What Is Sex Furniture and Do You Need It?

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Happy Sex Week, everyone! What’s that? You didn’t know it was Sex Week? That’s ’cause we made it up! And here’s why we did: Despite recent developments in the news, we are living in a golden age of sexual wellness, at least insofar as there are countless brands and products currently helping people of all ages, sexual orientations and body types live more fulfilling sex lives. We’ll be highlighting them all week, as well as sharing expert advice on how to enhance intimacy and connectivity in your own bedroom.

You might say that all furniture is sex furniture — and you would be right! After all, if it’s furniture and you can have sex on it (and you can, if you believe in yourself) then sex furniture it is.

But for those looking to get creative with their sexual positioning without desecrating an innocent couch or dining room table, there is such a thing as sex furniture that is sex-specific, as in, furniture that is made solely for the purpose of sex.

“Sex furniture is furniture or props that are specially designed to be used for sexual and erotic activities,” says Casey Tanner, Certified Sex Therapist and sexpert for LELO. According to Tanner, it’s often designed to aid in positioning during sex, enhancing comfort, pleasure and sensation.

Sex furniture can include small props such as wedges or sex pillows, as well as full-scale pieces of furniture that will take up some legit real estate. Companies like Liberator, arguably the best-known name in the sex furniture game, sell chic chaise lounges designed with more ergonomic sex in mind (and washable covers for easy post-sex cleanup). And while it may not exactly be the kind of furniture you’d put on display in your living room and invite your parents to sit on when they come to visit, some of it is downright handsome and could easily blend in with a groovy, retro-modern aesthetic.

In addition to helping partners nail their favorite sex positions with peak comfort and pleasure, some pieces of sex furniture are also built for specific sexual activities. “Some sex furniture has built-in restraints for those interested in bondage, and other sex furniture includes a sex toy mount for hands-free solo or partnered play,” says Tanner. Sex furniture for those on the kinkier side (and which you may have seen or experienced yourself if you frequent sex clubs or other erotic spaces) might include bondage and spanking benches.

But sex furniture isn’t just for the ultra-kinky or sexually advanced; you needn’t be a bondage expert or a sexual acrobrat to benefit from a well-made piece of sex furniture. “Sex furniture is for anyone who wants to use it,” says Tanner, and that includes people of all genders, sexual orientations and relationship styles. “Sex furniture can be particularly useful for people who have physical disabilities, limited mobility, or chronic pain, as it can help support the body in certain positions that may enhance pleasure and comfort.”

If you can swing it financially (Liberator’s loungers and benches will cost you a few hundred, with some of their Black Label products running up to a grand) and have the space for it, sex furniture can be a novel, and even downright practical, addition to any bedroom (or basement or wherever you happen to have room to put a sex chaise).

Of course, sex furniture needn’t necessarily be overwhelmingly expensive or bulky. According to Tanner, the most popular kind of sex furniture tends to be wedges, AKA “sex pillows.” These relatively small props can be used in a variety of ways, and are designed to enhance comfort and pleasure during sex.

“Wedges are typically placed under the back or belly to lift the lower body. Having the lower body lifted can create new and sometimes more intense sensations during penetrative activities,” says Tanner. “Lifting the lower body can also help reduce strain in certain sexual positions.”

While all sex furniture is intended to enhance sex on some level, that can mean very different things depending on what kind of sex furniture you’re using. “Depending on how sex furniture is used and positioned, it can enhance pleasure, comfort and mobility, and can even decrease physical pain or discomfort in some cases,” says Tanner. Some products are designed to increase comfort and help users achieve more ergonomic sex, while others “may lead to more intense sensations, especially during penetrative activities,” notes Tanner, which may not be desired or pleasurable for all sex furniture shoppers.

To determine what kind of sex furniture is right for you, Tanner suggests first considering what role you’re looking for that furniture to play in your sex life. Are you seeking physical comfort and support, erotic novelty or both? Either way, there’s a piece of sex furniture out there for you. A few recommendations are below. But remember, all furniture is sex furniture if you believe in yourself.