I’m starting two new book projects, Southern Houses in the Country and Southern Houses on the Shore, and am scouting for dwellings in inland and coastal (lake, river, marsh, and ocean) locations that reflect Southern sensibilities, including our architectural language and the beauty of our diverse natural settings. This house by Bobby McAlpine, perched on the edge of Alabama’s Lake Martin, is a perfect example, with its large windows, deep eaves, and natural building materials, as well as the way it adapts to and reflects its surroundings. It is rustic, chic, and so relaxing to be in. I got to spend a day there photographing it for Art of the House, a Rizzoli publication I co-authored with Bobby and Susan Ferrier a decade ago. If you don’t have that one in your library, check it out! It’s an exceptionally creative exploration of the theory of design. I am searching for houses to include in the new books and would be delighted to review any you wish to bring to my attention. The best way to submit is by email to susan@susansully.com. And feel free to reach out to me that way with questions. Thank you!
Lake Martin’s rock outcroppings, stands of pine, and glimmering expanses of water and sky inspired the house’s palette of materials and color.
A stacked stone fireplace and walls of lightly washed pine planking introduce textures and tones from outdoors into the living room.
Susan Ferrier’s choices of blue and green silk upholstery bring the serene colors and luster of water into play.
The porch is the perfect place to appreciate the sound of lapping waves and rustling leaves and to feel as though you are inside and outside simultaneously.
I love how every detail in the house, from the texture and colors of the walls, material and craftsmanship of the furnishings, art, textiles, and decorative objects celebrate and magnify the beauty of the natural setting.
Inspired by old-fashioned Southern lake camps, updated with a modern sensibility, and subtly embellished with sophisticated detail, this house is demonstrates how enduring our traditional architecture is, whether vernacular or classical; how very well good Southern architecture co-exists with its setting; and how comfortable and inviting it can be. If you are inspired by this house, you might know of others that might inspire me, so please share with me your favorite Southern houses in the country and on the shore. Thank you!
