Here at Country Living, we love old houses. (Yes, even the potentially haunted ones.)renovating instead of demolishing. (Just make sure you do your homework before buying!) Below, weve gathered up a few of our favorite architectural and design features found in old houses that we think are worth celebratingand bringing back!Love Old Homes? Check Out These Other Stories: 1Dutch DoorsTim Street PorterThe Dutch may have mastered dreamy oil paintings and the tulip trade, but to us their best invention is the simple two-piece door meant to let air in and keep animals out. Chock full of quintessentially country charm, the Dutch door comes in a variety of styles that work throughout the house. Just be sure you pair it with the proper hardwarepick bolt locks for farmhouse ease and quadrant locks for a cool-girl Colonial feel.RELATED: Check out even more Dutch doors we love!2Transom WindowsEric PiaseckiTransoms above doors arent just beautiful, theyre also practical. When left open, they allow rising hot air to circulate, making them a perfect choice for kitchens or throughout warm-climate homes. TOUR THIS HOUSERELATED: These Are Our Best Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas Ever Advertisement - Continue Reading Below3Interior ShuttersBrie Williams for Country Living Interior shutters were once a staple in homes, especially those built in warm weather climates, yet we rarely seem them on newer builds. Not only are they a zero-energy way to keep your house cool, but they also provide unparalleled levels of privacy. Plus, theyre dripping with old school charm! RELATED: These Are The Must-Have Window Treatments for Your Sliding Glass Doors4Fanciful Knobs and HardwareBecky Luigart-Stayner for Country LivingA doorknob is never simply a doorknob. At least, not in our world! In fact, its the handcrafted hardware found in older homes that makes them so charming in the first place. If youre looking for an easy upgrade, swap out your builder-grade hardware for something special. Explore architectural salvage shops and sites for the real deal or check out designer-favorite shops such as Rejuvenation or Antique Hardware Supply for a curated selection of ready-to-install porcelain and glass knobs. RELATED: Looking for Antique Hardware? Check Out the Best Places to Shop for Antiques, According to Our EditorsAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below5Butlers PantriesBrie Williams for Country LivingThe butlers pantry, also known as a scullery, especially across the pond, historically sat off the kitchen near the dining room and was used as a place to store dinnerware and serving pieces and to stage food during formal gatherings. Today, theyre prized for their incredible storage and ability to show off special collections of dinnerware. TOUR THIS HOUSERELATED: Love the Look of an English Kitchen? Here are 12 More Ways to Bring Classic English Charm to Your Kitchen6Separate RoomsHelen NormanOpen floors plans are all well and good, but do you really want your dinner guests staring at your messy kitchen? Probably not. Post-pandemic, designers and homeowners are returning to the era of purpose-driven rooms and saying goodbye to the open floor plan, opting instead for closed-off dining rooms, lounges, and offices.RELATED: This Trend Signals the End of the Open Floor Plan EraAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below7Built-In FeaturesStacy Zarin GoldbergWoodworkers of yesteryear roll in their graves every time someone buys a standalone shelving unit. (Theyre simply never the right proportion!) The charming built-in shelves and china cabinetsand even the ever-charming dining banquette!found throughout older homes were constructed right along with the house, so they blend in seamlessly with the structure itself. RELATED: Caf Curtains Are Back! Heres How to Get Them Right8Stained GlassSara Ligorria-TrampPopular throughout America since the Victorian era, stained glass windows were the original dopamine decorating. In the age of builder-grade sameness, its high time stained glass accents make a comeback.TOUR THIS HOUSERELATED: Find Out More About Stained Glass and How to Use it in Your Home TodayAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below9Sleeping PorchesRead McKendree for Country LivingWhats more luxurious than sleeping with the windows open? Sleeping on the porch! Popular in old houses throughout the south, these porches offered cooler sleeping conditions during long, humid nights in the years before air conditioning. TOUR THIS HOUSERELATED: Our Best Screened-In Porch Ideas Ever 10ClotheslinesIngalls PhotoTheres something so charming about a humble clothesline billowing in the breeze. Plus, who doesnt love the smell of freshly dried sheets? Were calling it now: 2025 is the year this energy-saving laundry method makes a comeback. RELATED: Our Best Laundry Room Decorating Ideas of All-Time Anna LoganSenior Homes & Style EditorAnna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything youve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When shes not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram. Elizabeth FinkelsteinElizabeth Finkelstein and her husband, Ethan Finkelstein, are the brains behind the popular Instagram and newsletter Cheap Old Houses. Together, they restore historic homes in HGTVs series Whos Afraid of a Cheap Old House? Elizabeth grew up in an 1850s home lovingly restored by her parents, so her love for crown molding and peeling wallpaper runs in her gene pool. She holds a masters degree in historic preservation and has put in years of professional work restoring old houses. While not filming or nurturing the vast and wonderful @cheapoldhouses community, the couple spends time restoring their own cheap old farmhouse a little slice of heaven they snagged for a cool $70,000.