He is the first North American pontiff to be elected leader of the Catholic Church
You might not have given this fact much thought, but as technology and our lifestyles evolve, so does the need for certain furniture. For example, telephone tables were built with a specific, practical function in mind, which is no longer necessary with our smartphones of today. In addition to its functionality, furniture can also contribute to the style or decor of a space. Secretary bookcases, for example, provided the benefit of both storage space and a convenient work surface. And while many of these items were highly fashionable in the first half of the 20th century, they have now disappeared from contemporary homes.
Click on to discover pieces of furniture that were once popular, but you'll probably never see in most modern homes today.
Modern homes don't really have traditional dining rooms, and without a space for formal entertaining, there's really no need for an oversized cabinet to display fine dishware.
When the telephone was patented in 1876, early models were combined with telephone books, which required special tables where these could rest.
As they became more common in households between the '30s and '50s, telephone tables also grew in popularity as decorative and functional furniture pieces. Many included a shelf or drawer to store notepads and pens for messages.
Used to conveniently store sewing supplies, sewing cabinets focused on functionality.
These cabinets were quite popular during the Great Depression, as they were an inexpensive furniture option during a financially difficult time.
Hulking cabinets for amplifiers, speakers, and two or three differently formatted players are just not necessary with today's technology. Unless you're a vinyl record enthusiast, of course!
Also known as secretaires, these were first seen in France during the mid-1700s. The top half had shelves, and the bottom half had larger drawers or cabinets for storage. The middle had a drop-down writing surface, which hid smaller cubbies used for storing paper, pens, and other desk items.
As letter writing fell out of fashion and styles moved towards more minimalist decor, secretaires became less common.
Remember these? Now that most people digitally download music, an entire family's audio library can fit on a device the size of a wallet. So there's really no need to clutter up the living room corner with this piece of furniture anymore.
Hope chests, also known as dowry chests, were introduced in Italy during the 1400s as beautifully carved containers that women used to store and save items for their future married lives. They were filled with everything from household items like sheets and dishes to more personal items like lingerie and clothing.
The use of hope chests declined throughout the second half of the 20th century. However, some Amish communities maintain the tradition of gifting them to newly married couples.
Washstands were a small table or cabinet, most commonly made of mahogany, walnut, or rosewood, and made for holding a wash basin and water pitcher.
Dating back as early as the 1500s, their popularity continued to grow during the 1800s. However, washstands were ultimately rendered unnecessary as indoor plumbing became more common in households.
Often seen in shows and movies set in and around the '20s and '30s, vanity tables were once a bedroom staple.
A status symbol, these tables, with an attached mirror, were used by both men and women to store items such as razors, oils, combs, cosmetics, and perfumes.
The term "clothes presses" was first used in 1713 to describe a large cabinet made to store folded clothing. Popular throughout the 18th century, clothes presses included shelving and even sliding trays where apparel could be carefully folded and stored. But as no one likes wrinkled clothes, clothes presses disappeared over time.
While desks are still necessities, the rolltop variety has proved bulky and prone to maintenance issues. Jean-François Oeben is sometimes credited with designing the original rolltop desk around 1760. The US patent was issued to Abner Cutler of Buffalo in 1882.
Since we can see the time on our smartphones, microwaves, and other devices, these days grandfather clocks (and any other clocks, for that matter) are simply decorative.
English clockmaker William Clement is credited with developing this clock style in 1670. Today, they're kept mainly for their decorative and antique value.
As the world has gone digital, this has minimized our need to hold on to paper copies of receipts, tax documents, photos, and more.
From external drives to cloud-based storage, there are plenty of alternatives to file cabinets in which to store your important documents without taking up storage space in your home.
Back in the day, people didn't have as much clothing to store as they do today, and what they did have was typically outsourced to wardrobes, trunks, and chests.
Highly popular in the '70s and '80s, although waterbeds were comfortable, they were heavy, difficult to move, and required electricity to regulate their thermostats.
Ultimately, the decline in waterbed popularity can be attributed to competition with new mattress technology, their high-maintenance, and the potential for leaks.
Drawing their name from Hindi and Persian for three-footed, teapoys were small tables, used to store tea. By erroneous association with the word "tea" and the popularity of the beverage, they became big in 19th-century Britain. Made of the finest wood, teapoys were not only functional, but also served as status symbols.
Originally used to store arms, armoires later transitioned to a wardrobe, using the shelves and hanging space to store clothing or jewelry.
Today, many new homes incorporate plenty of closet space, with walk-in or walk-through closets becoming increasingly popular. This has eliminated the need to own an enormous armoire.
Once a must-have for storing newspapers and magazines, now that most of the world has gone paperless, we don't really need to clutter our bathrooms and living spaces with this item anymore.
Sources: (Stacker) (HuffPost)
See also: Common Household Items from the 1970s
Furniture that has disappeared in the modern era
Remember waterbeds?
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You might not have given this fact much thought, but as technology and our lifestyles evolve, so does the need for certain furniture. For example, telephone tables were built with a specific, practical function in mind, which is no longer necessary with our smartphones of today. In addition to its functionality, furniture can also contribute to the style or decor of a space. Secretary bookcases, for example, provided the benefit of both storage space and a convenient work surface. And while many of these items were highly fashionable in the first half of the 20th century, they have now disappeared from contemporary homes.
Click on to discover pieces of furniture that were once popular, but you'll probably never see in most modern homes today.