These 8 Outdated Home Features Are Making A Comeback, But Some Buyers Still Cannot Stand Seeing Other Dated Features In A House

Remember the formal dining room your grandmother polished every Sunday? Or the wallpaper that covered half your childhood home?

A vintage kitchen with floral wallpaper, retro cabinets and a sink under a curtained window.

Some of those old-fashioned touches are quietly sneaking back into homes. Real estate agents and brokerages say designers and buyers are taking a second look at features that once looked tired.

Not everything is welcome, though. Agents also report that other dated details still make buyers wince, and we cover those at the end. First, here are eight old favorites that are making a comeback, according to the sources named below.

The Butler’s Pantry Is Back And Hiding In Plain Sight

Jessica Feuerstein, a real estate agent in Armonk, New York, told Apartment Therapy that butler’s pantries are “returning as functional spaces hidden away from the main kitchen.”

The article says they fell out of favor because of limited space and changing social norms. Now they are coming back as a place to tuck away the mess.

Freestanding Bathtubs Bring A Spa Feeling Home

Elina Edelman, also a real estate agent in Armonk, told Apartment Therapy that freestanding tubs “add a spa-like element to the bathroom that feels indulgent yet functional.”

The article notes that most homes now have showers as standard, and some have no tub at all. That may be why a standout tub feels special again. A home design site, The Thrifty Apartment, also lists clawfoot and freestanding tubs among features that are “suddenly back in style.”

Wallpaper Returns As An Easy Way To Make A Statement

Feuerstein says “wallpaper offers an easy way to make a bold statement,” according to Apartment Therapy. The article adds that wallpaper has long been associated with dated interiors.

LRG Realty, a real estate group, describes it returning as accent walls and peel-and-stick patterns, such as bold botanicals and geometric prints.

Checkerboard Floors Make A Comeback

The LRG Realty blog, written by Candice Witt and reviewed by Mayra Torres, lists checkerboard tile as a returning trend. It describes black-and-white or muted versions in entryways and bathrooms.

The Thrifty Apartment also mentions checkerboard tile floors in kitchens, bathrooms and entryways, with softer color pairings.

Dark Wood Floors And Cabinets Replace The All-White Look

According to LRG Realty, walnut and espresso tones are replacing the all-white kitchen look. The Thrifty Apartment likewise lists dark wood furniture, cabinetry and floors, paired with lighter finishes and modern lighting.

If your grandparents’ cabinets were dark, you may have been ahead of the curve.

The Formal Dining Room Is Not Going Anywhere

LRG Realty says defined dining spaces are reappearing in new construction. A 2017 WTOP report found similar interest.

WTOP quoted Eric Heuser of homebuilder Taylor Morrison, who cited research by Wakefield Research that included surveys of 1,000 buyers. It reported that 80 percent of boomers want the space as a dining room. Millennials, Heuser said, still want the room but may use it as an office, party room, playroom or craft room.

Sunken Living Rooms Step Back Into Style

LRG Realty lists sunken living rooms among its comeback trends. It says modern versions use subtle level changes of about two to three steps.

That is a gentle version of the conversation pit many remember from the past.

Closed Floor Plans And Separate Rooms Return

The Thrifty Apartment says closed floor plans, with separate rooms, formal dining areas, studies, parlors and libraries, are replacing open-concept layouts in some homes.

The article names no experts or surveys behind this, so think of it as a trend report rather than a rule. Still, anyone who has tried to talk on the phone in an open kitchen may nod along.

Comeback does not mean every old feature is welcome. In a 2022 Apartment Therapy piece, “The 5 Dated Features That Homebuyers Always Notice,” agents named the ones that still turn buyers off.

Ian Katz, a licensed associate broker at Compass in New York City, said wall-to-wall carpet reads as outdated, and buyers may feel a previous owner’s life is “trapped in there.” Jeff Tricoli of Tricoli Team Real Estate in Palm Beach County, Florida, said popcorn ceilings collect dirt, and homes built before the mid-1980s may contain asbestos.

Dawn Templeton, a designated broker near Boise, Idaho, said younger buyers often see sliding barn doors as better suited to a restaurant or wedding venue than a home. The WTOP report adds that popcorn ceilings (29%), wood paneling (28%) and shag carpeting (19%) were among the outdated features that prospective buyers said they would like to remodel in their current homes, according to WTOP.

Judy Chin of Re/Max Villa Realtors in Edgewater, New Jersey, said bulky wrought-iron patio sets can make outdoor spaces feel dated, and buyers now prefer “cleaner lines.” Rose Kemp of Re/Max Town Centre in Orlando said buyers increasingly want low-maintenance, water-wise landscaping instead of high-maintenance formal gardens.

The lesson: use a retro touch you truly love, and keep your resale buyer in mind. Taste changes, and so does the market.

If you are shopping for a home, remember that one buyer’s charming retro detail is another buyer’s project. Walk through with an open mind, and picture how you would actually live in each room.

Willow and Hearth