“It Requires No Maintenance”: People Are Revealing The “Outdated” Home Design Trends That Need To Come Back, Like, Now

We recently wrote a post where people shared the “outdated” home design trends that are so much better than modern-day trends. In the comments, readers revealed more past home trends and features that they would like to see return, and TBH, they make some valid points. Here’s what they had to say:

1. “Make Formica countertops stylish again. While new stone tops are beautiful, they are expensive, and some require maintenance to keep them food-safe. Formica is inexpensive, easy to clean, and requires no maintenance. Kitchens are for cooking, baking, and eating. Ease of cleaning and sanitizing should be the most important factor when choosing a countertop.”

“We’ve let ourselves be convinced that everything in our home needs to exude luxury, instead of good old-fashioned functionality…and we’re willing to pay a hefty price for something that actually creates more work for our already busy lives. Formica countertops should be a selling point, not a deal-breaker.”

—charmingnugget651

2. “Bring back kitchens, living rooms, and dens/family rooms separated by walls and doors. That’s why I chose our 1950s-built house. When I’m relaxing with a book in the living room or watching TV in the family room after dinner, I don’t want to see the kitchen and the pots and pans still to be washed.”

—grumpygoose127

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3. “Laundry rooms! When we lived in Glen Rock, the side door opened to a mud room/hallway where we could remove dirty clothes and shoes. The laundry room was in the basement at the foot of the stairs. In USR, the laundry room opened onto the kitchen, and the garage was attached; it was easy to remove dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine.”

—acidiccowboy476

4. “Smaller showers! These HUGE showers for, like, eight people are drafty, cold, and ridiculous to clean. Who needs a shower this big? Make it big enough for two people if you want, or a wheelchair, if you have to, and that’s it!”

—Anonymous, 66, South Carolina

5. “Medicine cabinets. Why should anyone be looking at my meds/makeup/toothbrush sitting on the edge of the sink?”

—Anonymous, 71, Maryland

6. “Front-of-house living rooms! Yes! Why is it always a bedroom?! My dream is to have my Christmas tree visible from the front window, and there just aren’t houses made like that anymore. It’s such a bummer.”

—micahdr

7. “I miss the exhaust fan next to my kitchen window that I could flip on or off at will while I was prepping or serving a meal. The one over the stove is okay, but it doesn’t provide instant fresh air in quite the same way.”

—Anonymous, Virginia

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8. “A tall cupboard in the kitchen for a broom, mop, and bucket. We built one into our new house in the 1970s and loved having it handy by the refrigerator.”

—Anonymous, 75, California

9. “Space between homes. Most new developments allow for 5-foot setbacks from the property line. Not only is this grossly inadequate for privacy, it’s a HUGE fire hazard as homes adjacent to a house fire can combust from the heat alone within 20 feet.”

—Anonymous, 42, Nebraska

10. “Walk-in pantries, wood-burning fireplaces, and sitting porches. Old farmhouses had pantries off the kitchen with a plethora of space to store canned and dried goods, as well as appliances you didn’t want on the shelf. Wood-burning fireplaces offer a nostalgic aroma as well as heat when the power goes out. Not everyone wants a gas or electric fireplace, and should they opt for one, there are electric and gas inserts they can purchase. Porches have been made small and non-functioning on new builds.”

“Sitting outside, playing a board game, taking a nap on the swing have all but disappeared in new developments.”

—Anonymous, 42, Iowa

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11. “Storage. If a house has built-in storage, such as real closets and drawers, you don’t need storage units. I grew up in an arts/crafts house with a root cellar, a cedar/walk-in closet the whole length of the primary bedroom, a closeted iron board, a small pantry, a small bathroom off the kitchen, and all in a small three-bedroom but well-designed home, with emphasis on design for living in.”

—Anonymous, 63, New York

12. “The ceramic soap dish with the integrated handle above it that was located in the tile surround just above a tub. Helped you get up when you were getting out of the tub and kept the soap off the side of the tub.”

—Anonymous, 66, South Carolina

13. “Built-in clothes hampers in bathrooms. Just toss your dirty clothes in before your shower. Plus, it doesn’t take up floor space or have to get moved for mopping.”

—Anonymous

14. “One-story homes. Now, everything and virtually every room have at least a step or two, and many have two to three flights in the house. Aging is not easy, and steps are the bane of our existence. My son thinks I should live with him in a house with two full flights and several one-step rooms. No, thank you.”

—Anonymous, 81, New York

15. “A vacuum cleaner built into the walls.”

—Anonymous

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And finally…

16. “This may be an apartment thing, but bring back overhead lighting, especially in living rooms! I’ve somehow never had an apartment with a living room ceiling light! For the life of me, I don’t understand this. My living rooms always feel dark, even with lamps.”

—simplysarahish

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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