Pictures of old buildings = pictures of old rich people's buildings
An interesting parallel might be those old Amish houses in the US built well through communal effort, even though the families might have been cash-poor.
The far better insulation/windows. Easy to manipulate and fix drywall which also happens to be cheap. Paint that comes in a billion colors. Cement fiber siding that has very high resilience relative to cost.
Electrical systems that are very unlikely to cause fires and can run multiple 30amp lines around the home? Multiple zone HVAC. PEX plumbing that is lead free and much cheaper/easier to fix. Quartz countertops, synthetic floor to ceiling “marble” bath surrounds. Durable and easy to fix LVT flooring that comes in a billion styles. High quality carpets with padding. Heated floors. Lights that come in many colors, styles, and most of all, use a fraction of the energy.
Yes, there is less “art” or whatever it is that costs a lot of human time. But the utility per dollar has never been higher, and I’ll take a modern home over an old home anyday.