The End of the ‘Show Home’ Look and Why ‘Lived In’ Is Winning

For the last few years, the show home has been a benchmark. Perfectly plumped cushions, untouched sofas, dining tables styled for meals that never happen. Beautiful, yes. But completely out of step with how we actually live.  

In 2026, that polished, hands-off aesthetic is losing ground. In its place is something far more appealing: homes that feel lived in. Comfortable. Personal. Designed to be used, not preserved. 

Why the show home look is falling off 

The show home was always about aspiration rather than reality. Furniture chosen for impact over comfort. Layouts designed to be admired, not inhabited. 

But homes now do more than ever. They are offices, social hubs, places to rest and places to host. According to Pinterest Predicts 2026, searches continue to rise for interiors that feel warm, characterful and comfortable, signalling a clear move away from overly polished spaces. 

People are no longer designing homes for occasional guests. They are designing them for everyday life. 

What 'lived in' really means 

A lived-in home is not careless. It is considered, welcoming, and comfortable. 

It’s a sofa that looks inviting because it’s used daily. Dining chairs chosen because you can comfortably sit in them for hours. Furniture that earns its place through function and feel, not just appearance. 

The sofa is where ‘lived in’ starts 

If there’s one piece of furniture that exposes a show home, it is the sofa. If it looks good but doesn’t invite you to sit down, the illusion falls apart quickly. 

In lived-in homes, the sofa is the anchor. It is where evenings stretch out, guests gather, weekends slow down. 

The Model 06 sofa strikes this balance perfectly. Structured enough to look considered, but genuinely comfortable for everyday lounging. It works just as well in a compact living room as it does in an open-plan space. 

For bigger rooms and evolving layouts, the Model 13 sofa allows you to build a seating arrangement that grows with you. Modules lock together securely, so flexibility never compromises comfort. 

Dining rooms are no longer just for show 

The show home dining room often looked impressive but felt impractical. Hard chairs, formal layouts, and an unspoken rule that dinner should not linger. 

Today’s dining rooms are more relaxed and far more versatile. They are places to eat, work, gather and talk long after the plates are cleared. 

Think dining chairs that are designed with comfort front of mind, offering supportive shapes that encourage you to stay seated, whether it is a quick breakfast or a long dinner with friends. 

Paired with a well-proportioned dining table (bonus points if it’s extendable), the space becomes genuinely multifunctional without losing its sense of style. 

Bedrooms that feel human, not staged 

Show home bedrooms are often visually calm but emotionally distant. Perfect symmetry, untouched surfaces, no sense of how the room is actually used. 

Lived-in bedrooms feel softer and more personal. A chair in the corner for reading or clothes. Gentle lighting. Furniture that supports switching off. 

Adding an armchair instantly makes a bedroom feel more relaxed and functional. In guest rooms, a sofa bed turns the space into something genuinely useful, without sacrificing comfort or design. 

Celebrity homes are reinforcing the shift 

This move away from show-home perfection is also visible in pop culture. Some of the most shared celebrity interiors right now are calm, grounded and refreshingly normal.  

Architectural Digest’s most viewed home tours increasingly feature relaxed, functional spaces that prioritise comfort over formality. Take Kendall Jenner’s cosy, cottage-core, mountain home for example. Soft furnishings, warm tones, and mismatched patterns to make you feel right at home. 

These are homes designed to be lived in, not just photographed. And that influence matters. 

Why ‘lived in’ is here to stay 

The end of the show home look reflects a wider cultural reset. People are choosing longevity over fast trends, comfort over rigidity, and homes that support real life. Warmth, colour, texture and everyday functionality are defining modern homes. A lived-in home tells a story. It evolves. It welcomes you in. 

And furniture plays a central role in that story. When pieces are designed to adapt, to move, to be used daily, the whole home feels more authentic. 

The show home had its moment; we’ll give it that. But lived-in is winning because it feels real. 

Homes are no longer about impressing guests for five minutes. They are about creating spaces you want to spend time in every single day.