall on this hand-screened handkerchief. $25; lyonstate.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
Selvage Denim
While bespoke and selvage denim remains a fixture in high fashion, the material is trickling into interior design. Check out the new recycled denim rug collection from Anthropologie. $248 each; anthropolgie.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Riding Boot
The practical shape of the riding boot is enjoying a reinvention as fashionable footwear for every day.
Gucci recently introduced this handsome style from its 1921 Collection, a look influenced by the storied fashion house’s equestrian roots. $1,250; gucci.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Fern
Hay-scented, maidenhair, and Goldie’s are just a few of the hundreds of fern varieties native to the South. The new collection of fern jewelry by Ten Thousand Things is a lovely tribute to the beauty of the green fronds. Short wild fern earrings, $1,345; wild fern bracelet, $4,170; ylang23.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Oyster
How did Mississippi-raised menswear designer Sid Mashburn come up with the idea for his cast-brass oyster belt buckle? “One of my many jobs in life was shucking oysters for ten cents apiece,” he says. “And whether roasted, fried, or raw on a cracker, there’s hardly anything more Southern than oysters.” $150; sidmashburn.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Bourbon Barrel
This rustic-meets-modern table by Darren Green of Old Wood & Co. is constructed from Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, and Jim Beam barrels. “I wanted to use a recycled material that could only be found in the United States,” Green says. “And while most people use them as side tables, they also work great as casual stools.” $500; theoldwoodco.com

Terry Manier

Inspired by:
The Mason Jar
Sure, old-school mason jars are the vessels du jour for cocktails, flower arrangements, and of course canning, but recently a designer for Terrain reimagined the aesthetic as lighting. Hang them in the trees to illuminate a backyard barbecue in style. $28 each; shopterrain.com

Terry Manier