Posted on July 20th,
2010
by Berit Griffin
When I moved into my 1922 apartment, I noticed that outside the door was a nailed-up little door up on the wall. I assumed it was a now-closed trash chute, until my landlord explained to me that it was actually an icebox where the milkman would drop off the day’s dairy delivery.
So much for my dreams of not having to walk my trash down to the Dumpster. It’s a neat feature though, and always a good conversation piece. This Old House (via MSN Real Estate) gave a rundown of some of the cool features that you can only find in an old house:
- Deep front porches: True “outdoor rooms” with plenty of space to sit on a swing with your sweetheart, sip coffee on wicker furniture or lay in a hammock.
- Floor registers: Yes, the occasional earring might have been sacrificed, but floor registers were always the perfect place to warm your feet or see how poofy your skirt could get.
- Storm shutters: These beauties may have added the perfect Southern charm, but thanks to hurricane-resistant products, they can now just be enjoyed for their good looks.
- Dumbwaiters: The perfect way to send packages and groceries upstairs!
- Solid walls: Nothing beats lath and plaster for preventing noise from traveling between rooms.
We’ve gained a lot of great things with advancements in building. But with progress, sometimes things are left by the wayside. For instance, I can’t recall seeing the ever-handy laundry chute in a newer house. And of course other things, like a beautiful hitching post in the front yard, are no longer needed. What other interesting features do you fondly recall from old houses? Let us know in the comments!
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