6 Vintage Design Elements Interior Designers Want to See Rise Again

If walls were capable of speech, yours would probably share many stories from your home’s different periods. Spanning changes in architectural styles and designs, they've seen it all. design For improvements in daily functionality, our personal quarters have been altered. a lot Over time, spanning from years to decades and even centuries, this shift isn’t always negative. To illustrate, imagine trying to manage today’s daily activities without advanced gadgets or devices connected via Bluetooth—not to mention the absence of an online network. However, at other moments, it feels regrettable when charming design elements lose their popularity. Actually, if you consult certain interior designers, they would argue these classic touches were unfairly discarded over time.

Eager for an elegantly decorated journey through nostalgia? Look no further. We requested insights from several interior designers who have agreed to share their antique and vintage Details with notable resilience. Consistent with expectations, their replies span an extensive range akin to the numerous periods of a house’s history. Certain designers prefer shifting away from expansive great rooms towards distinct areas that add greater structure to everyday life. In contrast, several within the industry long for traditional features that retain their functionality.

As mentioned, these trendy home ideas can provide much more than just an enhancement to your interior decor skills. decorating trends They frequently appear and disappear in the blink of an eye; however, many manage to make a resurgence. Who can say for sure? If you're fortunate enough, these outdated concepts might just discover a place within the aesthetic of your modern home.

Breakfast Rooms

Open-concept floor plans could be the design du jour , but Rudy Saunders from Dorothy Draper & Co. , longs for the days of well-defined spaces—specifically, breakfast rooms. "There is something really special about a smaller, more intimate setting when it comes to having a breakfast room," he shares. "They offer privacy for quiet moments and help maintain clutter-free spaces."

Saunders points out that before World War II, numerous houses included a lengthy corridor connecting separate spaces designated for social gatherings and personal activities. Yet, when open-concept layouts gained popularity in the 1990s, the concept of having a specific area just for breakfast faded away. As a matter of fact, dining rooms seem to be nearing extinction.

He mentions that numerous dining rooms have been repurposed into home offices—and even more dishearteningly, pool tables.

Lack a specific area for a breakfast nook? Saunders advises transforming ordinary mealtimes into enchanting experiences. He emphasizes, “No matter where your family is eating, pause to lay out the table properly.” According to him, using fine dinnerware and cloth napkins can significantly elevate daily dinners, infusing them with an extra touch of splendor!

Butler's Pantries

Butler's pantries are not quite extinct—many bigger houses still boast this beloved space—but designers Gary McBournie They long for the popularity they enjoyed during the 1800s. Usually located between the kitchen and dining room, these narrow areas frequently acted as preparation and service zones. However, with an increasing number of individuals opting for smaller residences and urban flats, butler’s pantries became seen as unnecessary luxuries.

In that case, if you possess a butler's pantry in your house, take McBournie's counsel into consideration. use it In reality, the Boston-based designer admits that he famously reinstates butler's pantries in his projects.

He mentions that they enjoy designing such areas, often making them somewhat more accessible to the public and including features like a bar, generally equipped with a compact sink and a wine cooler. This allows for the creation of an intimate, appealing, and fun area.

Follies

Breakfast areas and butlers' closets may be remnants of past architectural designs, yet they continue to hold appeal for New York decorators. Phillip Thomas feels it's about time to do so bring back garden follies .

He reflects that the purpose behind constructing these ornamental buildings called follies was meant to draw attention to specific aspects of the scenery. These follies frequently served as sites for lighthearted pursuits like teahouses, intended solely for pleasurable pastimes.

Although these rustic structures served as symbols of prestige in 18th-century English landscapes, they have become less common over time. Nonetheless, you can incorporate this countryside feature into contemporary outdoor spaces by setting up a shed or transforming an unused stable, similar to what Thomas has done.

He clarifies that it’s a spot where friends and loved ones can come together annually for drinks and meals.

Dramatic Ceilings

As stated by Margaret Naeve Parker, who is an interior designer and the founder of M.Naeve In Houston, the impressive ceilings from times gone by have since turned into "a forgotten craft."

She points out that in numerous historic houses, architects often aimed to create dramatic effects and distinguish spaces through variations in ceiling height. An entrance featuring an eight-foot-high ceiling could lead into a living area boasting a dramatically high 15-foot-ceiling, thereby enticing one to enter the space in a captivating manner.

Now, according to Parker, homes often feature single-height ceilings. Although this isn’t inherently a poor choice, it doesn’t offer much visual appeal either. If you’re constructing a house or starting a significant remodel, Parker strongly suggests asking your architect whether raising the ceiling height could be an option for enhancing the space visually. Literally .

As you start planning, consider how this decision impacts framing, roof design, and numerous other crucial aspects," she advises. "During renovations, raising a ceiling might be feasible in spaces where the roofing trusses allow for an incline. This opportunity should generally be seized whenever possible.

Stained Glass

Who wouldn’t desire to view their surroundings through rose-tinted, amber-hued, or sapphire-stained lenses? Although we sometimes catch sight of stained glass in contemporary houses—which This Chicago getaway created by Summer Thornton —It's nowhere near as popular as it was during the 19th and 20th centuries.

"These artworks bring immense personality, vibrancy, and narrative to a space," explains Claire Staszak. Centered by Design . "They are also a wonderful starting point for storytelling and color palette development."

In contrast to the biblical imagery commonly found in traditional church windows, stained glass from the Arts and Crafts era frequently featured geometric designs and motifs inspired by nature. Nevertheless, even though modern minimalist full-length windows may be trending, this does not preclude incorporating stained glass elements into home decor. As Staszak suggests, consider installing stained glass panels onto cupboard doors or swapping out a regular internal door for one adorned with vintage stained glass—these can easily be sourced from numerous secondhand stores!

Laundry Chutes

Those who dread hauling a large load of soiled garments to their washing machine probably long for the days when laundry chutes were common. Indeed, Janine Carendi MacMurray of AREA Interior Design says laundry chutes and Small dumbwaiters would make useful additions to modern households.

"She points out that the laundry chute significantly reduced effort and strain by enablingdirty clothes to be directly deposited into the laundry room. Additionally, she notes that the dumbwaiter made it easy to transport items like food, firewood, or suitcases without having to climb stairs," she adds.

During the height of the Gilded Age, dumbwaiters gained significant popularity in the 1700s as they provided an efficient method for homeowners and servants to transport meals and various goods across different levels without interfering with the primary living spaces. In contrast, laundry chutes started becoming commonplace in multi-story homes throughout the 1800s, facilitating easier disposal of dirty clothes from upper floors.

Nevertheless, with the rise of one-story houses and apartment living, laundry chutes and dumbwaiters lost some of their former necessity. Thankfully, according to MacMurray, it’s still feasible to incorporate such elements into contemporary residences nowadays.

She points out that numerous closets and wall spaces provide excellent areas for installation, allowing you to incorporate a laundry chute within an existing closet or between wall studs. Additionally, contemporary dumbwaiters, which come with motorized systems, make a great enhancement for multi-story residences.