These historic houses in Old Mandeville and along the lakefront of Lake Pontchartrain reflect the cultural mixture of Spanish, French, European, and African Descent with Caribbean influences evident in the Creole Architecture of Louisiana.Īlthough “ Justine Plantation” was originally built in Centreville, LA, in St. Until a few years ago, I hadn’t heard of the phrase Haint Blue, but I’ve certainly seen a lot of blue porch ceilings around here in Abita Springs and the New Orleans Northshore.ĭepending on which legend you believe (as a repellant for troublesome spirits or harassing bugs), Haint Blue is a welcomed porch ceiling color in the New Orleans Northshore area. Whether or not that’s the case, the Town of Abita Springs is notorious for being a haunted town, with a ghostly house here and there, especially in the historic district. Some people think that the lime used in the blue paint mixture repelled the bugs, wasps, and mosquitos, not the color itself. Since it was created by hand, Haint Blue was actually a range of colors that varied from blue-greens to periwinkle blues. Dating back to the early 1700’s, the Haint Blue paint mixture was made in dirt pits, dug in the yard, using limes, buttermilk, and indigo. I’d always heard stories that blue porch ceilings prevent dirt daubers or wasps from building nests, and keep mosquitos out because the blue color tricks them by appearing to be the sky. While growing up in south Louisiana, I hadn’t ever questioned the ‘why’ behind the blue porch ceilings on so many homes. At some point in time, the Haint Blue color began to be painted on porch ceilings, too. They hoped that the blue color would confuse and trick a Haint into thinking the paint was water, and would keep them away. The cultural legend holds that a Haint could not cross through or over water, so a cerulean blue mixture of blue was applied to window frames and sills, door frames, shutters, openings, and interior ceilings of their homes.
Haint is a variation of the word ‘Haunt’, meaning ghost or troublesome spirit. The Gullah/Geechee people, who are descendants of African slaves, believe using the Haint Blue color wards off evil spirits, or Haints. But in the Low Country region of South Carolina or Georgia, where the Gullah/Geechee community resides, the blue porch ceiling color is generally referred to as Haint Blue. Most shotgun houses in use today have had bathrooms added on to the back.I’ve been asked many times, ‘What’s the color of paint people use on the outdoor porch ceilings that keeps bugs out?’ Some people living in and around New Orleans might call it Dirt Dauber Blue. At the time they were built, there was no indoor plumbing, so bathrooms didn't exist. With this design, shotgun houses found inventive ways of fitting all of the necessities without much square footage. Shotgun houses typically feature spacious gabled front porches, which encouraged socializing with the nearby neighbors. All of the doors line up, providing a welcome breeze in the warm Southern climates. There are no hallways, so it's necessary to walk through one room to get to the next. The front door leads directly into the living room, then there are one or two bedrooms, and the kitchen is in the back. Shotgun houses are usually one room, or about 12 feet wide, and three or four rooms deep. Developers built them with the goal of fitting as many houses as possible on smaller plots of land. Shotgun houses were constructed with efficiency and affordability in mind. But you might be wondering what exactly makes a shotgun house, and where did that name come from?Įlvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi Bill Bachmann So what's a shotgun house? While lots of examples remain, many historic shotgun houses have since been lost to urban renewal, but a newfound appreciation for their architectural significance is helping them get the recognition and restoration they deserve ( Chip and Joanna Gaines even revamped one on Fixer Upper!). Oftentimes these small homes have been painted in bright colors, and their welcoming front porches have been decked out with gingerbread trim. What they lack in square footage, they more than make up for in charm. These one-room-wide single-story homes are situated close to their neighbors, so they don't have side windows. Shotgun houses, which gained popularity in the African American communities of New Orleans and other Southern cities like Charlotte, North Carolina, and Houston, Texas, in the early 19th century, are instantly recognizable for their small footprint. Take a walk along the historic streets of New Orleans, and you'll see many examples of the original tiny home-the shotgun house.
Louisiana shotgun style house layout plans full#
The tiny house trend is in full force, with homeowners finding the appeal of living (really) small and even building their own tiny homes from DIY kits.
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