What is… Forniphilia? 

Have you ever felt the urge to kneel in front of your partner to let them put their feet up on you or rest a drink? Maybe you’d like to be a human chandelier or lampstand? This desire to be human furniture is more common than you think in the BDSM community and is often known by the name forniphilia. Victoria Blisse speaks to Fetish.com members about their fetish.
 

What is Forniphilia?

Forniphilia is the art of making or becoming human furniture and erotic performance artist Jeff Gord first coined it. It is often more commonly known as human furniture. It can involve extreme bondage but also can be performed very simply without any ties or restraints.  

So something as simple as kneeling before your Mistress and letting her rest her feet on your back is forniphilia, but it can be more extreme than that. Your master could bind you tightly and put a candle in your hands or mouth or on your head and use you as a human source of light. Making it so you can’t move until he releases you. 


Members of the Christopher Street Day demonstration - ColognePride 2006.  By CSD2006 from Wikimedia Commons
 

What is the attraction of Forniphilia?

One fetish.com user told us in our recent survey: “I like the feeling of being both helpless and helpful to my mistress.” 

And another commented:  “I love knowing I can serve someone in every way, including being a table or footrest to someone. It puts me in my place and just makes me so horny.”

Some submissives really enjoy being objectified. Used as a Dominant sees fit. That makes them happy and in some cases horny. Others enjoy the degradation and humiliation of appearing not even to be human. 
 

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“Being ignored is the ultimate form of being used and owned.”

From the side of the Dominant, the attraction can come from the control. 

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“For me it's about somebody allowing you such control over them that you can keep their body in an unnatural stress position for a long period of time, knowing that it hurts them and that they are doing it just for their Dominant.”

Or even the handy convenience!

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“The convenience of making them be a stool, coat hook or another item as and when needed. It’s more of an enjoyment than sexual turn on from my dominant point of view.”  

And an easy way to preserve space. 

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“My human furniture pieces are unique and stress-free, freeing up space when not in use as furniture is also great as limited space = unlimited possibilities for fun.”

Forniphilia safety tips: 

• Be sure to know your submissive’s limits. Knowing if your sub has a dodgy knee or achy wrist means you can bind them/place them in ways that won’t aggravate their injuries/health concerns. 
   
• Have an agreed safeword/action. Make sure your sub can indicate if they want out. Especially important if they are gagged or have their mouth impeded. An action such as tapping their food repeatedly or dropping something held in hand can work as a safeword alternative.
   
• Never leave your human furniture unattended. Keep checking on the wellbeing of your item of furniture. This is especially important if they are gagged or bound into place. Release them immediately if distress is noted. Have safety shears nearby. 

Is Forniphilia just about bondage?

No, it can simply be about control and submission. It can also involve other fetishes like watersports if your item of furniture is a toilet or wax play if your sub is turned into a candlestick. Forniphilia can form part of any scene. 

“I like to pretend like a table, so I'm ready to do it doggie style or get spanked.” One member said showing it doesn’t have to be done on its own; it can easily be added into a fun scene for anyone wanting to play with objectification. It’s a fetish that can be indulged in without any outlay at all but has the scope to expand into something much more extreme. 


Find other fans of forniphilia now or find someone willing to be human furniture for you in our BDSM dating section.


Cover Image: Exey Panteleev via Flickr Creative Commons.