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Has anyone seen a conversation pit in the last 20 years or have they gone the way of the dodo bird? I know people aren't big on old-fashioned conversations any more - if you gather in a living room it's typically focused on watching tv - and they sort of limited your furniture arranging options; but I always fancied having one of these. We had them in my elementary school & junior high but I never encountered on in an actual home outside of vintage decorating books.
I'm 66 yrs old and I've never seen ,or been in, a home that had a "conversation pit". What are they??
IMO any room in the house ,except the bathroom, can be a room where conversation can take place so why a special "pit"??
I have a family member who has one in their family room. The house is 30+ years old. I kind of like it. It is a good place to sit when lots of people are over.
Interestingly, most intellectuals don't watch much TV. If they own one, it's in an obscure location, not the center of the household.
Half of mine aren't even plugged in, but the ones that are are sort of the equivalent to giant I-phones, in some sense. If working or just checking in, I can do video conference calls with people on the other side of the planet, walk around the houses while cooking and talk (and see) them, etc. Having a 'TV' doesn't necessarily mean watching reruns of "Married with Children" or "I Dream of Jeannie". These are bi-directional communication tools. Getting live video feeds from relatives back in the states is important to some..... And not junky like Skype.
Virtually all of mine are behind doors that can be closed, so you can't even see them if you want a more 'homey' environment. At least in the server room I use KVM's, so that limits the number of monitors. Each house is tied together with a VPN.
Half of mine aren't even plugged in, but the ones that are are sort of the equivalent to giant I-phones, in some sense. If working or just checking in, I can do video conference calls with people on the other side of the planet, walk around the houses while cooking and talk (and see) them, etc. Having a 'TV' doesn't necessarily mean watching reruns of "Married with Children" or "I Dream of Jeannie". These are bi-directional communication tools. Getting live video feeds from relatives back in the states is important to some..... And not junky like Skype.
Virtually all of mine are behind doors that can be closed, so you can't even see them if you want a more 'homey' environment. At least in the server room I use KVM's, so that limits the number of monitors. Each house is tied together with a VPN.
I looked at a house recently during my home search that was built about 20 years ago. It had a dropped floor in the living and family room areas. Because of the step down, in each place, really dated millwork was placed to mark the place. Imagine having to tell everyone who visits your home to watch his or her step as then entered either room
I think conversation pits were trendy in the sixties, but now are simply out of style. You can arrange your furniture to aid conversation. A book that has helped me along these lines is Use What You Have Decoration by Lauri Ward. There are several of these, the production values are not wonderful, but the books have really good nuts and bolts advice. One of the things emphasized in the books, is to bring your furniture closer so conversation can take place.
An explanation is due on that one..... maybe I am stupid.
Conversation pits are not dead (that IS the topic if this thread). In one house I have an entire floor dedicated to the equivalent of a 'conversation pit', with 5 sofas and a sound studio wrapping the area, and we have social gatherings all the time there.... Perhaps this is not for some people, and to each his/her own. (No barn clothes allowed in the house, though I have none). A 2nd kitchen downstairs provides snacks/appetizers to the guests, and it is a very enjoyable time. Try it, you may like it.
Although why we're discussing TVs when the topic is conversation pits is completely beyond me.
Often there is a TV in the 'conversation pit', though I never turned mine on when guests were present, unless we were looking at something everyone wanted to see.
Learn to follow a thread.
If I couldn't follow a thread, then how did I know that TV was being discussed?
Oh, by the way, I was complimenting you on the post I quoted. I won't make that mistake again.
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If I couldn't follow a thread, then how did I know that TV was being discussed? 
