People Are Revealing The “Outdated” Home Design Trends That Are Wayyy Better Than Modern Trends

We recently wrote a post where people shared the “outdated” home design trends that are wayyy better than modern-day trends. In the comments, readers revealed more past home trends that need to come back ASAP, and it’s spot on. Here’s what they had to say:

1. “Built-in/drop-down ironing boards in cabinets. They’re very useful. Another variation: I lived in one older place where the ironing board was missing, but someone put small wood shelves in a cabinet (in the kitchen), which made a perfect spice cabinet.”
—Anonymous

Fold-out ironing board with an iron in a small nook next to a trash can inside a kitchen or utility room

2. “Wall-to-wall carpeting in bedrooms. They are soft, cozy, and warm.”
—Anonymous, 38, Texas

3. “Bring back detached garages. What’s appealing about garage doors taking up two-thirds of the front of the house?”
—Anonymous, 70, Texas

A garage with brown doors beside a vibrant garden full of blooming red and pink flowers — Szaffy / Getty Images

4. “Bring back houses that are designed with ventilation and air flow in mind. Since most houses have A/C now, you can’t get the same cross ventilation when you open the windows. I love A/C when it’s hot, but I like to open the windows and get fresh air when the weather’s nice.”
—oldpuppy745

5. “Fireplace clean-outs. A wood-burning fireplace is fabulous until you have to remove the ash. Then a metal door in the back or bottom that opens from the outside makes clean up so much nicer. No ash spilled or drifting about the room.”
—Anonymous, 69, Oregon

Open fireplace door with visible logs and flames inside

6. “Living rooms in front of the house with picture windows. During holidays, people can see your decorations and the Christmas tree in front of the window.”
—poeticalligator146

7. “An intercom system. My childhood home had an intercom, and my parents used it to wake us up in our rooms in the morning, ‘answer’ the front door, or call us to dinner, no matter what room we were in.”
—Anonymous, 30, North Carolina

Wall-mounted retro intercom system with speaker grille, volume knob, and three buttons

8. “Bring back starter homes! Everything is too big now. The only way to get a smaller one is to buy an older house, but without new ones, we’re running out.”
—sparklesthecupcake

9. “Homes that have hallways. It gives more privacy and separation between bedrooms and the rest of the house.”
—Anonymous, 68, Tennessee

Long hallway with arched ceiling, recessed lighting, and a wooden floor, leading to a closed door at the end

10. “A utility sink. Great for cleaning up after messy projects and bathing small pets.”
—Anonymous, 57, Texas

11. “Cutting boards. I enjoy having extra counter space for many reasons. Putting hot items from the oven, mixing batter at a slightly lower height, making sandwiches, and cutting fruit and vegetables. I have six in my kitchen, and I use them frequently. Easy to clean.”
—Anonymous, 72, Washington

Kitchen countertop with a wooden cutting board, stainless steel faucet, and jars containing sugar and flour

12. “Master suites with no door directly between the bedroom and bathroom. It’s made even worse when the only way to place the bed is to have it looking directly at the bathroom sink.”
—Anonymous, 56, Arizona

13. “Having a small powder room near the kitchen and living room. Easier to keep clean when you have guests coming over, and it keeps them out of your other bathrooms, which might be a little messy.”
—Anonymous, 68, Tennessee

Modern bathroom with round mirror, vanity, toilet, and wall sconce lighting. Minimalist and clean design

14. “Laundry porches. A screened-in porch, with the ability to put in storm windows, off the back of the house, dedicated to laundry. Includes a utility sink, some counter space, and easy access to the clothes drying line outside. Keeps the dryer’s heat out of the house in summer, and gives you a nice place for kids to take off dirty clothes and shoes right at the washing place!”
—Anonymous, 51, Oregon

15. “Mud rooms! Keep the shoes, coats, and backpacks out of the house.”
—Anonymous, 75, Pennsylvania

Entryway with coat hooks and bench, jackets hung neatly, shoes organized below

16. “Laundry chutes. We had one in our bathroom. I would open a cabinet door on the wall and drop my dirty clothes into the laundry room. If people worry about safety because they have small children, they can put a child safety lock on it. We never had dirty towels or clothes on the floor.”
—Anonymous, 62, Maryland

And finally…

17. “A coal chute window used by the delivery truck to drop coal into the basement bin for the coal-fired furnace.”
—Anonymous

Closed metal mail slot on a textured brick wall

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.

What other “outdated” home design trends do you think are better than modern-day trends (and deserve a comeback)? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.

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