Showing posts with label Doors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doors. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

The Curb Appeal of Doors

Yesterday, I drove to Jackson to run some errands, and decided to drive through one of Jackson's oldest and most charming neighborhoods, a place called Belhaven.

If you are a regular visitor to Southern Lagniappe, you may recall another post in which I featured a photo tour of some of the houses in Belhaven, called A Ride Through Belhaven. You can click on the link if you would like to read that post before you read this one.

I think I could go to Belhaven every week and find new things to photograph. It is such an interesting place, and its residents range from young families who have remodeled some of the older homes, to students attending Belhaven College (around which the area was developed), to senior citizens, some of whom have probably lived there all their lives. Belhaven is also home to several artists, and their creativity is reflected in some of the more eccentric landscaping and yard art.

When it comes to curb appeal, the first thing I usually notice about a house is the landscaping, and secondly, the entrance and front door. Yesterday, I focused my attention on the doors in Belhaven, and found quite a few that stood out, some because of color and some because of their uniqueness.

And speaking of "unique" ... I'm not sure what style you would call this door, but isn't it impressive. You can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like.

Here's another unusual entrance that has an angel welcoming visitors to the house ...

I love the little window and the metal bird attached to it.

This next house has tons of curb appeal, in my opinion. Although the front was mostly a paved courtyard area, its landscaping and classic black door caught my attention.

I love the olive green columns against the terra cotta trim on this house ...

And just look at that neat plant stand under the window!

I like the contrast of the gray and white trim against the blue on this house, plus the elegant trim over the door. And, of course, that huge old oak tree doesn't hurt its curb appeal either.

When I was editing my pictures, I was surprised and sorry to see that I didn't get a picture of the house that went along with this pretty front door. I'll have to go back sometime and take one to add to this post. I love the vines gracing the columns!

There were quite a few very colorful doors, ranging from cobalt blue and fuchsia, to salmon and bright red.

I think one of the most welcoming colors for front doors is yellow, and I love this door, especially its pretty basket of real plants and ivy-covered brick steps leading up to the porch.


This one reminds me of the 4th of July. Isn't it pretty!

I love the iron accents on this unique pair of gates leading into a backyard. I may have to use that idea somewhere!

One of my most favorite houses in Belhaven is this beautiful little cottage.

I would love to see a vine growing around the door, but perhaps the homeowner doesn't want to encourage "critters" to take up residence in a vine. (See my post called A Close Encounter of the Worst Kind)


I always love going to Belhaven, and, like I said before, I believe I could go two or three times a week and never fail to find new and interesting things to photograph there. I think I'll plan to go back in October. Can't you just picture those houses and doors decorated for Fall. I can't wait!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Outdoor Wednesday: The Doors of Vicksburg

I'd like to thank our gracious hostess Susan at A Southern Daydreamer, for taking the time to host our "Outdoor Wednesdays." Be sure to visit Susan today and see her stunning photos of her Rose of Sharon blooms.

I'm sure you're familiar with the saying, "You only have one chance to make a good first impression." I think that applies to houses, too, and the term "curb appeal," which is so widely used on HGTV, to describe the appearance of a house from the street, comes to mind.

One of the first things I notice about a house ... after the landscaping ... is its front door. And it doesn't have to have a big fancy ornate door to attract my attention. I love plain and simple doors, doors with windows, arched doors, double doors, tall skinny doors, stained wood doors, painted doors, doors with stained glass ...

Well, I guess you get the idea. I love doors ... and yesterday, with temperatures hovering near the 100-degree mark (which felt like 110 in the Mississippi shade), I set out with my camera to capture some of the doors in Vicksburg. I thought doors were something I could photograph by just "driving by," without having to get out in the heat, which, for the most part, worked fine.

Here are some of the doors that caught my eye (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like to see the details)...

This is one of my favorite doors in Vicksburg.
I love the ivy growing across the steps.

I love this pretty blue door, too, and that tiny window
with its little flowerbox. I took this picture last fall ...

I like the "lattice-effect" around this door, and the
contrast of the maroon door against the blue-green trim ...

Ernie and Oscar welcome little ones to
the Buttons and Bows Daycare Center ...

And this colorful shuttered door cheerfully
welcomes visitors to this house ...

Bold turquoise trim attracts your attention to this house, which is for sale. I hope they keep that second story door locked!

This is Lakemont, one of Vicksburg's many antebellum homes, circa 1830. If you enlarge the picture you can see the dent in the right front gate which was caused by a Union gunboat mortar.

I'm not sure about those grand Ionic columns flanking the rather simple front door. I wonder if they're original to the house?

I give this beautiful front door
an A+ for its first impression ...

And this door, which is on a house up the
street from ours, is another of my favorites ...

This is turning into a rather lengthy post, and for the sake of brevity, I'm going to let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.

Southern Cultural Heritage Center



Christ Episcopal Church of Vicksburg


I would love to see what's behind this Green Door ...

Old Downtown Post Office

Constitution Fire Station, circa 1870

Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

Vicksburg City Hall

And last, but not least, here are our front doors ...

I hope you enjoyed the photo tour of some of my favorite doors in Vicksburg. They are just a small part of the gracious first impression Vicksburg gives its visitors every day.