i feel like having a vibey backyard is swingers coded. we're not swingers but i can really see how someone would make that mistake. hot tubs of course but then also like elaborate multi-story decks, outdoor kitchens, things of that nature. swingers love that stuff
i've had this theory for a while and once spent a huge number of hours trying to look up photos of the backyards of people's houses where they host swingers parties but taken when the parties aren't happening. tricky to google!
i was totally right tho! they were all super vibey. weird statuary, myriad lounge chairs, one of them had built an observatory? kegerators, those professional ashtray towers, propane heaters like bars have. they're just like very committed to a backyard lifestyle and i really respect that about them
so i feel like the swinger examples you cited and also the “coding” (not sure i’m using that correctly) leans on…technology? or gimmickry maybe? whereas you just have a backyard that you use as a yard, that’s back here.
it's gimmickry but it also lurks on the border between a commercial space and a domestic space just due to how many people are over there, i guess. or how many people they're hoping will be over there
that’s a good point, the number and also (presumably) the variety, giving rise for the need of easy cleanup, catering to different tastes/allergies(? i have no idea how these things work)
I was active in the community for 7 years (1 regular recurring house party, 4 clubs, several hotel takeovers, 2 consistent couples, 1 long term unicorn).
AMA - except names
i mean my main and only interest is in the design of the outdoor spaces! were there any patterns in their idk landscaping, outdoor furnishings, etc, that you saw, that were notable, that were maybe in service of having so many guests and so regularly?
here's a guess- did houses that regularly hosted parties install commercial refrigerators and dishwashers? that many wine glasses would be a lot for a standard residential dishwasher to keep up with
