Sunken Living Rooms are Back but Will the Trend Really Last?
(Published on - 12/19/2025 4:25:11 PM)
Sunken Living Rooms Are Back—but Will the Trend Really Last?
Last week I was asked by Realtor.com if sunken living rooms would be making a come-back in 2026.
“From the 1960s through the 1980s, the sunken living room was the ultimate hallmark of ‘cool,’” says Denise van den Bossche, an associate broker at Realty Executives Arizona Territory. “It added drama and brought a sense of architectural flair to the mid-century modern home.”
“They interrupt flow, complicate mobility, and present a fall hazard," says van den Bossche says of the feature.
She explains that while age-in-place designs were originally targeted for the older generation, the philosophy has evolved to influence all buyers.
“Many buyers know you don’t have to be old for life to throw you a curveball that leaves you in a wheelchair or using a walker, even if only temporarily,” she says.
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