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Parents' Guide to

How to Build a Sex Room

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Raunchy room makeover show is entertaining, for adults only.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2022
Show poster.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Melanie Rose.
  • Discussing a build with the contractor.
  • Looking at a finished room.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 2 parent reviews

momsagainsttomholland
momsagainsttomholland Parent of 18+-year-old
May 9, 2023
age 2+

MY TODDLER AND TEEN LOVED IT

Loved it!!! My 2 year old found it very educational and the he is helping us build our very own sex room! My daughter has now gotten interested in BDSM which is exciting!! 😏
cstracq
cstracq Adult
July 13, 2022
age 18+

Leaves out the most critical safety parts. Absolutely, egregiously irresponsible.

I am so mad about this show. Consent, education, and safety are CRITICAL, and it is wildly irresponsible to show an audience BDSM without enforcing those. Melanie bullying her contractor to hit her ass with a flogger (obviously scripted) is HORRIBLE because it violates consent. She should have absolutely stopped when he said no. That's harassment. It gives the kink community a bad rap. And you NEED to teach people about safety. Otherwise, you are setting them up to have a very bad, possibly fatal experience. They got into rope, and they didn't once mention anything about watching for tension on the skin, discoloring, cutting blood circulation off, being extremely careful about any rope around the neck, and most importantly MEDICAL SCISSORS! Rope truly can go very wrong very fast, and you can't undo ties to get someone out. You need to have medical / fabric scissors within reach any time there is any rope play. This show had an opportunity to correct the "Fifty Shades" bullshit representation of BDSM, to show people about being careful, prepared, safe, and being extremely careful with consent. Instead, it perpetuates some of the "wild" representations, which can still do a lot of damage.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

HOW TO BUILD A SEX ROOM is an unscripted series featuring ordinary couples hiring an interior designer to give them erotic home makeovers. British luxury interior designer and intimate space expert Melanie Rose meets with couples looking to put more spice into their marriage. After asking her clients some probing questions about their personal styles, along with their sexual pleasures and desires, Rose conceptualizes a one-of-a-kind room, which is then built by contractor Mike and his team. From sensual honeymoon-type suites to hip rock n' roll dungeons, each space is built to help make fantasies into realities.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

This unconventional home makeover series features the design and construction of different types of sophisticated pleasure rooms. It discusses the structural requirements of the build, and reveals how Melanie Rose makes them into beautiful and unique high-end spaces that suit her client's tastes. However, much of How to Build a Sex Room is focused on sex positivity, celebrating each couples' desire to explore, push boundaries, and enjoy their intimate moments. The entertainment value also comes from the blunt conversations about sexual proclivities and spotlighting the various paraphernalia in each room. Adding to this are the professional demonstrations of how to use many of these objects. All of this is offered in a light-hearted and unapologetic context. There are moments when it gets to be a little much, but that doesn't keep this design show from being a decidedly guilty pleasure for adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact watching sexual content can have on kids. Why should it be limited? When is it appropriate for kids to begin watching movies and TV shows with sexy stuff?

  • Is the main focus of How to Build a Sex Room the construction of a luxury room? Or is it about titillating audiences?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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