Many home design trends get outdated and replaced over time — and with good reason. (Goodbye, ugly brown wall paneling and gross shag carpeting!) But one couple redoing a home built in the 1970s unearthed a relic of the past that many of us have long forgotten: the conversation pit.
TikToker @larakillebrewderd made the discovery after contractors began looking for foundation cracks where radon could potentially seep in.
While we’ve seen home renovations unearth shocking things before — like the mom renovating Marilyn Monroe’s last house with Joe DiMaggio, who made a shocking discovery in her ceiling — @larakillebrewderd‘s groovy discovery is fascinating TikTokers.
This led to them pulling up carpeting and subfloors, revealing something they weren’t expecting.
“We were told our floors were all laid on a concrete slab,” Lara explained in one of her post captions. “Creaks told us otherwise!”
“There were other unexplained oddities in the room as well,” the TikToker continued. “The fireplace was too close to the ground. There was an adobe hump against the wall with no apparent purpose. And there was no practical way to orient the furniture in the room.”
This was a real head-scratcher until workers pulled up all the flooring and discovered a wooden platform in front of the fireplace.
That’s when the TikToker says they unearthed the 1970s conversation pit. (Or, as she calls it, a “hidden treasure.”)
According to Family Handyman, the conversation pit was a retro design trend that started in the 1950s and more or less died out in the ’70s. Basically, it refers to a sunken area of a living room where couches and/or armchairs would be positioned in a circle or semi-circle to encourage conversation among guests. In this case, however, the seating appears to have been built into the sides of the pit.
Often, a large coffee table was in the middle as a spot to play games or rest cocktails. In some cases, a large fireplace was also present to add ambiance. But in most of these homes, one thing was noticeably absent from the picture: A giant flat-screen TV.
As time passed and living rooms became less about conversation and more about watching TV in a group, the conversation pit started to die out. But according to The New York Times, they’re making a comeback.
Perhaps this is why @larakillebrewderd decided not to cover hers up after all. Instead, she dug it out, cleaned it up, and wants to use it again in all its former glory.
“After much debate, we have decided to recreate this intimate space and restore our home to its original state,” the TikToker shared in one of her follow-up posts, adding that she hopes viewers will “follow us on this journey back to the 70’s!”
So far, followers are excited about the discovery.
“This is SO EXCITING,” one commenter wrote.
“It blows my mind that someone would cover that up, but I’m glad they did, cause what a fun adventure!” added another. “I’ve always dreamed of finding a hidden treasure [in a home].”
“Keep showing us the progress!!!” someone else insisted. “This is my favorite to watch!!”
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