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1. They always have multiple bathrooms, and the bathrooms are huge.
2. Its likely nobody died in them
The downsides of course are
1. New houses are much more likely to be built on former cemetaries
2. The workmanship is far more shoddy
3. In general, the building materials are of lower quality, and most are stick houses.
4. Most are in tract housing
5. They are generally overly big
6. They are more likely to be built on "repurposed" grounds, such as landfills, "reclaimed" land or in areas that used to be mines.
I've had old (late 19th century), older (early and mid 20th century, and new (built in 2002). From my experience I prefer a 20th century house that I could buy with enough money left over to do the changes I would like to fit my tastes and lifestyle. My current 2002 home has cost me every bit as much per-year in repairs as the house I had that was built in 1927.
You know sometimes people admire things because they are beautiful. However, living in one may be impractical for some people. I love some of the cosmetic features of old homes. However, I would find it impractical to live in a house that consists of a series of tiny little box sized rooms. So while I might love to go on an old homes tour I would not want to live in a really old house just because it had some woodwork in it.
My brother lived in an old house in Chicago and it was really pretty but every single room was tiny. I don't understand why anyone ever built rooms that small.
My grandma's 14-room, early 1800s Colonial Georgian (now occupied by my cousin and his family, never having left the family) has huge rooms with 12-ft ceilings and picture windows. Not all historic homes are small/have small rooms. "Old homes" do not come in one architectural style.
My grandma's 14-room, early 1800s Colonial Georgian (now occupied by my cousin and his family, never having left the family) has huge rooms with 12-ft ceilings and picture windows. Not all historic homes are small/have small rooms. "Old homes" do not come in one architectural style.
I am sure that is true but I just remember my brother's house. One of the rooms was so small and had so many breaks in the wall that the room was absolutely jam packed with just the baby's crib and changing table. If I could find a house with the charm and detail of an older home with the proportions of a new house I would love that. There is a lot to like about older houses but most of the ones I have seen are not as practical as new houses.
In my area hurricanes are an issue and there are not may really really old houses still standing.
Didn't say can't. I said we mostly had to buy antiques. We had a mix of old and new, but it's harder/more expensive to find stuff that looks good in a Queen Anne Victorian. And even harder to find functional rather than just decorative stuff. New homes have built ins, but our Victorian had very small ones so we had to buy cupboards - that gets expensive and eats into your space. Silk curtains are more expensive than simple blinds etc and the hardware can get expensive as well. Old stuff (or new stuff that looks old) looks good, but it can be total PITA a lot of the time. YMMV, especially with a home from a different time period.
Boo boo, you did not have to buy silk curtains. That was a personal choice, not because of the house. Old house doesnt equal old stuff. There are lots of furniture and curtains that are even from places like Ikea that would look hella good in an older victorian house. It's all about styling. Sometimes you have to get a little bit more creative with things since the house doesn't already come with built ins. An old armoir from a yard sale, a little sanding and some wood stain, would give it that old antique look without the price.
Yep, I live in a vintage bungalow, myself; one of the vintage styles of single-dwelling homes that is most common in Chicago, there is even a specific Chicago Bungalow style. Mine is not this style, but here is an example of the Chicago bungalow.
The rooms are small, and the walls are quite interrupted by windows, archways, and a variety of built-ins, so arranging furniture and appliances has certain constraints. On the other hand, the built-ins negate the need for quiet a bit of furniture, and are a very practical feature, so it does tend to even out, on our end. We don't have children, though, and our space needs are quite simple by comparison to those of large families.
Boo boo, you did not have to buy silk curtains. That was a personal choice, not because of the house. Old house doesnt equal old stuff. There are lots of furniture and curtains that are even from places like Ikea that would look hella good in an older victorian house. It's all about styling. Sometimes you have to get a little bit more creative with things since the house doesn't already come with built ins. An old armoir from a yard sale, a little sanding and some wood stain, would give it that old antique look without the price.
We bought some silk curtains and made some of them. We could not find anything else that looked good and we looked and looked and looked. We did 'creative' with some of the closets, but in the end it was either a giant time suck or expensive, or both.
Our experience was that owning and decorating an old house is more of a hobby. I already have plenty of hobbies and don't need another one.
I'm definitely in the corner of different strokes for different folks but I don't think that many people would find my 85 y.o. living room particularly creepy- cluttered maybe
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Even though it is a modest sized house and room, the details in this house would be difficult and prohibitively expensive to replicate in new construction, (a friend of mine rued the day he decided to build a replica of our fireplace in his home- $35k later it's a beautiful fireplace, but...) and it is those details; wood floors, mahogany windows, plaster arches and chunky plaster crown in the ceilings, original hammered sconces.., that I think make for a very warm and architecturally interesting home.
and there is something definitely creepy to me to have a flat, small backyard with nothing more than a rectangle of turf and a redwood fence, maybe a couple of shrubs and a (builder's choice) sapling or two if you're lucky.
I'd rather be in the city but feel like I'm in the woods with mature landscaping and trees, glorious mature trees all around me to ponder at.
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But again, folks have different priorities, budgets and stages in their lives that dictate much of our housing decisions and those ultimately will override some of our dream desires in them. Just enjoy your life make your home a happy and comfortable place for your family wherever you are.
My daughter would love that room. She spends her time and money to achieve that look and I say power to her.
To me personally, the room is way cluttered and dark. De gustibus non est disputandum.
1. New houses are much more likely to be built on former cemetaries
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OK This just became my favorite post in this thread!
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Newer houses tend to be in suburbs which tend to have higher performing schools.
That was a personal choice, not because of the house. Old house doesnt equal old stuff. There are lots of furniture and curtains that are even from places like Ikea that would look hella good in an older victorian house. It's all about styling. Sometimes you have to get a little bit more creative with things since the house doesn't already come with built ins. An old armoir from a yard sale, a little sanding and some wood stain, would give it that old antique look without the price.
