Are you one of the lucky few that have purchased an Antebellum home? For the rest of us an Antebellum home is a house that was built around thirty and forty years before the Civil War in the Southern United States.
These homes are the epitome of fine living and are the best connection that Southerns have today to the Old South.
While almost every individual would disagree with many of the old traditions there is one that is universally accepted and that is the appreciation of this era's craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The characteristics of this type of home are Greek/Classic Revival or Federal in design, however many of the opulent architectural features do have a practical purpose.
The pillars, sweeping porches and balconies, gabled roofs and evenly spaced windows both gave the home a grand style and also aided in relieving some of the oppressive Southern heat by creating cross-winds in a time before air conditioning.
The interiors of this type of home can be described in one word, grand! The large entry ways, sweeping staircases, and formally designed public rooms was meant to showcase wealth and power.
The use of southern antiques and European imports only aided to this perception.
Along with the use of Italian marble mantelpieces, ornate chandeliers, and elaborately detailed woodwork these homes were works of art in themselves.
When refurbishing one of these grand estates it is important to stay true to the original design.
These types of homes are usually protected by an historical society, which means even though you are the owner of this property, the city or town where it is located does have a right to restrict some modern design elements to keep at least the outside of the home historically accurate.
In your refurbishing efforts do not forget that these homes had hardwood floors and the use of rugs was almost mandatory to save the floor from damage.
For this type of home use traditional patterned rugs of either a European or Oriental design to keep the flow of your space consistent.
This is one type of home that the larger the rug the better it will fit into the design, because of the wide expanses and overly large areas that the rugs will need to cover.
Antebellum homes do pose their own challenges when trying to refurbish them, but the challenges can be easily met.
Because there are so few good examples of Old South homes nearly all of them are protected by local historical societies, so it is a good idea to contact them before you start your restoration process.
No matter what the condition the home was in when you purchased it, the historical society will expect you to have it in pristine condition within a matter of years.
They will also insist that at the very least the outside of the residence is historically accurate.
When you purchase this type of home, you are truly purchasing a piece of history.
While the challenges can be great when the project is completed you will have a one of a kind example of an exceptionally romantic period in history.
This is an experience that is suppose to be enjoyed and when completed the whole community will appreciate the fruits of your labor.