Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Pineapple Symbolizes Welcome & Hospitality ~ Welcome to "Doors of Charleston"

Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday! Please be sure to meander on over to "Susan" at A Southern Day Dreamer by clicking on the logo below once you review my tour of Historic Home doors in Charleston, SC.
This Pineapple Fountain resides on the Waterfront Park area in the Historic section of Charleston. The view of the fountain was absolutely stunning the day I snapped this pic.
The "Pineapple" symbolizes Welcome and Hospitality.
I think the first thing a Real Estate agent would tell you is to pay attention to "curb appeal" when preparing your home for sale. It's one of the first things that speak to a potential buyer, or to those coming to visit. Well, in Charleston, the door is the curb appeal, since there are few lawns in front of the homes...and appealing these doors are!

Come, take a stroll with me to just a small selection out of the hundreds I snapped on a recent visit. The "Pink" entryways are personally one of my favorite...you'll see more than one on this tour.
This stained wood door at the top of the staircase lends me to imagine what it must have been like to attend a party there by candlelight in earlier days.
Taking Pink and adding lots of crisp White is near "Perfection" ~ throw in the green shrubs as bookends and a wonderful green fern on the porch...aha, it is "Perfection".
Another doorway that spoke to me as if it were a friend beckoning me in is where a garden way entrance led you to the front door. This definitely is the "Ultimate".
Another one that is just "rockin" is the wood style entry door that has a gold mail slot and green ivy on the brick wall that is on both sides.
Luscious green ivy combined with this door makes it breathtaking!
Another Cinderella entryway door is this one. The entryway porch was built with brick steps that led to the door on both sides. Another favorite~
The color on this door was like a Pink/Taupe color with more White, hmmm. The detailed side entry windows and the window above the doorway speak to me as if it's saying, "Please, come see the jewels the King just adorned me with". Lovely matching black wrought iron hand rails usher in each guest. This entryway door speaks subtle royalty to me.
Lending it's way to an European flair is this entryway door. I love the black and white, and the filigree in the half moon shape at the top of the door. Have I said this is my favorite yet? ;) Now you know why I took hundreds of door front pics!
Another beauty, all dressed up and anxiously awaiting her guests... This one is for those of you out there that love to decorate with bold colors, especially deep pinks! The design on the lower part of the entry way where the black wrought iron is located is more for decoration than practical purposes; just another way to emphasize how special this home is! I like to see this as "Very French", my interpretation of course. ;)
How does one compete in a place like Charleston, this home did a fantastic job of doing just that. Notice the staircase that swirls on the right hand side of the entryway...the black wrought iron fencing in the porch area...and the ivy growing on the entire front of the porch wall... Large urns with potted dwarf trees add just the right look, just as if they were matching earrings! The black bench located at the base of the porch silently says, "Come, sit a while...take a short rest, then come inside and dine with me...the best is yet to be!" ;)
A very "French Country" entryway area is this door. I love the matching black wrought iron lights, the blue door, the luscious ferns on each side; as if fanning you while your host welcomes you to stroll in.
More luscious greens with a metal gated door leading you to another location where the front door is located. Very lovely!
Chic & Pink! Another favorite, very European~I love the potted ivy on the top that is continually groomed to create the "Hat" affect~ Talk about "Prim and Proper"~
And for me, this one speaks "Tradition"...a lovely wood entryway with more of a traditional style, and just enough to make it very pretty, not too over the top~
Now, I would feel extremely welcomed in any of these homes, wouldn't you?
This inspires me to work more on my own entryway door area.
Don't forget to visit Susan at "A Southern Day Dreamer"
for more exciting Outdoor Wednesday shares!
Come back again soon! I enjoy our visits!
~CC

25 comments:

Missy Wertz said...

I loved your walk thur Charleston! Lovely photos.

Lady Katherine said...

Charleston is such a lovely town! I love to go there. I love the tour of the you took us on. Brings back a lot of memories. I think the one with the green plants would look lovely on the porch you are planning! lol

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

What a fabulous tour of the wonderful front doors and homes of Charleston. This really does make me take another look at my own front door and see how it can be improved. Thanks for the tour, it is really inspirational. Hugs, Marty

a quiet life said...

loved the tour thank you, the simple garden gates are always a fav~

Missy Wertz said...

Catherine, I shoot professionally. Those photos were taken with a Nikon D200. I dropped it a few months ago, not a scratch on it. I bought it new when they first came out. I am not sure what lens I used with those photos. I would have to check the exif. I shoot raw and process in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom II. It is fast and designed for photographers. No any design features. But I don't like any of that stuff and it slows down my computer and takes too long to process a photo. If I want to do something really fancy (rare, I can open in photo shop and work the two programs together and hope my computer does not lock up.... LOL!

I have a website that I store photos on for clients. Most photos I load there first and it superimposes my copyright on the photo before it is moved anywhere else. I do that for several reasons. 1. This is what I do. I do not want my work copied w/out my permission or used w/out royalty. 2. I have a lot of children on my site and I would be mortified if their faces turned up somewhere else. That copyright across their face protects them and me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Kat said...

Catherine, these are gorgeous! I especially love the "secret garden" gates. Now I want to go to Charleston! I was supposed to go when my brother was stationed there, and then some blasted hurricane kept us away, then he got shipped out so I never went. Maybe someday. Kathy

Sue said...

Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures of Charleston,I have always wanted to visit; now I have something to look forward to.
Blessings,
Sue

Anonymous said...

ohhhhh ahhhhh how beautiful these doorway entrances are. They are so very inviting...if I had to choose it would be difficult. Just lovely.
YOur pics are just lovely.
hope you have a good day.
stop by and visit when you have some time.
Judi

Anonymous said...

Charleston is such a grand old city. Savannah, too. Thanks for this incredible tour.

All the best, Lana

Alisa Lucas-Brown said...

CC,
I love your new background. The black and white damask with your beautiful "chandy" picture is so elegant. Thanks for the very kind comments you left me on my Spice Trade table. I really enjoy decorating tables! I have added myself as a follower of your blog. I loved the tour of Charleston, SC historic doors / entry ways. I have never visited Charleston but I plan to do so this summer. I live in the Charlotte area of NC and to be so close to Charleston and not visit seems a great error. Do you live in Charleston? If so maybe we could meet for coffee or tea. I love meeting other ladies who have the same interests I have for home and hearth!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Catherine, this is lovely. I adore Charleston and have been there many, many times. Thanks so much for sharing these as it makes me realize too much time has elapsed for a trip up that way. It's one of my favorite cities in the world.

Have a lovely day...

XO,

Sheila

JudyBug said...

I've only been to Charleston once but we fell in love with the town! The architecture is so interesting. The only thing...we were there in August. Oh my, it was so HOT!

Anonymous said...

Catherine! My favorite kind of walk. I love what you chose to showcase! Door and gates are some of my favorites!

Kathleen Ellis said...

LOVE this! I do declayah...those PINK houses are to dahy fowah!
There isn't one I wouldn't move right into! I need to go back to Charleston and Savannah...I need a "Scarlett fix"!!!
;-D

Anonymous said...

Well I love pink and I also have a Bella fur baby, one of three.
Loved the tour very much.
Happy OW
Claudie from Canada

Miss Janice said...

I just love Charleston and always wanted to live there...thanks for the tour!

Jewel Sauls said...

Thanks for the tour of Charleston's Doors. I love Charleston. DH & I had our honeymoon there over 26 years ago! :D Jewel

Debbie in CA : ) said...

What a delightful stroll. I have yet to visit Charleston, though my sister and I have mentioned it as a contender for our next "girls" trip. After seeing your pics I'm ready to pack! : D

Anonymous said...

Catherine,
Never been to Charleston....Lovely city...Thanks for touring me through. Love all the doors photos. My favorite was the black iron fench and bench...beautiful! Happy Outdoor WednesdayKatherinellen

Blondie's Journal said...

Catherine, what a wonderful idea for a post. It makes me want to make Charleston a destination for touring homes someday!!

I think the door with the garden leading to it is my favorite, a little mysterious..

The pineapple fountain is gorgeous!!

Have a great week!! :-)

xoxo
Jane

Anonymous said...

We traveled to Charleston last summer. It is so beautiful there! We had noticed that some houses had an "outer" door leading into the yard and to the proper front door of the house. When we took a carriage tour, our guide told us that those had been used back in the olden days to signify whether or not you were receiving company at that time. I thought that was so neat.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for visiting my blog -What a lovely blog you have! Growing up near Williamsburg, Virginia (actually Yorktown) I am very familiar with the Pineapple- every loved the symbol for hospitality!

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Happy Outdoor Wednesday... a little late...I apologize!

Gorgeous photos of Charleston... I loved the tour...doors and gates... very enchanting place!

Thanks for sharing

Susan

Melissa Miller said...

Hi Catherine, :)
Thank you so much for visiting and your kindness.
I really appreciate it.
I'll be back to visit yours often. It's lovely.

Look at all these gorgeous photos you have of Charleston! ~WOW~ It is an amazing city isn't it?
My only regret when I went is not capturing enough photos.
I have not visited Savannah yet. I've heard it's just charming as well.

Hope you have a great evening.
~Warmly, Melissa :)

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

I love Charleston! I never tire of seeing those doors and gates!

Katherine