6 Things From the 1800s Designers Want to See More of in Homes Today
Looking to the past, rather than following fleeting current trends, is one of the best ways to inspire a truly unique home design. From retro furniture to antique ceramics, it’s long been known that the best homes decorate with vintage – they mix and match, blending different eras to create rooms that are timeless.
While every era has its hits and misses, the 1800s were filled with inventive, beautiful, well-made design additions that continue to feel just as timeless as they did over two hundred years ago. From architectural features that complement traditional house styles to intricate design details that elevate even the most modern of settings, there are many 1800s elements that are highly sought after today.
1. Decorative Moldings
Crown molding not only makes a room feel finished, but adds an extra decorative detail that instantly elevates a space.
(Image credit: Future/ Jonathan Gooch)
From ceiling trim to ornate rosettes, decorative moldings bring a timeless elegance to homes when done well. ‘Bring back the 1800s decorative elements that add beauty and delight to homes!’ says interior designer Shannon Crain. ‘In homes today, I would love to see more fine details like decorative plaster work with rosettes, moldings, corbels, and casings to inject whimsy and traditional elements into modern-day designs.’
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‘I wish we saw more plaster ornamentation in homes today,’ agrees interior designer Liz Caan. ‘It’s such a beautiful material for interior moldings and decorative details. Unlike wood, plaster doesn’t expand and contract with seasonal changes, so it creates a more stable finish. It also takes paint beautifully, and the profiles can be far more refined and delicate than those achieved in wood.’
‘I’d love to incorporate some special plaster accents into my own home,’ adds Liz. ‘I’ve been imagining sculptural plaster flowers, inspired by the oversized blooms in my dining room wallpaper, scattered across the ceiling to add an unexpected detail and some personality to an otherwise unadorned surface.’
2. Big Front Porches
Traditional porches are the perfect way to enjoy the delights of every season.
(Image credit: Serena and Lily)
Whether it’s a shingle-style home with a wide porch for enjoying views of the Cape or a Federal-style home with a white-painted veranda, a traditional porch is an architectural feature we could see more of today.
‘If I could add any 1800s feature to my own home, I’d send all vehicles to the alleyways and bring back a deep front porch for socializing and community,’ says Gina Elkins of Studio Casa Vita. ‘Imagine the magic of a porch for sitting and watching the sunset, for sipping iced tea with a breeze, for enjoying the company of neighbors, and smelling the fragrance from large flower-filled urns and nearby tree-lined streets. A dream!’
Sunrooms, too, have a timeless, heritage feel that allows you to enjoy the delights of the season and surrounding views. And let’s not forget the little-known sleeping porch, and 1800s feature, designed for the utmost relaxation in the warmer months.
3. Quality Hardware
Quality hardware like drawer pulls and handles brings enduring elegance to kitchens.
(Image credit: deVOL Kitchens)
It’s not just architectural features that bring charm and character to homes today. Small details like vintage kitchen hardware make all the difference to spaces in need of a little story and patina. Think brass knockers, ornate drawer pulls, and even hinges.
Lauren Sullivan of Well x Design explains, ‘I’d love to see more ornamental plasterwork and ceiling medallions, original solid hardware, and substantial fireplaces. Those details gave older homes so much character and individuality. Even used selectively in a newer home, they can add a level of craftsmanship that’s difficult to replicate.’
When asked what one thing from the 1800s she’d add to her home, Lauren said, ‘I’d add more original architectural hardware and reclaimed or aged stone. Both bring a depth and sense of age that’s very difficult to reproduce with something new.’
4. Intentional Rooms
Rooms like pantries and mudrooms feel intentional and thoughtful.
(Image credit: Future)
‘The nineteenth century believed in rooms, and I wish we did too,’ begins John Maloney McNamara of Coosa. ‘Somewhere along the way, we decided every square foot of a house needed to see every other square foot, as though walls only divided things. But walls are what let a house contain more than one world: a bright morning room, a quiet library, a busy happy kitchen. Remove them, and every room becomes the same room, all day, forever. Are great rooms really all that great?’
‘What I miss most are the clever inventions that let homes be both connected and private. Pocket doors might be my favorite example. They’re wonderfully diplomatic. You can throw a party with them open and reclaim a sense of calm the moment they’re closed. They solved the “open concept versus closed plan” debate more than a century ago, and somehow we forgot the answer.’
‘The same goes for transom windows. They let light and air move freely without sacrificing the dignity of separate rooms. That’s the part I think we’ve lost: older homes understood that privacy and brightness weren’t mutually exclusive.’
5. Vestibules
Entryways should be inviting and create an instant impression.
(Image credit: Olivine Design / Styling Hannah Deacon / Photography Simon Bevan)
‘I’d love to see the return of the vestibule,’ says John, ‘starting with the word itself. Nobody says vestibule anymore. We say foyer if we’re feeling fancy, entry if we’re being honest, and often the honest answer is that there isn’t one at all.’
‘Walking through a front door shouldn’t feel like stumbling directly into the middle of someone’s life. A vestibule creates a small moment of transition, a chance to leave the outside behind before stepping into the home. It’s subtle, but it changes how a house feels.’
‘The one feature I’d never give up (or would add if it weren’t already there) is a proper vestibule,’ he adds. ‘I’ve never bought a house without one, and I never will. When the front door opens straight into the living room, the entire house feels smaller, no matter its square footage. I like a home that lets you arrive before it lets you in.’
6. Wooden Accents
Hand-carved wooden railings add character to any style of home, new or old.
(Image credit: Future)
‘As a designer who loves even a new home to feel lived-in, I wish we celebrated craftsmanship the way that it was in the late 1800s,’ says Sarah Fontanez of Pomme House. ‘Ornate moldings were created by hand and stair railings were carved from solid pieces of wood by master carpenters – let’s bring back the Arts and Crafts Movement.’
Wood paneling and carved railings will add architectural charm to a room that doesn’t have any. Whether you’re hunting for vintage designs to add to your home or taking inspiration from the past with a new design, thoughtful details that are handmade and steeped in history bring story to a space.
‘I would add paneling to give it character,’ adds Sarah, ‘it’s a non-invasive way to add charm to a space. Layer different profiles and don’t be afraid to play with scale, but don’t keep it to just one wall; apply it to the whole room.’
1800s-Inspired Shopping
No matter your house’s age, these six timeless design moments will bring enduring sophistication to any corner of your home.
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