From Underground to Mainstream
Building a Sex Room is on Everyone’s Mind
Historically, adult playrooms, sex rooms, or fantasy suites have been topics that were considered too taboo to discuss openly in public. The concept would automatically bring images of sex dungeons and extreme kinks to mind. For those who haven’t experienced that kind of sex play, these images can be intimidating. However, the mass entertainment we consume as a society has a way of bringing hidden topics like sex rooms into the light.
Today, you can find shows and movies that depict almost every type of kink and relationship dynamic on earth. But there are two pieces of entertainment in particular that have helped bring sex rooms into the light: Fifty Shades of Grey and Netflix’s How to Build a Sex Room.
Through these two creations, we’ve seen individuals evolve and become more accepting of diverse sexual preferences and new experiences. Many who would have never dared to dream of an in-home pleasure room are now looking into the possibility and weighing their options.
The Fifty Shades of Grey Phenomenon
How it started
Fifty Shades of Grey was originally a novel written by E. L. James and published in 2011. The book was doused in sex and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The story follows the sub-dom relationship between a young college student and a wealthy businessman.
Not only was this the best-selling literotica novel of all time, but it was also the best-selling book of the decade from 2011-19. As such, the widespread fandom brought BDSM into the mainstream narrative. When the book was adapted into a successful movie trilogy, the reach was even greater.
Bringing the dark into the light
Fifty Shades of Grey brought BDSM (bondage, domination, submission, and masochism) into the mainstream conversation. BDSM was previously a taboo topic, but the success of the books and movies helped to normalize the discussion around it and introduced it to a wider audience.
Fifty Shades of Grey also led to a surge in sales of sex toys— particularly those related to BDSM. This helped to de-stigmatize sex toys and increased their visibility in mainstream culture.
While some critics of the book have argued that the relationship between the two protagonists was not a healthy or consensual relationship, it did show an alternative sub-dom relationship dynamic. These dynamics are highly fetishized and in the story, we see that it plays out not only in the bedroom but also in their day-to-day lives. Power play is a very common kink and the movie did a great job bringing that to light.
Audiences also got to see female desire play out on the big screen which was not common in many films before this one. Anastasia Steele’s sexuality is celebrated which helped shift the cultural conversation.
One of the most interesting pieces of the story is the iconic Red Room. Christian Grey has a sultry sex dungeon hidden in his city highrise. In his Red Room, he stores his many sex toys, cages, and bondage gear. The idea of a sex dungeon infiltrated the minds of millions of readers and movie watchers. People began to think twice about that second room in the basement and what they could do with the extra space if they cleaned out the shed in the backyard.
The addition of a sex dungeon or pleasure room could spice up any fading spark and bring a new spicy vitality to many relationships. As individuals became more comfortable speaking about sex playrooms openly, we began to see more and more presence of the subject in media. That brings us to everyone’s favorite Netflix sex room show…
How to Build a Sex Room pulls back the curtain on in-home intimacy
How to Build a Sex Room was binged across Netflix screens beginning in July 2022. Viewers tuned in to watch the playful and enlightening journey of different couples, groups, and individuals installing sex rooms in their homes and more
The show’s hostess, Melanie Rose, aka the “Marry Poppins of sex rooms”, made it evident that many more people desire sex rooms, dungeons, and fantasy suites than we previously thought. Tons of people are seeking a space where they can truly express and explore their sexual desire. We have our homes for living, working, sleeping, cooking, and hosting friends. Why not for curated sexual experiences, too?
The show also brought to light the wide array of desires that exist. Some couples desire luxurious spa-like fantasy suites where they can get away from the kids and connect intimately. Others are looking for sex playrooms with built-in cages, whips, shackles, and more. Sexy bedroom makeovers with soft fabrics and royal hues were also portrayed on the show.
The point is, you don’t have to be in a BDSM relationship to want a sex room. You can simply want a pleasure room where you and your partner (or partners) can enjoy the variety of desires from mild to wild – the possibilities are as limitless as the sexual fantasies that drive them. And Melanie Rose showed the Netflix audiences what it means to have a design customized to your unique sexual fantasies.
Since the show aired, we’ve seen more and more couples expressing their interest publicly. Just like Fifty Shades of Grey stimulated people to experiment with BDSM, How to Build a Sex Room encourages people, couples and groups to make their fantasies a reality with a custom fantasy suite in their homes. And our sex-positive Fantasy Designers can help you explore your edges to design an intimacy space that makes your dreams a reality — the exact essence of your erotic fantasies.
To explore how we can create your luxurious, fully-custom intimacy space, contact us today.
