Fall Back In Love With These Home Amenities

Nine Old-School Features You Can Include in Your Home

by Jordan Golisano-VanNeil | April 26th, 2023 | Email – LinkedIn

Whether you are building a new home or just renovating, there are so many unique amenities that you can incorporate to help jazz up your living space. Some of these features have been around since the 1800’s and are often used in homes today and others you may not have even heard of before. Home design trends come and go but these timeless amenities are too good to not have in your own home.

Transom Window

Transom windows sit above an entry, interior door, or other windows and are typically non-operating. However, they are an amazing decorative piece and help increase the natural light that comes into your home. More and more homeowners these days seem to be moving away from using this style of window as most of they do not serve much purpose. Here’s a fun fact about transom windows: they were first used before air conditioning was invented! They served as a more of a functional window that was used in the exterior and interior of homes to help air flow. Doors in your home could be kept closed while keeping the transom windows above the doors open which allowed for more privacy. Today, their isn’t as much of a need for theses windows now that we have central air, thank goodness, but they add a stylistic touch and will impress your guests. You can keep them closed at all times or you can have them motorized so they can open and close easily, and they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes!

Dutch Doors

Dutch doors are a clear winner when it comes to curb appeal. Dutch doors are split horizontally allowing one half to be open and the other to be closed. Theses doors have a latch that locks them together so it can serve as a normal door. Originally, dutch doors were used as a solution to let in a breeze and sunlight, while also keeping kids and pets in and unwanted critters out. Dutch doors are still used for the same purpose, in addition to elevating the appearance of your home. Although there has not been a significant change to the implementation of this specific amenity in homes, Dutch doors add charm and practicality. They are a perfect way to elevate your home, giving it an old world feel that ties in with the culture of Saratoga Springs.

Laundry Chutes

I’m sure you have heard of laundry chutes, but you may have never thought to put one in your home voluntarily. This is the one amenity that is truly convenient for everyone! Laundry chutes run from the top floor to wherever you desire your dirty laundry to end up. Save yourself multiple trips up and down the stairs hauling heavy laundry baskets and just drop it down the chute! A good number of these old Saratoga Springs homes have 3 floors of living space so a laundry chute is a no brainer!

Decorative corner duster

One thing that Gen Z and Millennials definitely do not know about are corner dusters. This vintage cleaning short cut is equally as visually appealing as it is functional. It makes it easer for homeowners to clean their living spaces, as it can be difficult to get in the cracks of the baseboards when vacuuming or sweeping. Corner Dusters are traditionally used in stair cases to help keep those tricky areas clean, but they can also be added to any corner in your home to help keep it squeaky clean. There is no need to feel like Cinderella on your hands and knees cleaning baseboards. Corner dusters serve as an elegant Victorian look while keeping the hard-to-reach areas clean.

Mail Slot

No, mail slots are not an unheard of, or even a forgotten, amenity to put on this list as they are a chic and useful addition to your home. A mail slot can be used in a door or wall and function many different ways, some that you may not have expected. Having a larger mail slot can allow mail carriers to put small packages right in your home, just as they would put a small package in a mail box. Mail slots are a convenient and effective way to keep your mail and packages safe.

Picture Rail Molding

Picture frame moldings add character into any room. They look effortless and are a price effective way to add wall elements into a space. Picture rail hanging became popular in the Victorian period and was used by upper and middle classes to add artwork to a room, including paintings, mirrors, and plates. The railings add visual appeal by naturally breaking up a large, plain wall. Add pictures, plants, vases, etc. to the railing and you instantly have a modern day twist on floating shelves that are totally customizable.

Built in Wine Rack

If you are a wine lover, one of the most luxurious things you can have in your home is a wine cellar. Unfortunately, not everyone can have a wine cellar. Storing wine dates all the way back to when the Egyptians used to transport wine and other liquid goods for trading and since then, has evolved into a 29 billion dollar industry. On a smaller scale, you can go with a alcove wine rack, which allows your wine to blend right into the wall and showcase a few bottles. It is the most cost effective and still adds an elevated feel that will wow your guests. On a much larger scale, if your budget allows for it and you have the space, a wine cellar or wine room is the ultimate dream. You can’t go wrong with either way you decide to incorporate it in your home. Bottoms up!

Appliance Garage

The worst thing you can have in your home is clutter. One easy way to get rid of clutter without having to cut down on your appliances, especially in your kitchen, is to simply tuck them away. An appliance garage is a great way to store things without sacrificing your cabinet space. Appliances these days are much more visually appealing, so they do act as cute countertop accessories, but you can maximize your counterspace by tucking them away. Appliance garages were often used in the ’80s and ’90’s to tuck away toasters, blenders and were often made out of wood. Today, there has been a modern approach to this practical amenity, making the garages blend in with the cabinets using a cabinet style door or even turning into a seamless looking back splash.

Mud Rooms

The name says it all! A mud room is a space in the house where you can track in mud and dirt, keeping it all contained so you don’t have dirty shoe prints all over the house. Mud rooms tend to be located near the most used entrance of the home and typically have a bench, hooks/cubbies, baskets and a sink for washing off dirt. Mudrooms were often used in the 19th century and were most commonly found in manor or farm houses. To this day, they still serve as a great function. This amenity is often great for those who have multiple children and pets or work in an outdoor environment. To make your mud room even more functional, people will often have their washer and dryer located in there or a nearby room. They help add storage and consolidate any mess so you don’t have to deep clean your floors every day.

You might also like…

• latest blog posts
• Roohan Beat newsletter
• browse past Homes of the Week
• our interactive maps (boating, beaches, parks, trails & more)