40 Stunning Photos From This Online Group That’s Dedicated To Showcasing Old Homes That People Actually Live In

The Old Houses subreddit was created in 2015 and has amassed an impressive 24k members since then. The community is encouraged to “post DIY, find architectural styles, document historical preservation and restoration in your area, nerd out on building styles, see utilities and services progress with time” and share everything old and residential. There are only two simple rules to be followed in this community: posts must be about old houses, and commercial buildings are not welcome. The concept of this subreddit is straightforward, but the beautiful photos it features are anything but boring.

From stunning Victorian homes to delightful Tudors, these houses belong in every architecture lovers’ dreams. They have so much character, so if you’re not already an aficionado of old homes, we think you will be by the time you reach the end of this list! If you’re wondering what the appeal of an old home is, we consulted Everyday Old House to find out some reasons why older homes are superior to new ones. The first reasons they note are the charm and character that many old houses have. “Old homes boast a welcoming charm and quaintness you don’t usually see with new builds,” Jen at Everyday Old House writes. “Historic houses reflect a variety of architectural styles, like Victorian and Craftsman, that possess distinctive architectural characteristics that you don’t see in newer homes.”

Old homes typically were built with higher caliber materials and better craftsmanship than newer houses as well. "For example, wood in old houses was cut from ‘old growth’, which has proven to be more stable, durable, and more rot-resistant than today’s wood,” Jen explains. “Another example is plaster.  Old homes used plaster for walls, which is more durable than today’s drywall.  Plaster outperforms drywall in superior insulation, soundproofing, fireproofing, and mold-resistance. Unfortunately, the standard practice today is to install inexpensive, manufactured materials such as particle board and drywall to cut down on costs.”

Similar to clothing, furniture and many other items that are produced cheaply today, homes a century ago were built with a different mindset. They were made to last and to be repaired rather than replaced. Families do not often live in their homes for 50+ years nowadays, and unfortunately, many areas mass produce homes as quickly as possible simply for profit. Cheap materials are chosen, and the emphasis on having unique features in your home that will last a lifetime is often lost. And it's easy to tell the difference when comparing a new home to an old one.

Old homes usually have beautiful features that we don’t often find in newer builds. Many houses today are cookie-cutter replicas of one another and are built to be bland to appeal to wide audiences. But the special features that old houses have should never be overlooked, and if you find a gem that still has these characteristics, snatch it up! Bob Vila shared on their blog some of the best features many old homes have that we don’t often see today, and the first one they noted is Dutch doors. These are those wonderful doors that were popular with 18th-century Dutch settlers in the Northeastern United States that are split in half, so that one half can be opened at a time. The first house I lived in as a kid had one of these doors in the kitchen, and they were great for letting some fresh air in or allowing my mom to speak to us while we were playing outside, without inviting every little creature in the yard into our home.  

Laundry chutes are another lovely feature that many old homes have that for some reason, we don’t often see being built today. Both houses that I grew up in happened to have a laundry chute, and they were incredibly convenient for my entire family. Rather than keeping a bag of dirty laundry in my bedroom or having to lug all of my clothes down the stairs, I had the luxury of just sending them down the chute and then washing them whenever I had time during the week. Plus, it’s pretty fun for kids to open up a small chute and send whatever they like down into the laundry room! If my memory serves me correctly, some toys and stuffed animals ended up making their way down there from time to time as well… 

One feature of 1970s era homes that I’m sad to announce has gone out of style is an intercom system being built into the home. The first house I lived in actually did have one of these, but it was no longer in use by the time we moved in during the 90s. Sure, we all have cell phones, and it’s easy enough to just shout to whoever is in the next room. But having a conversation with your family members via a home intercom just sounds like way too much fun. Nobody has to yell or walk to another room! Whoever came up with this idea was really onto something, and it’s unfortunate that homes built today don’t often utilize this feature. 

There are some aspects of old homes that we might even consider magical today, such as hidden bookcase doors. It’s quite rare to find a modern home with secret compartments, but for some reason, bookcase doors were all the rage back in the day, particularly in Victorian times. On a similar note, an old house is much more likely to feature pocket doors than a newer home. Pocket doors are those adorable, sliding doors that slip right into the wall, rather than having to be opened into or out of the room you’re entering. These save space, are so cute and make a room look much cleaner than a door that sticks out. I say, bring back the pocket doors!