You’ve probably seen the standard format for home design shows before. A couple thinks their home is boring, so they ask a designer to make it prettier; the designer goes all out and the couple is shocked and happy in the end. These shows have been done millions of times, but now there’s a twist. What if instead of designing homes, the designers were designing sex rooms? That is the concept behind “How to Build a Sex Room,” which was released on July 8 on Netflix. The show is hosted by Melanie Rose, an interior designer who is basically the Mary Poppins of sex. A variety of couples want a sex room for a variety of reasons, and Melanie is there to help. From the kinkiest couples to the couples that care more about romance, Melanie is willing to help anyone. Her job is to make sure that people have happy and fulfilling relationships, especially in the bedroom. This show is trying to erase any taboos related to sex and show that it is perfectly natural to want a space specifically for intimacy. Not only do we see people’s sexual fantasies fulfilled, but we also see relationships grow. This is a very entertaining home design show for the modern age and it will make almost anyone feel valid in their desires.

Each episode focuses on two or three couples. We are introduced to their ways of life and what makes each of them unique. Melanie also talks to them about why they want a sex room. Some couples want it to practice BDSM, some couples want it because they feel they have not been intimate in a while because of children and sometimes couples want a little bit of both. Melanie tries to get the full idea of what these couples expect from their room so she can make them as happy as possible. She will also show them some sex toys, like plugs and floggers, to gauge the couples’ interests. Then, later she will take each couple to a different location to give them more ideas and embrace their sexualities. Once she has it all figured out, Melanie gets to work on the room with her contractor, Mike. We cut back and forth between her working on different couples until we get the grand reveals. This can sometimes be late in the episode or the beginning of the next one depending on when the couple is introduced. She is able to take these somewhat ordinary spaces into something extraordinary. Her main goal is to make sex more enjoyable for the couples, and she and Mike want to do the best jobs with these rooms that they possibly can.

What I loved about this show was the diversity of the couples. While there were some couples that fit the mold of who you would expect to have a sex room, there were some people that were different. We saw couples of many different sexualities, backgrounds and living situations. One episode had a polycule of seven people (they kept saying seven but I could only count six) with a large basement for their sex room and another episode had two women living in a van and they wanted the van to become their sex room. You have people with a bunch of children, people who are long-distance and so much more. Each story was fascinating and I felt I was learning a lot about the human experience. I would have preferred if there was one couple per episode and maybe just make more episodes. I feel that we could have gone more in-depth about the couples and we could have also learned more about the actual building process. I felt that we didn’t see enough about making the actual room and I would have enjoyed more of that. Even so, everyone’s room turned out to be amazing, even though I thought there were too many couches and not enough beds. Each room was aesthetically pleasing and I am sure everyone will have a great sexual future in them.

I also think this show did a great job of picking the designer. As soon as you see Melanie for the first time, you just know she would be cool to hang out with. From her red glasses and matching nails to her lovely British accent to her extravagant taste in necklaces and scarves, she seems like so much fun to be around. Not only does she look great, but you can tell she cares about her clients. This is not a show that is just about a place to have sex. We dive deep into some couples’ relationship issues and their connections through romance. Melanie takes all of this into consideration when she is designing. Everyone’s feelings are always valid and Melanie understands they you don’t need to be a hardcore dominatrix to want a sex room. She will make some considerations, but she will always hear what people dislike. She is also hilarious as she cracks jokes with everyone she meets to make the whole atmosphere lively. I also love every scene with Mike the contractor. He does not seem to be a sex expert, he seems mostly like he is a normal contractor. In every episode we see him learning and getting used to the different contraptions and spaces. You can tell that he is having a great time. He is playing around a little in between building and making sarcastic remarks that will always have you chuckling. The rooms always turn out fantastic so he clearly knows what he is doing. I have enjoyed the personalities of all the couples as I feel they are all unique and spunky. It is nice to meet new people, but I am glad we always have Melanie and Mike around.

Sex rooms may not be a room that most people have in their homes. Some people may see them as unnecessary and others might shame the people that want one. While it is completely reasonable to not want one, there is nothing wrong with having your own sex room. We are in a progressive era where people should not be shamed for legal sexual activities. This show is extremely sex-positive and allows people to be open about their desires, kinks and fetishes. They are able to be free, which is a beautiful thing. You may be a more vanilla person and assume that this show will be too much for you. However, it is told in a very digestible format. It is structured like a home design show that you may find on HGTV, just a little more intimate and adult. This show was fascinating and I really hope there’s another season. So if you are curious about what goes into a sex room and you want to hear different stories of love, watch “How to Build a Sex Room” today.