The Conversation Pit: History and How They Are Coming Back

Take a seat, relax, and stay awhile. That’s the premise of the conversation pit. Except, it’s a sunken area of the living room, where pillows and cushions beacon your name.

The conversation pit may seem like it’s out of the 1970s. A key feature of the home, it encouraged at-home entertainment in the most marvellous of ways. These are quite impressive architectural designs for the time. Conversation pits, or sunken areas of rooms designed for intimate conversations, are making their way back into residential properties today. 

Conversation pit at The Miller House, Columbus, Indiana, 1957 (via Indianapolis Museum of Art)

Though they have changed some and incorporated far more architectural elements (as well as high-tech features), today’s interior designers and architects will certainly want to consider their addition.

Before you embark on installing a conversation pit, learn a bit about them. Find out how and why they work and what you can expect from today’s consumer.

A Brief History of Conversation Pits

Who decided it was a good idea to build a seating space you had to walk into using stairs? 

Conversation pits, or sunken living rooms, were not uncommon in the 1950s in the US and in Europe. They continued to be present in architectural design to various degrees through the 1980s. You could say they are a product of Midcentury Modern Design, but you may find they are much older than that.

It’s not all that original of an idea, it turns out.

Traditional gathering spaces like this, without the structural elements, have been found in ancient China. There is some evidence of these types of conversational areas in Medieval Spain. The Spanish estrado, or raised dais that was then covered in cushions, was much like the conversation pit to come in the 1900s. It was influenced by the Muslim presence in the area during the Convivencia period. 

In the 1950s, the Miller House, located in Columbus, Indiana, is said to have been one of the first to incorporate the sunken living room in the design. Whether it was the first or not, the property, built by architect Eero Saarinen, a Finnish American, in 1952, brought it to the attention of the world. It did not take long for the conversation pit to become an iconic element of high-class design during the 1960s and onward.

The Miller House was quite the project. The interior of the home featured a sunken lounge. It was then lined with stone before having cut-fitted cushions designed for the space. Guests took several steps from the main floor down into the pit, sat on beautifully coloured cushions, and enjoyed talking for hours. 

The Japanese architectural influences are here, too.

Japanese architecture also had a version of a conversation pit. The traditional Japanese architecture incorporated an irori, which meant a sunken heart. This communal seating area was typically a squared space that was covered in stones. It was placed in the center of the home. The sunken space allowed for warmth as people sat on cushions with blankets to navigate the colder days.

You could find examples in Pompeii as well.

Another version, though significantly different, was the triclinium. This design featured a room, typically the dining room, with walls lined with stone benches to facilitate communal conversations and the sharing of ideas. 

One of the most well-known architectural treasures that featured this style was the House of Caro in Pompeii. It has a U-shaped design with a central pit that utilizes a table. People also placed cushions around the area to create a more comfortable experience. 

The Americanized version was actually built much earlier than the Miller House. 

In 1927, a Tulsa, Oklahoma, home featured a double-height living room. Designed by architect Bruce Goff, it also featured a conversation pit that was a semicircular sunken space. It sat around a firepit, providing warmth. Ultimately, there was some practicality in these designs.

The Downfall of the Conversation Pit

Though these conversation pits continued to play some role in home design for several decades, it was not long before architects and others criticized them. A Time Magazine article, in fact, broke down the hazards of the conversation pit and how dangerous they were. 

There was no railing around them. If a lady wearing a dress stood at the top of the pit, a less-than-desirable glance upward wasn’t all that flattering. 

There’s also the risk of what happens after a few drinks. Struggling to get up the four or so steps was one thing. Tumbling into the pit because there was no railing was a liability hazard. While many grew up building blanket forts in the 1980s and beyond, children in the sunken room era had a very different opportunity. Still, they were not considered safe for homes with children or pets who would tumble in.

Though many people continued to install and use them, they fell out of favour by the 1980s. They were not a simple remodel upgrade either. The easiest option was to build from the ground up to include them. As home building slowed, the cost of a sunken space was less attractive.

Yet, some remained, and many were able to be preserved year after year. A true feature of the midcentury modern home, they spoke of convenience and elitism. Certainly, not everyone had the ability to build one. Yet, many wanted to do just that.

The Value of a Conversation Pit: Why It Was So Attractive

What the conversation pit aimed to do, it did well. It connected people. It created opportunities for personalized conversations and a more intimate environment in which to spend time with others. In the mid-1900s, entertaining in homes was quite the thing to do. Welcome friends for a meal and chat with drinks in the conversation pit. Bring the neighbours in to chat and show off the finer features of your home. 

Some may claim it unsafe, but for the socializing of the time, it was the perfect solution. Think of it as the social media of the 1950s. Sure, a misstep could mean twisting an ankle, but if you were "in", you were safe as long as you remained seated. Being in that inner group of conversation was an attractive reason to have a feature like this in its own right. 

Then, There Was a Pandemic That Brought Them to the Forefront Again

A resurgence of this midcentury modern home feature (like so many more) is playing out now. The lockdowns of the COVID pandemic created the need for more intimate experiences. It ultimately led to a need to reconnect with people once it e nded. The social function and features of the conversation pit are again quite attractive.

(Image credit: The Wing)

The nostalgia of the conversation pit extends further, though. Improved designs with a less-than-a-hole-in-the-ground feeling were built. Many of today’s modern conversation pits are more like sunken rooms with more space around them. Instead of being lower, cushions from couches are higher. That creates a bit more of a wall around the sunken pit. A couple of smaller steps with wider platforms bring a person into the space. It’s still sunken but not nearly as closed off.

An Upstate New York Example

One excellent example of a modern conversation pit is that of the Levenbetts studio, where designers David Leven and Stell Betts created a sunken room in an upstate New York home. What’s quite interesting is how the pit is designed. The floor level rises and lowers based on the site’s topography. The living space in this guesthouse is already a stepped-down space. The addition of a few more steps lowers the guest into a U-shaped couch area. A more modern sectional-style sofa lines the space. 

Another modern take was designed by Peter Knight in Melbourne. The property is a renovated Victorian-style terrace house. Its design objective was to encourage people to slow down. Take in the environment. Be a part of the natural world. To achieve this, a soft is built into a wooden bunker-like area. The space features stone cladding opposite the wood. 

There’s no modern technology here. It is meant to be a place to relax, talk, or read a book. Still sunken but with less room to walk around it, this version reduces at least some of the fall risk.

For the Kids Too

In Lima, Peru, architects from 51-1 Arquitectos created quite a fabulous version of the conversation pit. They designed it to be a play place for children. Called the Casa Serpiente, a 43,000-square-foot estate, it was meant for a young family to use. The family room features a brightly orange-painted conversation pit. Yet, it's not a conversation area. Rather, it has toys and activities tucked into the sunken walls. It certainly may help contain smaller children. The elongated and irregular shape of the stairs could make it less of a fall hazard, too.

The Modern, Tech Version Is Out There

Let’s not overlook the functionality of the conversation pit in creating relaxed areas for game-playing or video streaming. Some of the more modern versions of these pits feature a U-shaped sunken area that’s perfectly surrounded by supportive cushions, surround sound TV, and a massive TV in the middle. While certainly less of a conversation area, it is a way that people socialize today. It’s just built for VR instead of cocktails.

Some companies, such as Oculus and Altspace VR, are incorporating these spaces into collective online environments, too. That is, they are virtual reality spaces that encourage, again, a different form of socializing.

What Is the Modern Conversation Pit?

Considering the modern conversation pit for your next space? You have options. Utilizing a split-level floor plan, it becomes possible to lay out this space comprehensively without significant structural updates. The lowered area of a split floor plan creates that sunken feeling. Then, surround its walls with cushions and built-in couches to create the desired seating area. 

Another popular option is to place them outside. The sunken patio near the inground pool creates a unique oasis. This transformative design places a person in a zoned-off area. You may want to consider some railings around the pool, but here, the focus is all about a wet-dry area that’s comfortable to relax in after a day in the water.

The conversation pit still provides for the same important features. It creates a relaxing space meant to build an inclusive environment. It’s always about socializing. Bring in those moments of conversation.

A revitalization of a mid-century trend or a new design feature? It’s hard to say how long conversation pits will remain features in today’s modern homes. Yet, they certainly are all the rage right now and the “cool” feature in homes of all types.