Southern Living: 5 Quintessential Homes in the American South

Some of the loveliest exemplars of American domestic architecture are in the South. 

Whether Georgian, Neoclassical, Greek Revival, or Second Empire style, the image of the grand, colonnaded manse has been cemented into the imagination by film classics such as Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. 

More than that, though, the joys of Southern living linger on its  shaded verandas and in its high-ceilinged, fan-cooled rooms on long, hot sunny days; wisteria- and Spanish moss-draped courtyards and azalea-clad gardens for those pleasantly mild winters; and grand country kitchens and elegant entertaining spaces south of the Mason–Dixon line. 

Welcome to hospitality, tradition, music, and food that feeds the soul.  

Herewith, Luxury Defined sojourns for some Southern comfort. 

1. The Saussy Mansion in Savannah, Georgia 

The Saussy Mansion overlooks the Spanish moss-draped oak-shaded streetscape of Old Savannah—immortalized in such films as Forest Gump and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. 

The circa-1871, four-story brick residence presides over 23 West Gordon Street, just off picturesque Monterey Square and Forsyth Park. 

In 2018, the home underwent an extensive, two-year renovation, retaining its old-time grandeur, while adding 4,000 square feet to the original footprint along with many contemporary upgrades, including a chef’s kitchen, luxury bathrooms, and an elegant rooftop terrace. 

Today the home offers 8,757 square feet of grandly appointed living space, all of it air-conditioned, including the 1,200-square-foot, three-bay garage (there are also seven off-street parking spaces). 

The interiors offer high ceilings with intricate moldings, hardwood floors, and sash windows with wooden shutters. There are seven bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and one half-bath. Three of the guest suites are currently rental units.  

The outdoor spaces include a rooftop terrace and a private, landscaped courtyard. 

2. Four Winds Farm in Lexington, Kentucky 

Four Winds Farm is a luxurious 50-acre horse farm in Lexington, Kentucky, “horse capital of the world.”  

The home’s grand foyer opens to a light-filled, two-story living room with a fireplace, one of five in the home. It flows to a spectacular, country-style island kitchen with a curved breakfast bar, custom cabinets, and a pantry serving an informal dining space with a stone-stacked fireplace.  

The main level also offers a spacious dining room and an elegant wood-paneled office. Four en suite bedrooms include the lavish owner’s suite, providing a lounge space with a wet bar, a pair of walk-in closets, and an en suite bath with a walk-in shower and jetted tub.  

Three en suite bedrooms are on the lower level alongside a gym, wet bar, and a theater room. Dual staircases rise from the main level patio to a sunny veranda, a sandstone pool deck, and pool house. 

The equestrian complex includes nine post-and-rail fenced paddocks with dedicated water access, corrals, and exercise areas. Twelve stables are housed in the converted tobacco barn. Ancillary structures include a four-bay equipment barn and two storage sheds. Tree-lined private roads and paved trails link the pastures, barns, and the residential complex.   

The property is centrally located, minutes from downtown Lexington, Bluegrass Airport, the Kentucky Horse Park, and Keeneland Racecourse. 

3. Boater’s Paradise in Wilmington, North Carolina 

Coastal living in grand Southern style is on offer in this 6,300-square-foot waterfront home in Wilmington, North Carolina.  

Sited on a protected canal just across from Masonboro Inlet and Wrightsville Beach, the property is a boater’s dream with two boat lifts and 90 feet of floating dockage.  

The residence rises from landscaped gardens with views of the canal and salt marshes, while the rear grounds are a resort-like hideaway on the inlet. The “beach entry” lagoon-style pool has a built-in Jacuzzi and a swim-up bar under a vine-clad pergola adjoined by one of the two outdoor kitchens.  

The home’s front porch and ipe wood rear staircase ease the flow between indoors and out. A stone fireplace warms the main level family room, which leads to the formal dining room and a gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances and a built-in breakfast nook. 

The second level’s primary suite (one of five bedrooms) has dual walk-in closets and a private terrace over the pool deck. The top floor has three uniquely styled en suite bedrooms, a second family room, and an ipe wood deck with a panoramic water view.  

The garden level offers an entertainment room/media lounge with a wet bar and full bathroom, as well as a custom garage with kayak storage and a dedicated fishing/tackle room

4. Beach House on Inlet Point, Pawleys Island, South Carolina 

Traditional design, contemporary styling, and laid-back luxury pervade the pastel spaces of this raised beach house in the prestigious gated community of The Peninsula at Inlet Point on Pawleys Island, South Carolina.   

This residence is equally suited for weekend getaways or year-round living, with seven spacious en suite bedrooms and seven luxurious bathrooms, with front and back porches, and a long, railed boardwalk and steps down to the white-sand beach. 

The heart of the home is its big, open kitchen, fitted with a commercial-grade Wolf gas range, stainless-steel appliances, and custom cabinetry, with a wraparound breakfast bar.  

An elevator accesses the three levels. A roofed pavilion provides fixed and floating dock access to the salt marsh creek. 

5. Crystal Hills Estate in Athens, Georgia 

An homage to the Greek classical order, this stately residence in Athens, Georgia, was built with exacting attention to period detail. The striking white façade features a distinctive semicircular portico. Its six, perfectly symmetrical Ionic columns support an elegant upper-level balcony with a decorative balustrade.

The interiors display the same grand proportions. The double-height foyer has wide-plank, white oak floors. The great room is the centerpiece, with its ornate fireplace and elegant, mirrored cocktail bar, served by a professional-grade chef’s kitchen with custom cabinetry and countertops, a large island with a waterfall edge, and a pantry. Just beyond is a light-filled dining room. 

Two main-floor bedrooms include a guest suite, with French doors to the side porch, and the owner’s suite, with its own private patio, walk-in wardrobes, steam shower, and soaking tub.  

Three generously scaled bedrooms grace the second level. All have well-appointed en suite bathrooms and walk-in closets. The basement has a full bath, two finished rooms, and scope for expansion. 

The wooded, 5.2-acre grounds include a resort-worthy heated pool, with a hot tub flanked by sunbathing decks, and an indoor-outdoor pool house with a full kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, and barbecue grill. 

Seeking a home south of the Mason-Dixon? Start your journey here.