Back in the day, certain things around the house gave off serious “we’re better off than your average family” vibes — at least in a kid’s eyes.
Whether it was a gadget that felt space-age or a more luxurious version of something everyone else had, these details made you feel like you were practically living the high life (and your friends probably felt the same way!). If you had these things in your house, chances are your classmates thought you were pretty posh, and you probably felt like you were too!
1. A fridge with an ice and water dispenser
It felt next-level to skip the ice tray in the freezer and go straight to the fridge door to fill your cup. A simple press of the button and cubes would tumble out, making a sound that was weirdly satisfying. The water dispenser added to the magic — suddenly plain tap water was “fridge water,” which you were convinced tasted better. Even more impressive was if the water came out cold without the need for ice. It was such a small luxury, but to a kid, it felt like stepping into a futuristic world. Friends who visited would line up to press that lever, just for the novelty of it.
In many families, the dispenser was borderline off-limits during certain hours or if a parent worried about water drips on the floor. But every time you heard those cubes drop in the middle of the day, it was a happy reminder that you had a piece of high-tech convenience others might not.
2. A dedicated “rec room” for gaming and hanging out
While some folks had to crowd around a single TV in the living room, you had an entire zone just for fun. Picture a big couch (or a collection of bean bags), a decent TV, and maybe even a mini-fridge stocked with soda or snacks. It was the ultimate hangout spot, somewhere you could crank up your game console without parents telling you to keep the noise down. It felt like your private playground, encouraging friends to come over and stay late.
Sometimes the rec room was in the basement, other times it was an upstairs bonus room. Either way, it was your fortress of joy, separated from the main areas where grown-ups might scold you for messing around. The convenience and freedom of that space truly made you feel like you were living large.
3. A trampoline in the backyard
Neighbourhood kids would swarm over after school, and you got a sweet dose of social currency out of it. Jumping for hours on a bouncy surface transformed even a ho-hum day into a mini carnival. If you had one of those safety nets around the edges, it meant your parents were thoughtful enough (and financially comfortable enough) to snag something beyond the basic trampoline.
In an era when many kids relied on local playgrounds, having your own personal bounce zone felt downright lavish. There were endless challenges, like who could do the best “butt-bounce” or front flip. And, of course, lying on your back and looking up at the sky after a good session was pure summer bliss.
4. A second phone line or your own extension
Before everyone had cell phones, you’d see people jockeying for phone time in the house. Having your own line was basically a dream come true for older kids and teens. It meant you could talk to friends or a crush for hours without hearing your siblings screaming, “Get off, I need to call so-and-so!” If you had your own number entirely, you felt like a mini celebrity every time it rang.
Extensions were nearly as good: at least you didn’t have to stand in the kitchen with everyone listening in. You could plop on your bed, close the door, and chat with a sense of privacy. Such a simple upgrade changed the entire social dynamic of your household, giving you a slice of independence at a young age.
5. A dishwasher — before everyone else had one
Although dishwashers are now pretty standard, there was a time they were a genuine luxury. If your family had one when other people didn’t, your house was a beacon of modern living. The typical post-dinner chore of doing the washing up by hand felt like it vanished into thin air. Suddenly, you could load up dishes, press a button, and walk away — true magic for kids who were used to grudgingly scrubbing plates under the tap.
Of course, you might still argue over who had to unload the clean dishes. But even that was less of a hassle than labouring over a sink. In the grand scheme of childhood chores, a dishwasher definitely bumped your family’s status up a notch.
6. A fancy TV with a remote that actually worked well
TV technology wasn’t always as user-friendly as it is now. Having a larger screen was enough to impress your friends, but add in a remote that didn’t require standing on one foot and aiming precisely, and you were living the dream. Bonus points if your TV had picture-in-picture or some cutting-edge feature most people hadn’t heard of yet.
To many kids, a fully functioning remote with no weird quirks or missing buttons signalled a certain level of care and investment in entertainment. Rather than fiddling with dials or adjusting “rabbit ears,” you could scroll through channels in comfort. In that moment, you felt like technology was truly on your side.
7. A colour-coordinated bathroom set
If your bathroom had matching towels, rugs, and that plushy cover on the toilet lid, you knew your family paid attention to aesthetic details. Coordinating sets, usually in some kind of pastel tones, gave the bathroom a “fancy hotel” vibe. Some households even matched the soap dispenser, tissue box, and small waste bin for full effect.
Friends or relatives who came to stay would notice, too. It wasn’t just random hand-me-down towels or a single mat; it was a curated look. That subtle sense of decor sophistication made it feel like your household had everything perfectly in place.
8. A full set of encyclopedias on a fancy bookshelf
Before the internet, knowledge often lived in big, heavy books. Seeing an entire shelf of encyclopedias, especially if they were from a reputable brand like Britannica, oozed importance. They were expensive, too, so it hinted that your family valued education and had the means to invest in it. It also meant you had an easy reference for school projects, no library card needed.
You’d occasionally flip through them just to see random articles, marvelling at the glossy pages. In a weird way, it made your home feel part-library, part-museum of knowledge. Even if you rarely did more than glance at them, that big block of matching spines felt like a proud household trophy.
9. A microwave that had cool presets and a digital display
Microwaves in the early days were gigantic and not universally owned. If yours had easy presets for popcorn or defrosting, that was high-tech indeed. It meant you could heat snacks super fast, like leftover pizza or your favourite takeaway leftovers, without fussing over the stove. In kid logic, that kind of quick meal was freedom incarnate.
After a while, microwaves got more common, but if you were the first in your friend group to have one with flashy buttons and a working digital clock, you were basically the “tech pioneer.” Popping popcorn without worrying about burning half the bag felt revolutionary, giving you a slight edge in hosting movie nights or after-school snack sessions.
10. A formal sitting room that was off-limits for everyday use
Finally, the pièce de résistance: a room so nice, you weren’t supposed to touch it. Maybe it had pristine white couches or fancy decorative items on a perfectly dusted coffee table. Parents kept it immaculate for guests — or maybe those guests never even showed up, but the illusion of grandeur remained. You tiptoed in there occasionally, feeling like you were in a home decor magazine spread.
This “do not enter” living room or sitting area was the ultimate sign your family had enough space to keep an entire area strictly for show. While other families might have had to use every nook for practical living, you had a veritable showroom down the hall. It was part mythical, part brag-worthy, and fully established you as “the kid from that fancy house.”
