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None. I have features I don't use, but I knew I wouldn't use them and didn't really want them. The soaker tub in the master bath hasn't been used and the fireplace gets used once a year. Everything I wanted, we use.
One home we had a formal front stairs and a back stairs.
Thought it would make it easier...it didn't. The back stairs just added more steps when trying to find the kids!!
We finally shut it off and made a bigger storage wall since it was off the kitchen.
Granted it was an alternative exit for fire escapes...
-Deep Jacuzzi tub (as many have said). Too much water, too much fuel used and too much time to fill. I live a very green lifestyle and burning so much gas for a 15 minute soak is not worth it. Came with a house I owned. I would never install one.
-Gas fireplace. Gas line already installed in a house i owned. I installed a burner 'log' thing. Thought I would use it as an alternative to the work and soot for a wood fire. Hardly ever did.
-Big yard. One of my first homes had a very small yard and I thought that I would regret it. I didn't at all. Plenty of room for everything. Opposite of question asked but aligned in theme.
-Electric heated towel rack. Came with house. Never used. Too wasteful. Too much time to heat up. By the time it's heated, it's too late. Also presumably to boost heat in the bathroom. I don't spend too much time in there so again, by the time it has an effect, it's too late.
-Double bathroom sinks. Never had in my permanent homes and i hope I never will. Sounds like a great idea that you and your partner can get ready at the same time but a dumb idea in practice. Stayed in many hotels and temporary apartments with them and never, ever used them as designed. Just looks and feels wasteful and indulgent to me. Would rather have a higher quality single sink.
-Wet room. Also never had in a permanent home but did have in temporary places. Like a separate shower. When I'm done showering I want to get out and into a dry space. I do like the idea of a drain that can be used to clean the whole bathroom floor so if it's technically a wet room, I prefer a wall separator for the shower.
-Vaulted ceilings. Some modest vaulting if well integrated with the architecture can be nice but I once had a rented place with a vast, wasted vaulted ceiling. Did nothing to enhance the design or living in the place. Made it feel the opposite of cozy. Wasteful to heat and keep painted, etc. Prior to that I lived in an apartment with a low ceiling so I found it refreshing for the first couple of days.
-Steam oven. Forget it.
-Fire pit. Forget it.
-Hot water dispenser. Too much energy used for the infrequent use.
Things that I've learned over the years to be very useful and perhaps relied upon more than originally thought:
-kitchen exhaust fan/filter. worth getting the best you can afford and have it vented properly to the outside of the house
-bathroom exhaust fan. Also worth investing in the best/strongest. Moisture kills a house and after a shower I want fresh air, not stale moist air in the bathroom.
-'Smart' heating control and smart metering (knowing exactly what fuel/electric you use by the minute). Helps to live more efficiently.
-Wok ring. I cook Asian a lot. Like the high power gas jets and ability to use a proper round wok.
Has anyone actually ever used a pot-filler over the stove in a home?
Ugh. A solution looking for a problem. I think many put these in to make their kitchens look more "commercial". You still need to lift the pot off of your stove when you are done.
You guys are killing me. I'd sell my soul for a deep soaking tub. I love water.
This is something that came with my house, but it had three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. I used the master bath all the time (thank God it only had one sink), but the only time I even entered the other bathroom was to clean it. I'd eliminate one bedroom and the 2nd full bathroom if I could. One bedroom was a small workshop for me and the other I just used for temporary storage. What a waste of space.
I thought we'd use the fireplace a lot more, but we almost never do. Too sooty, too stinky, and I don't like leaving fires to burn down after I go to bed (which can take forever), so we rarely ever start one. I think we might use a gas one more, but no gas lines to the property, so I guess we'll never know. As it is - it just takes up wall space where I wish I could put furniture instead.
-Hot water dispenser. Too much energy used for the infrequent use.
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Depends on this one. with a regular water heater we pay to keep water hot while it is being stored. With tank less water heating you only heat on demand. The way to save money with it is to have the entire home on tank less water heating. Cost to set up a system on a new built home is more economical then retrofitting I have heard.
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