Most of the time a sleeping porch will only be found if you have a cabin on the lake or an older-style home, but lots of people enjoyed them and still enjoy them. It’s been said that having fresh air blowing through your bedroom is a sure-fire way to get better sleep and stay asleep longer.
A sleeping porch traditionally has plenty of windows that allow for a great breeze, as well as a sitting area to be used to take breakfast, have some tea during the day, or play games with the kids.
This One's Almost Sad
Fireplaces were once one of the most important items in the house. Before the advent of central heating, families would gather around the fireplace when the sun went down to stay warm and spend time together.
You're probably thinking “but there are plenty of fireplaces around. I have one!” And you're right. However, these fireplaces are often gas or electric and not wood. And while that's not exactly a bad thing – they're safer, cheaper, and cleaner – there's something about the smell of wood smoke, the snapping and popping embers, and the in-and-out waves of heat that you might end up missing.
There are Much Better Ways to Stay Warm
After fireplaces, radiators became the common way to keep your home heated during the cooler months. Radiators are still around technically, but they've moved to HVAC vents that bring warm and cold air around much faster and cheaper. Radiators did their best to disperse hot air but were frequently faulty, and required constant expensive upkeep.
Once HVAC took over, radiators were either merged with the system or disposed of. They have a healthy dose of old-world charm, but if you're trying to keep your home warm, you're better off ignoring them.
Hello, Operator? Get Me a Better Method of Communicating
Long before cell phones came about, if you needed to talk to a family member in another part of the house, you might use a speaking tube. These metal pipes ran through the walls and let you shout at each other to request more tea, ask about dinner, or trade juicy house gossip.
Believe it or not, a few places still utilize these devices: Naval ships and playgrounds. Communication is paramount on the first to avoid dangerous accidents, and for the second, why, what's more fun than shouting into a tube and having your friend on the other side of the park hear it?
Kchh, We're Getting Closer, Kchh
After speaking tubes stopped making sense, intercoms filled the void in almost-useful home communication. Set in walls and featured in numerous rooms around the house, you could toggle these intercoms to speak to certain places, adjust volume, and even ask who was at the front door. During their heyday, they were the height of convenient tech, but if you still have one in your home, it's just waiting to be removed.
The funny thing is, these have kind of made a comeback – front door cameras and speakers are essentially doing the same thing, just with better methods and technology.