5.15.2014

Charleston Charm: Perfect Piazzas

 The Charleston Piazza (a fancy word for porch) is often found located on the sides of the classic Charleston Single House which was an architectural style based off of the houses in the Caribbean. The piazzas are often on the South or West side of the home where they get the best breezes, which is always nice when Charleston's temperatures are nice and hot!

This time of the year is ideal for spending time on your porch or piazza and has me dreaming of a beautiful piazza like the ones below!


You'll notice that the floor is a little slanted so that any rain water will run off the side.


Joggling Boards are a fun thing you'll often see on a Charleston piazza and used to be used for couples that were "courting" each other. They would sit at each end and "joggle" or bounce to the middle of the board, where they would be next to each other!


Another feature you will also see on Charleston piazzas are "haint" or "hant" blue ceilings. In old Gullah culture, "haints" or "hants" are ghostly spirits which are heard to stay away from these sky blue ceilings.






Beautiful view from the piazza at the Edmondston-Alston House on the Battery. This house was built in 1825 and it's been told that in 1861, General Beauregard watched the "fireworks" of Fort Sumpter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, from this piazza.


Read more about the elements of a Charleston piazza here.


3 comments:

  1. I love a good piazza and a joggling board is a must in the South!! By the way, Zero George Street is one of my favorites!!!


    Xo-L
    simplylowcountry.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. This makes me what to be southern! Everyone always thinks I am, they say I have an accent so I would fit right in. Monograms, pink, sweet tea, what's not to love?! This house... I can't take it! ;)

    God bless,
    XO, Claire
    http://www.littlemissfashionqueen.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. what a neat post!! love all these pics and the history behind them :)

    xOx,
    Jordanna
    www.brunettesonbroad.com

    ReplyDelete