You don't have to be a design expert to see that WP needs to be refined. You really don't.
What is your definition of refinement? I happen to look at it and find the design the most refined in the industry right now.
WP still has some gaps in functionality, but that's not related to the UI design.
I like the tiles. I like WP's potential. However, the lack of refinement in the UI is what WP needs work on. It is too minimalistic at times and oversized where it shouldn't be. Once those things go away, you'll see a lot of people adopting Windows Phone.
The minimalism isn't going to change. It's a core tenet of the design language. And the parts that you see as "oversized" serve a function. Live Tiles need to carry information. And if the tiles were too small, that information would not be as easily readable on smaller screens.
The main principles are as follows:
Typography.
Type is beautiful. Not only is it attractive to the eye, but it can also be functional. The right balance of weight and positioning can create a visual hierarchy. Additionally, well placed type can help lead you to more content.
Motion
Motion is what brings the interface to life. Transitions are just as important as graphical design. By developing a consistent set of motions or animations, a system is created that provides context for usability, extra dimension and depth and improves the perceived performance of the whole interface.
Content not Chrome
Content not Chrome is one of the more unique principles of Metro. By removing all notions of extra chrome in the UI, the content becomes the main focus. This is especially relevant due to the smaller screen size and gesture-based interactions.
Honesty.
Design explicitly for the form factor of a hand held device using touch, a high resolution screen and simplified and expedited forms of interaction. In other words, be “authentically digital”.
I'm not saying I don't like Metro. I do like it. I just think Metro on Windows Phone hasn't been optimized for the screen size. Once the UI has been made more focused, you'll forget that it ever used to look like this.
I know it wasn't, but I know the UI isn't even close to perfect yet. It still needs to be tweaked.
Nothing is perfect. And we'll continue to see an evolution. But it sounds like you have a completely different design philosophy.
And that's not necessarily wrong. It's just different. But they are differences that won't be incorporated into this design language because they go against the basic principles that it's built upon.