Purely guesses based on limited experience with old houses:

Ceiling - is it plaster or a painted fiberboard? What is above the ceiling?

Old cellulose insulation or paper lining in the walls could be a source. Both the fiberboard and cellulose is basically paper and paper breaks down to dust. (I've taken some down where the insides of the walls were lined/stuffed with newspapers....)

When I've torn out old walls and ceilings I have been amazed at how much natural dust has collected in these cavities just through years of infiltration when the wind blows dust around outside. (100 years old....its lived through lots of dust storms. This room could have more than others just due to some small openings and direction of the wind.)

I'd certainly paint before I tore out walls and ceilings...Maybe use a sealer under the paint.

Sealing with paint isn't going to seal what is inside the walls. For that you need caulking. It will work best if you remove the baseboards, caulk and then reinstall them, but you can caulk with the baseboards in place. Don't forget to seal around any other openings in the wall such as electrical outlets (use gaskets and plugs), window trim and air ducts.

I know it’s 13 yr old thread. Was it resolved and what resolved it.

I’d love to know too, as I have the issue in a bedroom

What is this dusty smell? Ours seems to permeate one room and disappear when we open a window in another room. I cannot find the source. Sometimes I think oh it's stronger here and then my nose automatically adjusts and I can't register it. It's like a dusty, sharp, chemical smell. Would love to know if any posters found an answer?

I am following too...our house was built in 1963 and there are times that it smells of dust, however, I am the only one it seems to bother. We have changed the filters and it does not help. This happens for a few days and then goes away until it comes back for another few days. Thanks!

I’m following this as well. Have a similar issue. Anyone ever find out more? I am the only one affected in the house.

I have same dusty smell issue with my new 2018 speck house .I moved in Oct.2019 ,I just started noticing it a couple of months ago with my burning eyes and irritating nose.

Hi I am having the same problem, I am also trying to repaint the room as a final option but not sure if paint is the root cause of it. Very strange. It's disturb our sleep air is never fresh and smell very dusty even when everything is cleaned.

Similar issue but here its only when the patio window is open and right by the door, but not able to smell/detect in the garden/on the patio itself. Infuriating. I'm wondering if it could be brick dust!? Or roof dust!? Smells almost like a vape or something similar... Builders dust!? Whatever it is, it drives me crazy and, yes, nobody else is bothered.... Gaaaah!

Did anyone ever come up with solutions to this? Our home is 100 years old and the finished attic smells like this, especially the room with newer drywall. I think the previous homeowners just drywalled over the plaster. I do plan to caulk and paint, but it’s a big project. I’ve been cleaning the room all day so I can use it as an office, but even with a ductless AC running in fan mode 24/7 and an air filter, the dust smell/sensation in my nose is so awful. It doesnt matter how clean the room is. There’s no difference. As soon as I walk downstairs I can breathe free and clear again. It’s such a refreshing difference. We have the original plaster walls downstairs too, and it smells fine down here. What type of service provider could I have assess the situation?

For anyone else that is still dealing with this issue, I may have found a solution. If you have noticed your room smells "dusty" it may actually be a piece of furniture. We purchased a couple of brand new end tables off of Amazon several months ago and set them up in the room. About a month or two later we started smelling that dusty odor everyone is describing. We spent several months trying to figure out where the smell was coming from in the room. We even thought it may have been mold so we had it checked by a professional. Turns out it was the tables all along! They appear to have been dipped in some very strong chemicals during the manufacturing process that don't go away over time. If anything the smell gets stronger over time. The thing is that they were the last thing we would think we would smell since they were BRAND NEW. Anyway, hopes this helps anyone else that may stumble onto this thread.