‘Deadly but unforgettable’: conversation pits make a comeback on and off screen

<p>Sunken living rooms were a popular feature in mid-century homes. Now the ‘nest-like’ spaces are featuring in science fiction and offering a solution to tech-reliant living</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/newsletters/2019/oct/18/saved-for-later-sign-up-for-guardian-australias-culture-and-lifestyle-email?CMP=cvau_sfl">Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email</a></p></li></ul><p>When Georgina Wilson watched Marvel’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/22/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-review">new Fantastic Four film</a> last month, the standout feature wasn’t Pedro Pascal’s deadpan humour or Vanessa Kirby’s platinum waves, but the giant round conversation pit in the middle of the protagonists’ living room. The sunken, carpeted seating area takes centre stage in the Baxter family’s New York penthouse. The huge blue relaxation area, reminiscent of Don Draper’s loft in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/mad-men-tv-series">Mad Men</a>, sets the film firmly in the space age.</p><p>To Wilson, an award-winning architect based in Sydney, the pit felt like a nod to homes she grew up visiting in the 1970s. Recessed living rooms or “sofa pits” were a popular interior feature in mid-century homes. Striking step-down dens with built-in seating not only encouraged deeper conversation through a feeling of separation from the rest of the house, they often became a topic in their own right. Even if half the chatter was quips about guests accidentally falling in.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/oct/04/interiors-conversation-pit-sunken-living-room-making-comeback-deadly-but-unforgettable">Continue reading...</a>