-
Things I Miss: Classic Ways Things Once Were in Houses
The golden years of building were the 60s and 70s. This was the generation of homes being built just as I was born and considered new construction when I was a kid. A generation later it is becoming evident that there was something unique about the quality and design of these homes. I offer a few discoveries from bygone years. Where have the intuitive, practical, simple and aesthetically pleasing features gone?
Pull out cutting boards. A well-used board was standard in every bygone kitchen. It was as secure as the cabinet it was built into rather than sliding over the counter top. Furthermore, it was large and did not occupy an inch of countertop space. In those days kiddos would pull stools and chairs to the cutting board to easily reach and help parents cut carrots and meal prep. Where have the pull-out cutting boards gone in kitchen design?
Dials and real buttons on appliances. Today the go-to is touch screen and plastic buttons that sense pressure. Labels wear off and plastic covers tear. One must look closely to read and orient a finger to push the desired function, and even then you’re not sure it felt your touch. Oven and microwave controls tend to have screen and push buttons.
On this topic, the lack of a home button on the new phones may appeal to the visual sorts but us tactile sorts love touch and feel. Remember the feel of the old rotary and push button phones? Back then we made a call because we wanted to without fear of a butt or pocket dial! Where have the dials and buttons gone?
Mechanical, instead of electronic. Tick-click-tick-click went the baking timer. Bling! A small metal mallet on a metal chime was a cheerful sound.
Ring buttons instead of ring cams. I want to notify someone in the house I am at the door if they are available. I greatly dislike the “smile you’re on camera!” that gets broadcast to everyone’s phone wherever they are. And when we push a button and don’t hear anything – are we supposed to keep pushing or push harder? The good ole ring buttons allowed you to tap out a little Morse code message to those home. Or sometimes a real treat the low voltage signal would start the chimes hanging in the hallway, Ding-dong-deeeng-DONG! Now that was an announcement worthy of one’s arrival!
Gratefully, I can avoid the electronic cams and still do the old school door rap with my knuckle. Door knockers are a real throwback treat! Where have the ring buttons gone?
Overhead garage doors that sweep out instead of folding panels. Why? For no practical reason other than the thrill of trying not to be crunched with its sweeping close and the groaning of its massive springs. Where have the original garage doors gone?
Normal light switches that toggle. So many are now the decorator ones, sliding and touch-sensitive dimmers. Gone is the little stem flipped with a flick. Nowadays we have to pause and feel for the moveable feature and only to discover there is dimmer and timer buttons and slides. Give me simplicity over complexity please! Where have the toggle switches gone?
Windows in bathrooms. Our great thinking and primping retreats could welcome fresh outdoor air and a reminder of a sunlit days. Nowadays it is like a casino playing the slots with no sense of nature and the outdoors. We pull the toilet handle, lose the jackpot and leave the bathroom with no sense of what time of the day it is. Sometimes we just need to open the window rather than running the fan. Where are bathroom windows?
Carpet in the bathrooms. Tile, vinyl and wood surfaces may be easier to clean and more sanitary. There is something cozy about shuffling bare toes from bed to bathroom through the plush carpet.
What is something classic you miss in houses?
