WOW!house Made Me Realise Homes Are Starting To Look The Same?

There’s something so refreshing about walking through WOW!house as an interior designer. In reality, most of our projects at Emma Merry Styling are this constant balancing act between beautiful design and real life , children, dogs, school bags, practical layouts and clients wanting homes that genuinely work for how they live. So spaces like WOW!house feel like this lovely moment where creativity is just allowed to breathe.

Going into this year’s show, I wasn’t necessarily looking for the next big thing. Honestly, after what has felt like a very long trade show season, with stand after stand still feeling visually stuck somewhere around 1995, I just wanted to see spaces that felt exciting again. Not necessarily louder, just more considered. More atmospheric. Rooms that made you feel something.

Because that’s ultimately what good interiors should do.

One thing we talk about a lot on our pre build consultancy sessions is this idea that beautiful homes are created through one huge expensive purchase, when actually the most layered homes come from hundreds of smaller decisions working together quietly in the background, lighting, textures, proportions, and how a room emotionally makes you feel when you walk into it.

WOW!house really reminded me of that.

Naturally, the bathrooms became a huge talking point for our studio.

Having used Samuel Heath across several of our own projects, I was really excited to see how the brand would work in a more contemporary setting. The darker brushed finishes against polished plaster walls, timber cladding and dramatic onyx basins should have worked beautifully, but if I’m honest, the room just felt slightly “off” to me as a complete scheme.

There were definitely moments I liked individually, but it reinforced something we often say to clients during renovations, contrast alone doesn’t automatically create warmth. Luxury spaces still need softness and cohesion to feel inviting.

In complete contrast, the THG Paris room completely transported me.

1920s-inspired interiors are absolutely having a moment right now

This space felt so elegant rather than overly theatrical. The illuminated honey onyx vanity units, softly fluted brass detailing and layered textures just felt incredibly chic.

And the La Fontaine vanity… honestly, stunning. It sat quietly in the room almost like a sculpture rather than a vanity unit. It reminded me so much of those boutique hotel references we often pull for clients during concept stages, spaces that feel elevated but still relaxed and liveable.

One of the biggest takeaways for me was actually the subtle use of mixed finishes within the brassware itself. Increasingly, our clients are moving away from highly polished “look at me” luxury and instead wanting homes that feel softer, calmer and more layered. True luxury doesn’t need to scream for attention anymore. It should quietly hum in the background of the room.

One space that is still living rent free in my mind though was the home bar area, and judging by my Instagram DMs, a lot of you felt the same. The leather finish on the English alabaster had this beautiful warm almost touchable quality to it, while the bleached timber wall panels with these discreet hidden storage details made the whole space feel playful and slightly whimsical.

And honestly… why aren’t we having more fun with our homes?

There are no points for designing a home that looks exactly like everyone else’s.

Some of the best spaces at WOW!house were the ones that felt personal, layered and slightly unexpected.

Bedrooms this year definitely leaned heavily into that very National Trust-inspired look, small floral patterns, layered heritage references and lots of traditional detailing. Don’t cancel me… but I do think this aesthetic risks becoming very copy-and-paste if it’s not handled carefully.

I love mixing heritage pieces with vintage finds and fresher contemporary furniture so a home evolves around the people living there rather than simply recreating a Pinterest board.

And speaking of Pinterest… kitchens are currently sitting in two very different camps. You’ve either got the ultra-slick European architectural kitchen with very cubic forms, or the heavily traditional farmhouse style. A lot of homeowners seem stuck somewhere in the middle wanting warmth and character without things feeling overly rustic. Martin Moore’s kitchen solved this beautifully.

The layered timber cabinetry, curved quartzite worktops and banquette seating area just felt so comfortable and elevated at the same time. It was one of the only kitchens that genuinely reflected how modern families actually want to live now.

We always talk about the kitchen becoming the catch-all room of the house, somewhere for homework, entertaining, quick breakfasts and late-night chats. This space understood that balance perfectly.

For me, WOW!house wasn’t really about dramatic “wow” moments at all. The best spaces were actually the quietest ones, the rooms that used materials beautifully, solved everyday living problems properly and created atmosphere without trying too hard.And honestly, I think that’s where luxury interiors are heading altogether. Less perfection. More personality.

Thinking About Renovating Your Home in Surrey?

If you’re planning a full house renovation, the most valuable thing you can do is pause before construction begins and think carefully about the design strategy.

A well-planned renovation should feel effortless once complete as though the house was always meant to work that way.

Emma Merry Studio is an interior design studio based in Surrey specialising in full house renovations, kitchen design and interior architecture. We work with families across Surrey, Kent and London to create homes that are both beautiful and practical for everyday life.

If you already have architectural plans or are about to commission them our Pre-Build Consultancy sessions help ensure your renovation works brilliantly before the builders arrive.

Emma Merry Styling is an interior design studio based in Surrey specialising in full house renovations, kitchen design and interior architecture, We would love to hear all about your plans reach out here.