This Person Found An Amazing Vintage Feature Under Their Living Room Floor
As home design trends come and go, a pair of homeowners rediscovered a unique relic from the past while working on their '70s abode that they couldn't resist resurrecting: the conversation pit. Long since forgotten outside of sitcom reruns, the sunken seating area, popularized from the '50s to the late '70s, provides a fun and cozy space to, well, converse in.
Lara Killebrew Derderian, who posts on TikTok as @larakillebrewderd, discovered the pit when contractors began looking for cracks in the foundation where hazardous gasses could potentially seep into their home. After removing the carpet and middle layers of flooring, they found the hidden treasure underneath.
In a series of videos posted to TikTok, Derderian talked about the little quirks and inaccuracies that led to the discovery. "We were told our floors were all laid on a concrete slab," they wrote. "Creaks told us otherwise!"
@larakillebrewderd Replying to @livinginmystery Part 3! We are excited to show you our progress on cleaning out the buried conversation pit! It took hours as evidenced by the setting sun and darkening room. 🌒 But at the end of the day, we were able to use the space exactly as it was originally intended! Lively conversation! Special thank you to Annabelle and Max for their help! Keep following for more updates! Next steps...restoring and redesigning the space for today! rradonmitigationhhomeimprovementkkivafireplacessurprisewwhatwillwefindttreasureiindoorairqualityaadobehomeaadobehomesssouthwesternstyleaadobehousehhomeprojectsnnothingisevereasycconversationpitllivingroomdesignrrestorationccleanuptteamworkmmakingprogresst#togethernessg#gatheringspace
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"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."
We always love seeing what old secrets people can uncover in their homes, from possible Prohibition-era speakeasies to an entire underground cave, but this discovery adds a whole new hangout space to the home while at the same time restoring one of the space's original period details. One that Derderian is happy to have reconstructed.
"After much debate, we have decided to recreate this intimate space and restore our home to its original state," they wrote in a follow-up post on Instagram. "I hope you'll follow us on this journey back to the '70s!"