I can't quibble about bikes staying out of living areas - that's just a rule in my home.

My wife located and bought her dream sewing machine over the winter, a 1959/1960 Singer Model 410G. We found it in WVA for ~$70, I think, with cabinet. To get the linkages free and working smoothly, it took a few surgical applications of Marvel Mystery Oil and some maniuplation, but it works nicely now. Smooth, silent, powerful - it's an awesome piece of machinery, for sure.

Anyway - she wouldn't hear of getting a "modern" machine.

Kind of like how many of us think about bikes...