Ideal party dungeon set up?

There has been a lot of discussion on the local BDSM lists about what makes a “perfect dungeon”. Everyone has their own ideas about functionality, design and equipment and it has sparked a long list of suggestions. I have a little light to shed on the subject from the owner/promoter stand point. (I am going to stay away from specific decoration advice like medical area, etc since that has more to do with player preferences and the type of parties you might throw.)

The first concerns need to be cleanliness and safety. That means having as many hard surfaces as possible so it can be sterilized properly. I chose a lot of metal furnishings to make that easier. When choosing furniture, be sure to pick or build pieces without a lot of weird nooks and leather crannies. It is difficult and time consuming to clean pieces like that after play and most party goers are just going to give it a quick wipe down. (You would vomit if I told you some of the things we have cleaned from crevices. ) I have used a simple piece of pvc as a flat slip cover for beds and couches that have had cloth material covering them. That makes clean up easy and keeps people from sweating into the fabric.

Safety means having your bondage points installed by a competent carpenter or rigger and checking the furniture frequently for malfunctions. People will spin on the points, loosen furniture fittings, adjust furniture to suit their needs and generally move things around constantly. That should be expected as part of normal use/wear and tear. It is imperative to check the furnishings and bondage points frequently for damage or incompetence. I can not stress this enough. It is also important to supply disinfectant for your party guests to use on the furniture, as well as, safer sex supplies. In light of how irresponsible people can get when they are horny, I recommend a safer sex policy.

I know that no one wants the party police deciding how their scene should be played out but we have to take a stand on our health at some point. If you like having unprotected sex with your partner, there is no reason you two can not share that intimacy at home. I never implemented a mandatory safer sex policy when the studio was open and I regret it now. I feel like I could have set a better example for new people coming into the community by having that in place. Just having supplies on the premises does not stop disease.

I have found the most used pieces of furniture include bondage beds, x frames ( St Andrew’s Cross), suspension points ( I have 6 electric hoists and about 10 static points in the ceiling.) medical tables, and bondage chairs. I prefer the electric suspension hoists so I do not have to climb a ladder when I decide to use a point. Also, it allows me to adjust their height without moving the rope or harness, You can never have to many eye bolts sunk into the walls, ceiling and floor. Anyone of those can be a play station during a cramped party. Be sure your eye bolts are rated for the correct weight.(I prefer the welded ones.)

It is important to have a social area for people to talk outside of the dungeon space. This is where the food and beverage are generally served . I also recommend having some small private areas for extended aftercare. This can be something as simple as a few love seats in a dark area of the space. I prefer to play in dungeons that offer a shower facility. I like to know that I have the ability to clean someone up thoroughly after a particularly raunchy or heavy scene.

Music, lighting and paint are the most inexpensive ways to create ambiance in a play space. The sound system does not need to be fancy but a multi disc changer is always nice. I suggest music with a good steady beat and nasty lyrics to instigate deviance. For the social and aftercare areas something a little slower and more sensual always works. The lighting should be adjustable and directional if possible. I detest the overhead lighting that permeates rental spaces in hotels and convention centers. There is nothing quite as uninspiring as office carpet and florescent lighting. (I should know, my studio had it throughout the entire 3,500 sq ft floor plan. The carpet has been particularly troublesome to remove due to a half inch of yellow adhesive cementing it to the floor.) When choosing colors don’t get stuck in traditional black with red accents. There is an entire palette of choices that will create different moods and settings depending on the size of the space and the furnishings. A Google search will tell you everything you need to know about how color affects mood.

A few other options to consider: kitchen, donation box by the door, seating for people who are not playing, how trash will be handled, bio-hazard disposal, space to pass out safety literature and local event flyers, and coat/toy bag storage options. Decorations could include erotic or intimidating art work, area rugs, mirrors, candle holders, wall racks for holding equipment and supplies or an area for messy play. A word to the wise: I recommend finding inexpensive pieces at estate sales, thrift stores and specialty shops because the public will damage things you never imagined possible.


When putting out food and snacks always make sure to have serving utensils for anything that is in a large bowl. Once I see that tell tale bowl of m n m’s without a spoon in it, I am out the door. That is beyond repugnant. Speaking of hygiene, let’s talk about linen service and equipment. People have asked or suggested blankets and towels in the past. The towels would be doable.(A laundry service fee would need to be charged for each though and it has been my experience people would rather just bring their own than pay a couple bucks.) As for blankets, I think that is pretty disgusting. How would a dungeon provide blankets and have it be safe and clean? For private rentals that is easy but at parties do you really want to do your aftercare on a blanket that has been in someone’s sweaty ass crack? Ick. Bring your own blankies.

A final word on having implements available: I never made them available for several reasons. Number one the hygiene issues concerned me. The only way I would feel good about using “public” implements is if I cleaned them before and after each use. If everyone who uses a pair of cuffs cleans it two times that is going to deteriorate the leather pretty quickly. Then there is the vanishing act that any nice equipment is likely to do. That would definitely affect the quality of toys you would put out. I do not mean outright thievery necessarily but parties are dark and toys getting thrown into a bag without thinking would happen. Also, think about what adding implements does to the cost of running a space. I didn’t want to get into how much all of these little things cost but perhaps I’ll include a follow up sometime with that information.

What would your ideal party dungeon include?