10 Old Home Features… That Have FADED Into History

Explore the fascinating world of historic old home features and architecture! Discover how features like icebox, picture rail, butler's pantry, milk doors and dumbwaiters added unique charm to the houses of yesteryear. Learn about the evolution of home heating from coal chutes and transom windows. See how knob and tube wiring, wash basins, and servant quarters tell a story of past lifestyles. Join us on a journey through the architectural history of houses, where each room, from the parlor to the pantry, reveals a piece of our heritage.

#home #house #architecture #nostalgia #retro

Welcome to American Rewind, your ultimate trip down memory lane! Dive deep into the golden age of Americana, as we journey through the good old days of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Experience the nostalgia of days gone by, flipping through vintage photo albums and exploring this rich archive from the 20th century. Remember when the USA was filled with memories that shaped its history? Relive those moments growing up, as we bring you a nostalgic look back at America's golden years. From retro vibes to the timeless charm of yesteryear, our channel is dedicated to remembering the past and celebrating our great country. Join us as we travel back in time and let's rewind together!

[AmericanRewind]

If you could bring back one old feature into modern homes, what would it be?

[ryanedgerton]

The concept behind Milk Doors could easily be updated for modern package delivery. Given the high rates of package theft in many areas, this seems like a feature that ought to make a comeback.

[sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

Many older homes in Denmark have a very small pre entry room called a “wind catch”. It’s usually no more than 4x4 ft. and functions like an airlock: When entering the home, you close the outer door before opening the inner one to avoid letting in too much cold air in the winter.

[cannibalbananas]

I'd love to see transom windows make a comeback. I think they look cool and they'd allow for light to pass thru into hallways.

[fixedG]

The sleeping porch is one I'd bring back.

[MrCovi]

Fun Fact about Parlors: The reason why we call them "Living Rooms" now instead of just keeping the name "Parlor" was because the Parlor was often where wakes were held when someone passed away. But after the scarlet fever epidemic that took many children's lives, the term Parlor became synonymous with death, especially of children. So people stopped calling it something related to death, and started calling it the "Living Room." We also stopped holding wakes in houses about that same time.

[glennso]

One of the things that disappeared was affordable housing prices.

[robertlevasseur]

What I miss is the formality of houses at that time. Homes are typically open concept now and many of these features would not fit modern houses. I still prefer houses where there were many rooms. They just lent themselves to more privacy and a more structured way of living. When dinner was in the dining room, the meal was an event.

[claudiamiller]

While sitting in a sweltering Chicago classroom, there was no better phrase to here than the teacher saying “Open the transom”! Small relief - but it was at least SOMETHING!!!

[flashflame]

Transom windows are seriously in need of a comeback. I owned a home from 1897 that had a butler's pantry. The craftsmanship on the wood was really nice and gave me extra storage places for dry food stuff.

[dreapress]

We live in a Victorian home and have transom windows and a parlor room. We also have a butlers pantry. I didn’t even know what it was when we moved in a year and a half ago. The detail in this house on the woodwork is amazing! I still can’t get over it. I sometimes have to stop and admire it still.

[stevetarrant]

As a kid, the arrival of the milkman was always fun. The glass bottles were gold tops and blue tops, blue tops were standard milk, gold tops were extra creamy, the top inch or 2 was like cream. We fought over that one.

[dj]

A butler's pantry sounds like a dream come true for those of us with limited storage.

[hillbillysimmer]

My grandfather was one of those "milk thieves". At the age of eight, he was orphaned when his last parent passed away. Forced to live on the streets because nobody would take him in, he resorted to stealing milk and other food items in order to survive. An aunt who lived on the mountain in the next county eventually took him in and raised him.

[mugwump]

Another thing that could've been mentioned is built-in laundry chutes. As a youngster, the neighborhood I lived in was all homes built from around 1920 through the '40s. My house (and most of my friends') had a little door in a hallway on each level that opened to a sheet-metal shaft, probably around 16 x 16 inches in size, built into the wall and dropping straight down into the basement where the washing and drying machines were. They weren't dumb waiters because there was no lift system, just an empty, open-bottomed, vertical shaft. We kids couldn't be made to stop using the laundry chute as a play thing (dropping army men and who knows what else down it) and, afraid for our safety, my parents ended up nailing the doors shut. ☹ That house also had picture rails and many in that neighborhood had the built-in milk delivery boxes. By my time, though, they were no longer in use and had been sealed up.

[jimoconnor]

My home was built in 1890 and i still have knob and tube wiring, a milk door, coal chute and all kind of yesteryear crap. Love it

[katdenning]

I just learned about Chimney Cupboards when someone asked on Facebook “what’s this random framed out narrow hole in my wall”. Apparently it was common to have a small closet next to the chimney where the heat from the exposed bricks could keep things warm. Could be used for food, linens, etc

[DJOfRadioValinor]

You forgot the razor blade disposal slot, a slot in the ablutions room, which is basically a wall cavity you couldn't empty.

[Shatterspeed]

Can you imagine how handy it would be as a renter to have a picture rail? I feel that if we all could hang wall art without worrying about damaging property, we'd be more likely to stay in the same place because it would feel like home.

[Itriedtakennames]

Fun fact related to coal chutes: A family in the 80s, if I recall, stared receiving a phone call every hour during the days to their home phone, for weeks on end, with always just static and silence on the other end. They wondered if it was some kind of harassment, but after a long investigation, it turned out some local fuel company staff had added an old auto-dial machine to a customer’s home fuel tank, set to dial the fuel company number when the fuel level ran low. It was eventually triggered, but by that time, the fuel company was no longer in business and the number had been reassigned to the family. So the calls were made by the machine when the level in someone’s basement became low.