While it’s easy to be drawn into new-age technologies and modern architectural design, there’s something about old homes that leave you enchanted.
However, over decades of modernization and learning how to build things more efficiently, homes aren’t built with the same level as charm as they once were.
There are certainly architectural marvels of this age, but if you want a taste of traditional warmth, you’ll have to find in an old house interior.
The Charming Spaces of an Old House Interior
The thing that makes an old house interior so unique is its nod to the past.
There are, of course, the historical trends in architectural design, but there are also the little nuances that represent how things used to be.
These details and spaces in a house showcase how things were different than they were today.
They highlight how much we’ve changed and advanced, as well as how much we tend to take simple things or granted.
For this reason, many people opt to buy an old house, even though it can come with a laundry list of problems.
For example, the cost of crawl space repair is a common expense due to the unventilated crawl space designs of older homes.
There are also things like foundation repairs, roofing costs, and structural damages.
Yet, it’s all worth it in the end. Keep reading to find out why.
1. Built-Ins
One of the most sought after and aesthetically pleasing features of an old house interior is its built-in storage spaces. However, this can include a myriad of designs and purposes.
First, many old homes have built-in chine hutches in the dining room or kitchen. They’re as much a part of the architecture as the walls.
Then, there are cabinets and drawers built into the walls. This provides seamless and unobtrusive storage.
A favorite among new and old home buyers are built-in bookshelves.
An outstanding old house interior will have them built in from floor to ceiling.
2. Hidden Passages
An old house interior will often come will small passageways uncommon to newer home designs.
These small passageways can be hidden or purposeful.
Some purposeful passageways include laundry chutes, dumbwaiters, milk chutes/doors, and coal shutes.
These were all about function and making the homeowner’s life more convenient.
There are also more hidden or less obvious passageways such as a narrow corridor between children’s rooms or a tiny stairwell leading from the basement to outside.
3. Archways
One feature that seems to be timeless can be found in an old house interior, ancient Roman architecture, and even some brand new homes.
We’re, of course, talking about arches and archways.
Originally used because of there unrivaled structural support, arches became a staple of design on both a grand and modest level.
They’re also incredibly aesthetically appealing.
Unfortunately, however, most of today’s homes are built without this touch of wonder and are aimed more towards a modern look, focusing on straight lines and sharp corners.
4. Murphy Beds
In some old house interiors, you’ll find something else hidden away in the wall. Murphy beds used to be a big thing years ago.
Even in homes with plenty of space, beds were designed to roll straight back into the wall, out of sight.
Other Murphy beds were designed to fold straight up toward the ceiling, sitting verticle on the wall.
Today, we still use this technique in modern spaces.
However, it’s typically reserved for small spaces such as studio apartments and tiny homes.
5. Telephone Nooks
The vast majority of Americans, 96 percent, own a cell phone. This leaves very little need for landlines.
While most Americans don’t have landlines in their homes anymore, it used to be a necessity. There were no cell phones or internet.
Therefore, an old house interior was often built with a nook specifically designed for what would now be antique telephones.
6. Cooling Shelves
Another charming feature that gives a nod to the way things used to be is the cooling shelves commonly built into old house interiors.
These shelves are located in the kitchen and were specifically designed to place hot pies, pastries, and bread right out of the oven to cool.
These heart-warming features take us back to a time when everything was homemade from scratch.
7. Canneries
Before we had giant supermarkets and deep freezes, people had to can any goods they wanted to eat throughout the winter.
Many homeowners kept gardens or shopped at local markets for fresh fruits and vegetables.
However, to last the winter people had to can these goods and keep them in an outside cellar or sometimes, a basement cannery.
We don’t have much use for them today, but an indoor cannery is quite the conversation piece for any homeowner.
8. Sleeping Porches
There’s no doubt that the field of medicine as advances substantially for the better.
Looking back at the history of medicine in the West, we often see horrific and barbaric practices such as lobotomies.
However, there were also medical suggestions of a different nature so revered that people incorporated it into old house interiors.
Sleeping porches became all the rage when doctors got behind the notion that sleeping while exposed to fresh air could bolster the immune system.
9. Rumford Fireplaces
Finally, when you look through an old house interior, you may find what’s called a Rumford fireplace.
These fireplaces were built into the walls but with a much taller and shallower design.
This maximized the amount of heat reflected into the room.
These Rumford fireplaces were built into many rooms of the house, rather than relying on one big wood stove to heat the entire home.
Ironically, people are currently reexamining the Rumford fireplace as energy costs are rising due to the depletion of resources.
Looking to Spice Up Your Home?
While nobody can deny the convenience and quality of newly designed homes, there’s much to appreciate about an old house interior.
However, moving into an old home with these features will likely take some extra maintenance or updating.
But if you’re looking for some great decor to spice up your home, old or new, we’ve got you covered.
Take a look at the rest of our articles for some great ideas!
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