Throwback: things you just never see in homes anymore

Over the decades, trends in home design have come and gone: from the flowery wallpaper of the 1960s to royal blue and rust-coloured feature walls of the early 2000s, very few trends have stood the test time.

We've compiled a list of the features that were once crucial aspects of a modern, functional home that you just don't see anymore.

The home phone

The home phone was always surrounded by a pile of (now historical) items like the phone book (where all the business numbers were) and a Teledex (where all your friends' numbers were).

If you were organised, you had a notepad and pen handy to take messages or write down important information from the call (like what time hockey training started that week). More affluent homes had an answering machine that would record a message from your caller in case you were out. Gone are the days of pretending to look for something to eat in the fridge while listening in to mum gossiping with friends!

Soap dishes

The humble soap dish dates all the way back to the seventh century and since the late 1800s was a standard addition to every bath, shower or hand basin.

But thanks to the popularity of pump hand soap and body washes, the soap dish has been made redundant. They can still definitely be found in older properties and certain styles of homes but it's more likely you’ll see a more modern recesses lined with expensive shampoos. 

Linoleum

Linoleum - or lino - was the kitchen and dining flooring of choice up until the 1970s when tiles reigned supreme. A durable floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), pine resin, ground cork dust and sawdust, lino had a burlap or canvas backing.

The smoothness of kitchen lino was perfect for sliding on in your socks as a kid, but spill cordial on it and it would be sticky for days! 

A separate garage 

The attached garage is a fairly recent phenomenon in home design. The first garages were actually horse stables that were converted into storage space for automobiles. These early garages were often located in the back of a home or on the side of a street.

Up until the 1980s, garages were usually separate to the home and generally housed one vehicle, a workshop area and camping equipment (and other things you wanted to hide from your neighbours). Today, an internal garage is non-negotiable. And with the invention of new technologies such as electric car chargers and home automation systems, the garage is becoming a vital part of the modern home.

Stereos 

Listening to music has changed so drastically in the past 20 years that an important social space in the home has become virtually non-existent. Thanks to technology that now allows us to stream music from our devices, we no longer need space to house huge stereo systems or speakers.

Homes of the past would have grand oversized cupboards, sideboards or cabinets that stored record players, tape players, an AMP and of course the treasured vinyl collection. This was often a showpiece of the home - especially for those who loved to host - and was often part of, or adjacent to, a liquor cabinet: a total home listening/leisure experience. 

Computer desks 

The home PC in the 1980s and 90s had its own massive desk in the dining or sun room, and in some cases had its own room. The bulky accessories required to have a complete set-up included a phone line output, modem, mousepad and don't forget all those CDs for burning all your favourite music hits.

Remember how the pull-out keyboard shelf would always get jammed? Thank the Lord for laptops. We'd love to see the home study go back to being called 'the computer room', you know, just for the giggles.