The Purpose of Small Hallway Sinks

Nowadays, we see a sink in a hallway and immediately think someone went offscript with the blueprints. Or it’s like, a DIY gone wrong. And truthfully, can’t blame anyone for that. We live in a world full of powder rooms or half-baths everywhere we turn.

And it’s easy to forget that there was a time in our not-too-distant past when it wasn’t simple or private to wash your hands. So when people online speculate it’s for dogs, shoes, or some old time-y ritual, that’s a good reminder on how far we’ve come, but the sinks? Straightforward hand-washing stations. Nothing more.

They’re Still Useful (I mean it)

If you have one of these still in your home, do not take it out. Seriously, I mean if you absolutely hate it, take it out, but think about it: you have a basically extra sink, where you can wash your hands without running to the bathroom. It isn’t dead weight. And a conversation piece!

“Hey, why do you have a sink in your hallway?”

“Oh, let me tell you about early 20th-century hygiene design…”

Much better than small talk about the weather.

A Glimpse into Another Era

I like things like this, because it serves as a tangible reminder that our homes weren’t always the way they are now. There was a time, many years ago, where hand washing wasn’t something you did in every room with a sink – these little sinks in the on suite hallways were the solution.

It is a little nugget of life that you can still see today, tucked into an old wall, probably a little crooked, but still working.

Next Time You See One…

So next time you find yourself in an old house and come across one of these random hallway sinks, don’t roll your eyes at it or laugh at some outdated design. Think about what purpose it served back then. Imagine, some person comes home in 1910, in the middle of the city street, and washed all of the dirt off of themselves in the hall before joining the family meal.

That sink has a story, whether obvious or not. It is a remnant of homes built for a different world, a different purpose. So, if it still works, and you really want to, use it! Because clean hands never go out of style, even if hallway sinks kind of did.