Liven up your front porch with a little paint that includes a lot of history!

What was once known as just an old southern tradition – painting your porch ceiling blue – spans further than just the south and is still a living tradition today. With several theories as to where the blue ceilings started and why they are painted blue, it is a design element of homes that has spanned centuries. So why paint your porch ceiling blue?

Regional Reasoning

Blue porch ceilings are popular in the northwest because of the Aurora Colony, which yielded aurora blue ceilings, and gained popularity in the 1850s.

Other historical cities throughout the northeast, from Boston to Philadelphia, also donned blue porch ceilings where Victorian and Colonial homes were prevalent. The color sky blue became popular with the Victorians, as they preferred the warm colors of nature throughout their homes 1 deposit casino nz.com. A blue porch ceiling reminded them of the actual sky. Victorian and colonial homes in the area still carry on the tradition of blue porch ceilings.

Insect Repellant

Some believe that the blue porch ceilings repel insects and bugs. When porch ceilings were first painted blue, the paint was mixed with lye, which was a known insect repellent. Therefore, the porches tended to repel insects because of the paint composition. The paint needed to be refreshed every couple of years, providing a continued presence of lye for insect repelling and bug free porch sitting.

Others believe that the insects are fooled by the color of the porch ceiling. The bugs won’t nest in the porch ceilings if they are blue because the insects believe the porch ceiling is actually the sky.

Haint Blue

Blue porch ceilings have been popular in the south for centuries. The soft blue-green colored ceiling was something that began years ago, but is still seen in many homes throughout the south today, specifically on South Carolina homes. Homeowners carry on the tradition as it was something that their great grandmothers, grandmothers and mothers did, and southern homes want to stick to their southern roots.

Many suggest that “haint blue” ceilings were developed from a fear of haints, or restless spirits of the dead that have not moved on from the physical world. The blue ceiling is intended to protect the homeowners from the evil of the haints.

Whatever the Reason…

Many people today choose to paint their porch ceilings blue simply because they prefer the look and feel it provides their home. A calming blue-green color creates a relaxing atmosphere for anyone enjoying quality time on the porch with friends and family.

Choosing the Shade

If you choose to paint your porch ceiling blue, whether that decision is based on history or a preference in design, select the shade of blue that best fits you and your home. While traditionally a lighter blue-green is what is used, there is no right or wrong way to implement a blue ceiling on your porch!

If you’re looking for a list of light blue options, click here to see a list of 50 shades of “haint blue”:

http://trippalukastyle.com/southern-style-haint-blue-porch-ceilings-new-orleans-northshore

Some Examples

We’ve created this board on Pinterest of some “haint blue” ceilings that we’ve collected to help inspire you –

https://www.pinterest.com/dunbarbuilders/haint-blue-ceilings

Good luck if you decide to go “haint blue”!

One of the biggest decisions and purchases you’ll make in your lifetime is buying a house. And you aren’t just buying a house, you’re buying a home. If you’re like most people, you want your home to have exactly what you need and want. There’s not a better way to get exactly what you want than to work with a trusted builder to customize your home to your specific needs and preferences. In general, building a home is a commitment and a process, but can be extremely rewarding. Now is the time to build a new home, and below are a few reasons why…

1. Interest Rates are Low

For the last few years, interest rates have been lower than any other time in history, and they still remain relatively low. To get a visual on the history of how interest rates have fluctuated since 1871, see the graph below –

Click to see source

As you can see, rates are historically low. This being said, many believe that interest rates will continue to rise. See the chart below for one prediction of interest rates in 2017:

Click to see source

So…even though interest rates are lower now, they are constantly fluctuating and are predicted to rise in 2017. The difference in just a single percentage point in a loan interest rate can cost you or save you more than $40,000 over the lifespan of your loan. A higher interest rate will leave you with much less of a home building budget because higher interest rates will increase your monthly payments. For example, for a 30-year mortgage, a $200,000 loan with a 4% interest rate has a $955 monthly payment, while an 8% interest rate has a $1,468 monthly payment. That price difference could greatly affect your end budget and the home you are able to build.

You can sign up here to receive regular interest rate updates so that you can pick just the right time to apply for your home loan.

2. Material Prices are on the Rise

A large expense when building a home comes from the materials you need – wood, bricks, paints, electric filling, flooring, etc. The price of materials can greatly impact your overall budget for building. Material prices have been steadily increasing, and they are only going to continue to rise.

3. Energy Efficiencies

Several years ago, building an energy efficient, “green” home was more expensive and required working with home builders who specialized in green home building. Now, energy efficient options are more accessible and affordable to all home builders. Examples of these options include improved heating and cooling systems, better insulation techniques, energy efficient windows, more sophisticated hot water systems, etc. All of these energy-saving options can ultimately save you money in the long run.

As an ENERGY STAR builder, Dunbar Builders can help you make energy efficient choices when building your new home. No more overpriced energy bills!

4. Health Considerations

A new construction home will be free of asbestos, lead and formaldehyde emissions, unlike older homes that can be purchased, and will improve the overall health conditions of the home and once again, save you money in the long run.

5. Safety Conditions

When building a home, you can hard wire your smoke detectors and alarm systems with battery powered back ups that will provide improved safety.

In Short…

There’s never been a better time to build a home. Interest rates for new home loans are still low, material prices are on the rise, it’s become easier to build an energy efficient home, and new homes increasingly offer health and safety benefits.

Click here to get started with the home building process!

Dunbar Builders has partnered with Operation Finally Home, a national non-profit organization with a unique network of experienced builders, suppliers, and supporters dedicated to building homes for wounded, ill or injured veterans, surviving spouses and their families.

Operation Finally Home brings together homebuilders, the military and communities to build custom mortgage-free homes for America’s military heroes and the widows of the fallen, those who have worn America’s uniform and sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and values, providing a strong foundation to help them move forward with their lives.

To learn more about Operation Finally Home, visit their website at https://www.operationfinallyhome.org. Stay tuned for more details coming soon…

Custom Home Details

Nestled in the Lake Murray community of Pintail Point, this 4384 sq ft Craftsman-style home near Lake Murray boasts 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms on a half-acre lot. Hardwood floors are 3 ¼ site-finished oak, with carpeted areas having 25-year padding. Throughout the home, there’s an abundance of custom cabinetry with soft-close doors and drawers, as well as delightfully useful organizational features.

Many extras adorn this extraordinary home including tall ceilings, saw-cut concrete porches, SEER 18 air conditioning system, custom working shutters with planters, central vacuum system, hi-efficiency Moen plumbing fixtures, GE Profile appliances, a 35-year roof, granite countertops, abundant storage and much more. The 24’ x 24’ 2-car garage has copious storage and ample driveway space.

Back Yard Retreat

The serene back yard retreat has an outdoor entertainment system, stone-accented gas fireplace with heart pine mantle and ceiling fan. The home’s exterior is exquisitely landscaped with Southern Magnolias and Encore Azaleas, highlighting the home’s overall low country charm.

Energy Efficient

This home was built with energy efficiency in mind. The ceiling is constructed with open cell foam insulation with an R-30 rating, and has R-15 insulation in walls and R-19 in floors.

Video Footage of Home

Click on the video below to see footage of all parts of the home –

Click below to watch a video of one of our recently completed homes –

The year was 1994. The Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl, Forrest Gump was the top grossing film, the U.S. housing market was beginning a comeback after a four-year slump, and Pat Dunbar established Chapin, SC-based Dunbar Builders Inc.

A graduate of Indiana University School of Business, Dunbar founded his custom homebuilding business after serving in the U.S. Air Force and working for many years in banking and finance. An eyewitness to the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980’s, Dunbar developed an authentic understanding of the integral role that housing and real estate play in the U.S. economy.

“I had seen up close the risks and the rewards of the housing industry,” Dunbar said. “Weighing all of that, I made the decision to become a custom homebuilder and now 20 years later, we’re experiencing the best sales growth and the some of the highest praise in the history of our company.”

Five years into business, Dunbar’s oldest son, Patrick, joined the company after graduating from the College of Charleston with a B.S. in Business. The father-son team today builds in many Columbia area communities including Saluda River Club, Woodcreek Farms and Timberlake, on Lake Murray, and on client-owned lots.

An active member of the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia where Pat served as president in 2002 and where Patrick currently serves on the board of directors, Dunbar Builders is a perennial participant in HBA’s Parade of Homes. In 2013, Dunbar Builders collected nearly every award offered during the parade’s 16-day run at Sweetbay in Woodcreek Farms. Judges first awarded Dunbar’s ‘The Jasmine’ with Best Kitchen and Best Master Bedroom honors. Then, the majority of more than 8,200 parade visitors crowned Dunbar the People’s Choice Award winner for Best Home and for Best Interior.

“We were so honored to receive the judges awards, and thrilled to be the People’s Choice winner,” said Patrick Dunbar. “To be so highly praised by our peers and by the public is exciting and rewarding.”

In 2014, as Dunbar Builders celebrates its 20th year in business, a marked increase in the number of custom contracts and home starts prompted the company to add a Warranty Department and to hire James Pohorence as Warranty Manager. “We’re experiencing the best growth years in the history of our company, and this is an important step to ensure that our customer satisfaction continues after construction is complete,” the elder Dunbar said.

“Building or buying a home is the largest single investment most people will ever make, and certainly one of the most important buying decisions,” Dunbar said. “We take great pride in our product and our professionalism, and we look forward to working with the next generation of homebuyers.”

Visit Dunbar Builders at the Carolina Classic Home & Garden Show March 14-16 at the SC State Fairgrounds in Columbia, or online at dunbarbuilders.com.

CHAPIN, SC – Dunbar Builders Inc. has been selected for the third year to be part of the Southern Living® Custom Builder Program. Dunbar Builders is one of approximately 100 builders chosen for the annual builder program sponsored by Southern Living magazine, one of the largest monthly consumer magazines in the United States with a circulation of 2.8 million and reaching 16 million readers monthly.

Each year, Southern Living carefully selects members based on their reputation among local businesses and consumers; strength of presence in their respective markets; superior quality and attention to detail; innovative style; and other criteria. Members of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program have access to the entire Southern Living House Plans Service collection, which features more than 1,000 plans created by respected architects and designers throughout the nation.

“We’re fortunate to have been chosen by Southern Living to represent the magazine in the greater Columbia market,” said Dunbar President Pat Dunbar. “To be associated with an instantly recognizable and influential icon of Southern culture and style has made a huge difference for our company.”

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2014, Dunbar Builders Inc. was the People’s Choice award winner for Best Home and Best Interior during the most recent Parade of Homes at Sweetbay in Woodcreek Farms. The father-son team of Pat and Patrick Dunbar builds in many fine communities in the Columbia area including the Saluda River Club and Woodcreek Farms, on Lake Murray and on client-owned lots.

Contact Us for more information. .

About Southern Living
The premier lifestyle and entertainment magazine of the South, Southern Living reaches more than 16 million readers each month with a circulation of 2.8 million. Published 12 times a year by a subsidiary of Birmingham, Alabama-based Southern Progress Corporation, Southern Living celebrates the heart of Southern life.

More than 8,200 people attended the 2013 Parade of Homes, presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia (HBAGC), during its 16-day run at Sweetbay in Woodcreek Farms.

Every attendee had an opportunity to vote for his or her favorite home design and interior design in the People’s Choice Awards. These awards are highly sought after by the builders and interior designers each year. The People’s Choice Award for Best Home was won by Dunbar Builders for its Parade home, ‘The Jasmine’. Dunbar also won the People’s Choice Award for Best Interior featuring the work of Pam Trussell Interiors.

Presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia and sponsored by SCE&G, The State Media Company and McDaniels Automotive Group, the 2013 Parade of Homes featured five new homes built by Dunbar Builders Inc., Capogrossi Construction Inc., Emerald Homes, Essex Homes SE, and Tuttle Construction, LLC.

Affiliated with the National Association of Homes Builders, the HBAGC is a non-profit professional association, representing firms involved in all facets of the housing industry.

Dunbar Builders Inc. has won Best Kitchen and Best Master Bedroom awards in the 2013 Parade of Homes presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Columbia. The Parade is open until Sept. 29 at Sweetbay in Woodcreek Farms.

The award-winning Dunbar kitchen features silestone quartz countertops, a spacious island, GE Monogram appliances and custom cabinetry from Schrader Kitchens + Furniture, with interior designer Pamela Trussell added the finishing touches to make the gourmet kitchen an award winner. The spacious master bedroom features a sitting area and his-and-hers closets, with Trussell again adding the interior design details including furniture from Marty Rae’s of Lexington to make the space the perfect owner’s retreat.

“The kitchen is the heart of the home,” said Dunbar Builders President Pat Dunbar. “It’s the gathering spot for the family and the focal point for entertaining, so we believe in giving the kitchen a great deal of thought and attention to detail.”

At 4,169 square-feet, Dunbar’s one-level custom Parade home is professionally decorated throughout and landscaped to include an outdoor fireplace and grill for year-round entertaining. The home includes “Z” wave technology that allows the owner to control HVAC, video cameras, the home’s alarm system, front door and garage doors with a smart phone.

The four-bedroom, three-and-one-half bathroom home is situated on a half-acre lot, and includes a finished bonus room and three-car garage. The great room features high ceilings, hardwoods, a fireplace and French doors leading to the outdoor living space.

An award-winning company serving the Greater Columbia area since 1994, Dunbar Builders in 2011 was named a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program. The father-son team of Pat and Patrick Dunbar builds in many fine communities in the Columbia area including the award-winning Saluda River Club, Woodcreek Farms and Timberlake, and on client-owned lots.

Click here to view photos of this home.