Conversation Pits: Photos of the Popular 70s Trend

Conversation pits started gaining popularity in the 1950s and were a common feature in houses throughout the 70s. Their distinctive feature was the sunken floor plan, often accompanied with cozy couches, cushions, and decorations.

The layout often included furniture that faced each other. This layout where guests would all be facing each other and could speak directly and easily to each other is what gave this architectural feature its colloquial name.

Architects Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard popularized the conversation pit in their now-famous piece of Modernist architecture: The Miller House. The conversation pit was one of the main features.

These architectural features became more and more common and stayed popular throughout the 70s. Known for their vivid colors, shag carpets, and welcoming atmosphere, they made a perfect lounge spot for any residence and its guests.

As trends tend to do, this architectural trend started to fade out after the 70s. Many conversation pits in homes were later filled in to create a uniform floor plan as the pits started to fall out of style.

But they remain a fun and quirky architectural trend to look back on. And who knows, maybe they will make a comeback in the next years! Let’s take a look at some of the most stylish conversation pits of the 70s: