Porch Sittin'

The front porch is as American as apple pie and the piazza's of the Lowcountry are no exception. The front porch is functional as well as decorative and in many homes around Charleston it has become the most frequently used room of the house. Whether a garden spot to enjoy a glass of wine with a neighbor after a day at the office or a haven for reading the morning paper and enjoying that first cup of coffee, the residents of White Gables often begin and end their days with a little front porch sittin'. Michelle and I learned about the delightful virtues of a Lowcountry front porch during our first Autumn and Winter in Summerville.

No blog dedicated to the peerless institution of Lowcountry Living would be consummate without a section devoted to the front porch, the symbol of leisure and easy livin' in the South. The spot where young love is born, mature love is embellished and cool drinks amongst friends sets the tone for whiling away the evening hours of a hot Summer night.

For my innaugaral blog on the front porches of the Lowcountry I have chosen my neighborhood, White Gables, located in Summerville, South Carolina. White Gables is a new neighborhood designed and built with traditional concepts and colorful Charleston style row houses with Victorian elements, large front porches and immaculately landscaped common areas reminescent of "the great neighborhoods of the past."

On any given evening in White Gables you can stroll along the sidewalks or ride your beach cruiser bicycle on the streets and observe couples and families enjoying a cold drink or visiting with neighbors on the front porches in the warm glow of a table lamp, a White Gables staple. Or if morning strolls are your preference you just might notice that front porches and upstairs piazza's are very popular spots for morning coffee and the daily newspaper. Many nights as I walk down the street to my car and head to work, I will hear quiet greetings from the front porches on my street, "have a nice night at work."

Southern hospitality abounds in White Gables. The impeccably landscaped lawns complete with lawn benches and sculptures beckon you onto the cool oasis of the front piazza of a Charleston Style home.

Enjoying a large part of your life outdoors is a major attribute of life in the Lowcountry. It was fun for me while researching this blog post to see how many of my neighbors have infused their preferences and personalities into the design and decor of their outdoor living spaces. Some of the retreats were cozy and made you just want to sit down in a comfy chair and loose yourself in your favorite book while other areas are more suited for entertaining and socializing. Overall, I have to admit, my neighbors have impeccable taste.