Nostalgia is making waves across all cultural spheres right now: music, art and of course, interior design.
It’s one of the driving forces behind the increase in popularity of 70s inspired interiors, the return of 80s pastel shades and ‘Barbiecore’, the ever-enchanting concept of ‘cottagecore’‘, the newfound quest to pick-up old-fashioned skills like knitting, crocheting and pottery-making.
While nostalgia has been working its magic, a couple of years of catching up with loved ones online has led to a desire to detox from technology and connect face-to-face. In the home design space, this desire for connection, combined with the warm fuzzy feelings of nostalgia, makes the sunken lounge – also known as a ‘conversation pit’ – pretty appealing.
In 2021, a home in inner Melbourne made property headlines for an ‘unusual’ sunken lounge – something the agents referred to as a rare find in a newly built home. And in last year’s season of The Block, one team’s sunken lounge in their retro-style living room drew emotional responses from the judges.
Here’s how to channel the spirit of the conversation pit trend in your home, without the need for an excavator.
Jade green carpet in Tanya and Vito’s sunken lounge room on The Block was central to the mid-century-driven colour scheme.
(Photography: The Block)WHAT IS A SUNKEN LOUNGE?
As the name suggests, a sunken lounge is a living space set into a sunken section of flooring. Occupants must descend into the space – traditionally furnished with custom, built-in sofas – via a small set of steps. Its other moniker, the conversation pit, hints at its purpose: to bring people together for the purpose of conversation rather than to stare at a television screen.
Should sunken living rooms have stayed in the 1970s?
Sunken lounges and conversation pits peaked in popularity from the 1950s to the 1970s – although they’re not necessarily ‘dated’.
Architect Jeremy Bull of Alexander & Co included a compact sunken lounge in the redesign of his family home in Sydney. Not only did the in-built lounge save precious space, it also gave the rear section of the home an uninterrupted view of the garden.
What are the advantages of a sunken lounge?
Obviously, sunken lounges create a sense of intimacy – especially when positioned close to a crackling, open fire. Deep and meaningful conversations are almost guaranteed.
Architecturally speaking however, conversation pits are a useful device to create the illusion of higher ceilings. In mid-century homes, where floor-to-ceiling windows were favoured, a sunken living room prevented furniture from obstructing the view.
When designing her eco-friendly home in the Barrabool Hills, artist Natalie Anderson prioritised a sunken lounge. “I wanted to borrow from the things I loved in my childhood: split levels, sunken lounges and plywood walls,” she told Inside Out.
A sunken lounge room is also an effective way to play with space and scale when renovating a period home, as well as concentrating colour to enhance mood. In their Federation home in Williamstown Victoria, builder Martin Vonier and his wife Doreen dressed their sunken lounge with plush fabric and anchored the space with a textured, brassy carpet to keep things snug, while also creating a feeling of spaciousness.
For Amanda and Greg, this sunken lounge is a serene place for the couple and their kids May, 10, and Hunter, 7, to gather. “We always loved the idea of a sunken lounge and made sure to include it in our plans,” explains Amanda, whose home is on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. “It’s such a reflection of the mid-century homes we adore.”
(Photography: Nikole Ramsay / Story: Home Beautiful)The downsides to sunken lounges
Conversation pits aren’t for everyone. The stepped-down design can be a trip hazard for older people and small children.
Building a conversation pit is also a costly exercise. Not only do they require forward-planning during a renovation or new build, they may also require the commission of custom furniture and joinery.
Another downside to the sunken lounge: it can clash with yet another beloved element of Australian interior design, the open floor plan. If you’re preparing food in the kitchen and have guests in the sunken lounge, the disparity in height can make for an awkward, or even difficult, exchange.
No one wants fondue or prawn cocktail in their hair.
A circular conversation pit in a home designed by architect David Hollander in 1968.
(Photography: Sharyn Cairns / Story: Real Living)How to get the sunken-lounge look in your home
You can ‘cheat’ when it comes to conversation pits. Rather than installing a true sunken lounge, evoke the spirit of it in your living room by simply arranging your furniture in a way that fosters connection.
The curved furniture trend lends itself well to this idea, as circular lounges with generous proportions encourages people to gather and chat. A TV that blends into the background (like Samsung’s ‘The Frame’) will also limit distractions in the living room.
Rather than asking the owners of an elegant Melbourne home to commit to a traditional conversation pit, interior designer David Hicks opted for a large round sofa. “Although not sunken, the circular white linen sofa is reminiscent of a conversation pit,” he told Belle.
A circular lounge is a great way to enjoy the perks of a conversation pit without any of the, um, pitfalls.
(Photo: Mark Roper / Story: Belle)Alternatively you could opt for something like leading Australian interior stylist and product designer Sarah Ellison’s new 70s-inspired sofa, the FLOAT. Not only described as a “conversation piece for every home,” the inspiration behind the design of the sofa actually came from the iconic conversation pits of the era.
Beautiful as a sofa, it’s modular design also allows for you to configure the piece however you desire in your home. It’s unique piccolo-brown hue, a colour designed by Sarah in collaboration with Pantone, is also reminiscent of the era.
“We are seeing more people embracing the style of furniture that enables an ease of storytelling,” explains Sarah of the design. “The trend is being driven by proximity with a sectional sofa facilitating conversation. The embrace of a bulbous, low-slung, textural centrepiece such as the FLOAT sofa offers a level of comfort and simplifies the human connection that has been lacking in recent years.”
With it’s low-slung modular design and one-of-a-kind brown hue, Sarah Ellison’s FLOAT sofa subtly nods to the conversation pits of the 70s.
(Photo: Sarah Ellison)