This ’70s Sofa Is Basically Its Own Conversation Pit, and TikTok Has Jokes

Refill Vintage, an antique furniture store in West Hartford, Connecticut, has spiced up the retro decor community after they posted a video of a couch with a mischievous past. 

In the clip, you see the sofa with mood music playing in the background. The piece of furniture is huge, made up of different corner sections, armless sections, and ottomans. It’s so big that it can comfortably fit several people. It basically is its own freestanding conversation pit. 

The sofa is called the Playpen, and it was popular back in the 1970s. It has a modular design, allowing you to buy as many or as few parts as you like, and lets you arrange the pieces according to your needs. Or moods. Or partners.

As you might have guessed, its name might refer to a different kind of “play” — one that’s for adults. With extra-soft cushions and velvet upholstery, this sofa encourages getting cozy — real cozy — with guests. And with its size, getting out is difficult, discouraging participants from leaving and ending the fun.

Of course, the internet being the internet, everyone already knew why the couch is what it is, and so there were lots of jokes and giggles. 

“Yes, but no. Love this in theory. In practice, I just KNOW it’s been … seasoned,” said a commenter, to which someone replied, “marinated*.”

Another added, “I want the polyamory couch.”

Others had more wholesome intentions with it. “Conversation pit vibes. I want one of these sooo bad.”

Another comment reads, “I just know that nap would be rejuvenating.”

For those with children at home, you can still use this like any regular sofa, either by using the modular pieces individually or by making it a family hangout spot for movie night. Just make sure to give it a deep clean before taking it home. Or build your own (new!) version with any existing modular sofa collection.

What do you think? Would you buy a secondhand Playpen or is it a hard pass?