What to Look for in Southern Living House Plans

Southern Living house plans can be a lot of different things, but there are a few trademark features that tend to define them. If you are searching for the perfect Southern Living house plan, here’s what you should look for.

Outdoor living spaces.

Perhaps the quintessential trademark of a Southern Living house plan is the front porch. It may be hard, in fact, to consider a plan as southern without one. Look for wide, sweeping expanses of covered porches, which will often continue around the side of the house to the back, where a screened-in porch can be found, tucked up against a kitchen or family room as an expansion of indoor living space.

Formal living areas.

Southern Living homes are the picture of hospitality, so look for formal living and dining rooms to be situated near the home’s entry. These spaces invite guests into quiet, well-kept spots away from the hustle and bustle of family life. If space allows, there is often a powder room tucked near the front entrance for guests to use.

Traditional floor plans.

While Southern floor plans may be either open or well-divided, they tend to follow the same basic layout. Look for a centrally positioned front door, with a dining room off to one side and a formal living room, den, or study to the other. To the rear of the house, behind the dining room, the kitchen often sits, with a family room occupying the fourth corner. Two story homes feature family bedrooms upstairs, while the master bedroom may be located upstairs or downstairs.

Big country kitchens.

The kitchen is the heart of Southern Living homes, so look for spacious country kitchens with plenty of room for the whole family to gather. Southern kitchens often feature large eat-in areas, often tucked into bay windows or lined with traditional paned windows. Kitchen islands are a mainstay in larger kitchens, while walk-in pantries are a welcomed addition when space allows. Counters lined with bar stools invite conversation, while large openings often allow communication between the kitchen and family areas.

Fireplaces.

Southern winters may be mild, but fireplaces are a mainstay nevertheless. A throwback to early cooking techniques, fireplaces have remained as cozy gathering places and inviting ways to take the chill off of crisp days and frigid nights.

Dormers.

Not every southern house plan has dormers, but even those that don’t will often have elements of the dormer style incorporated into the home’s outward appearance. Small cottage-style homes may have finished living space in the attic, where dormered windows let in fresh air and light without drastically changing the roofline. Dormers are often part of second floor living spaces, while others may be perched decoratively on rooftops without a functional purpose.

Overall, the most important features in a Southern Living house plan are the ones that are most important to you. With all of the best-loved, traditional qualities of Southern Living homes intertwined with today’s modern amenities, finding the perfect southern house plan is easier than you might think!