Sunken Living Room 1950s

The sunken living room, often used interchangeably with the sunken lounge, or conversation pit, saw its heyday in the 1950's and gradually fell off by the end of the 1970's. According to a 1963 TIME magazine article, sunken living rooms were already on the way out and the once popular conversation pit was becoming just a pit. In the '60s, sunken living rooms were what open floor plans are today: must-haves.

Now, what's old is new! So, could they regain popularity? You decide. The sunken living room has fallen out of fashion. There is, of course, no real science to the kinds of features that people decide to build into their homes, but my guess is that sunken living rooms fell out of favor for the same reason waterbeds did; they were kind of a pain in the ass.

The sunken living room, or conversation pit as it was referred to way back when, was a very popular feature in homes from the 1950s to the 1980s. They were viewed as a way to distinguish an area in an open floor plan without having to use walls, and fostered an intimate entertaining area. The sunken living room as we know it today is most frequently traced back to a home that architect Bruce Goff designed for local artist (and mentor) Adah Robinson in 1927 Tulsa.

Sunken living rooms are making a comeback, and we're all about this resurgence. These spaces were at peak popularity in the 1950s through 1970s, a sultry feature in many stylish midcentury homes that encourages gathering and conversation. Welcoming and cozy, today's sunken living rooms can be styled to appear minimalist, modern, rustic, and more.

The sunken living room became a coveted design feature in the 1950s and 1960s, defining an era that emphasized in-home entertainment and social gatherings. Architects like Bruce Goff and the renowned team of Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard were pioneers, creating iconic designs that integrated these cozy recesses into residential spaces. Find out about sunken living rooms, why they became so popular in the 1970s, and whether you should consider including one as a special feature of your home.

Sunken living rooms have a significant history that goes back - at least in the contemporary sense - to conversation pit designs by the likes of architect Bruce Goff, who incorporated a sunken seating area into the Adah Robinson residence in 1927. In the late '50s, architects Eero Saarinen and Alexander Girard added one to their famous Miller House in Indiana. Saarinen elevated the style.

Sunken living rooms, which are often referred to as "conversation pits", were a popular interior design trend during the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s.