Charleston’s Most Beautiful Home
During my recent Charleston getaway, I fell in love with so many aspects of this picturesque city. The most famed architecture can be found south of Broad Street. It is a harmonious blend of brick, stucco and wood featuring arched doorways and exterior moldings crafted by artisans. On East Bay Street, you will find Rainbow Row. A row of 18th century Georgian-style townhouses that have been painted in pastel colors. It is one of the most photographed and painted areas in Charleston.
| Charleston’s famed Rainbow Row |
One of my favorite parts of the trip was exploring all the homes in the historic district. Down every street, and around every corner I found myself taking photo after photo. The architectural eye candy was abundant! By happy accident, my girlfriend and I stumbled upon my dream house. To me, this is Charleston’s most beautiful home. It possesses all most sought-after elements that people describe when talking about Charleston’s most charming homes.
One of the many reasons that I like it so much is that it isn’t too big. To me, a huge part of the charm is the size. Smaller, historic homes pack a lot of detail in one small space. You’ll notice the gas lanterns on either side of the front door. Gas lanterns are prevalent all over Charleston and look simply amazing in the evening! One of the features that attracted me to this house is the color scheme. The palette is so elegant, and they continued the muted color theme by using soft colors in the window boxes. I also love the plantation shutters that appear to be installed in every window. So. Very. Southern.
One look at this house was all I needed to know about the owners. Every attention to detail was carefully preserved and lovingly maintained. I could tell that the current (or previous owners) had taken great steps to honor the historical elements of the home. You will notice the emblem on the front of the house indicating that the home has earned the prestigious award bestowed by the Preservation Society of Charleston. It is very distinctive honor and well-earned.
One of the many things we learned on this weekend expedition is that Charleston has a signature color. According to legend, after the Civil War, the North offered to help Charleston spruce up its city by offering cans of black paint. As you can imagine, the South didn’t want to take anything from the North, but reluctantly accepted it. Once they got the paint, they mixed two cans of Yankee black with one can of Rebel yellow to make a green so dark, it looks black. The home featured in this blog has a door and shutter in Charleston green. I know that it is hard to see from the photos, but there is a hint of green in the paint. I hope you enjoy the photos!
Charleston’s Most Beautiful Home
| captivating exterior with its cream-colored exterior and “Charleston Green” door and shutters |
| a carriage step, used to gracefully “step down” from a carriage – in today’s world this is a running board |
| the plaque to the right of the front door indicates an award has been bestowed for preservation |
| information on the plaque |
| wrapped around the left side of the home is a porch |
| pretty wrought iron gate leading to a private patio and garden |
| what I would give to take a walk into this private garden |
If you enjoyed this post, and are inspired to visit Charleston, check out Charleston in Three Days (tours, shopping and restaurant hopping) and Flowering Window Boxes of Charleston.
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Sarah OBrien, Connecticut in Style