The Mystery of the Hallway Sink: Why Old Homes Have Sinks in the Strangest Places

🕰️ Step Back to the Early 1900s: When Indoor Plumbing Was a Luxury

Before we had bathrooms on every floor…

Before powder rooms and guest baths…

Even before indoor plumbing was common…

Having any running water inside your home was a sign of wealth and modernity.

Most homes had just one bathroom, often tucked away upstairs or in a back corner.

And getting there?

Not easy.

Stairs were steep.

Hallways were long.

And if you were coming in from outside—muddy boots, dirty hands, garden gloves—you didn’t want to trek through the whole house to wash up.

So what did people do?

They installed a handwashing sink right in the hallway.

🚪 What Was the “Hallway Sink” For?