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Darren Palmer chats about The Block season starting on Sunday

By Jen Bishop โ€ข Leave a Comment

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With the hotly anticipated new season of The Block due to kick off this Sunday, we spoke to judge Darren Palmer and tried (unsuccessfully if we’re honest!) to get some secrets out of him! That said, he assures us we have a lot to look forward to watching and hinted it’s one of the best series yet. I am so excited, I can’t wait! The Block is just what cold nights in on the couch with a blanket have been calling for!

Darren, pictured with fellow judges Neale and Shaynna and host Scotty Cam, loves going to work at The Block

“I love working on The Block and returning every season to the familiar faces behind the scenes as well as my fellow judges,” Darren says. “The working environment is brilliant and itโ€™s always exciting, making filming every season something I really look forward to. That said, some seasons have been harder or more challenging in terms of having an uneven balance of skills and good results to judge but this season is constantly surprising and uplifting and seeing what the contestants have been able to do with these dream houses has made this season a standout favourite of mine.”

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen houses, rather than apartments, on the show, so that in itself is something that will bring changes. “The houses make it easier to film, give us much more to see and give us some great opportunities to judge things that apartments might prohibit in terms of scale, detail or amenity,” Darren says. “I think people at home across the country that live in houses will see opportunities in their own homes they might not have recognised and you definitely have that luxury, aspirational side of The Block loud and clear on this season. These are true, long-term, dream houses.”

If you haven’t kept up with the spoilers, this year, The Block have upped and moved four heritage weatherboards (literally cut them in half and put them on trucks!), ripe for demolition, and plonked them in Melbourne’s Elsternwick (a site that cost a rumoured $10 million) to give them a new lease on life, 9km from the CBD. “Itโ€™s great that theyโ€™ve saved these old beauties, isnโ€™t it? I loved walking into the first week with that visible scar running down the centre of the buildings. The houses start off as pretty ramshackle, but it only improves from there.”

Darren loves that the homes in season 13 are being restored and reinvigorated in a new location with modern amenities. “It’s a really neat take on fusing the old and the new.”

What constantly surprises viewers, or what you may not realise, is that the judges rarely get to meet the contestants until it’s all over. “I didnโ€™t get to meet any of the contestants this season,” Darren shares. “We rarely do, save for perhaps a challenge once a season, but this season the most contact Iโ€™ve had with any of them is to wave hello to a tired contestant on aย Sundayย morning.” So there you go!

Darren has a reputation for swapping between Mr Nice Guy and Bad Cop from season to season. “My judging really depends on the approach of the contestants and how well they interpret the brief. If they listen, take on advice and understand what theyโ€™re delivering to the market and create high quality interiors that suit the area, Iโ€™m full of praise and good vibes.”

The chemistry between Darren and fellow judges Neale Whitaker and Shaynna Blaze shines through on screen, although they certainly don’t always agree. “I love those guys. They are two of the most hard working and talented humans. We make each other laugh. We have a great friendship that has spanned many years and we respect each other.

“They relentlessly mock me behind the scenes and that seems to bring them joy. I have a thick skin so Iโ€™m ok with it! Theyโ€™re genuinely funny and warm people and Iโ€™m very blessed to be able to work with good friends.”

While you might think the interior designer lives out of a suitcase, he reveals he usually goes between home in Sydney and his Block commitments in Melbourne on the same day, traveling light. Nevertheless, he’s a busy guy, so he works hard to keep healthy and happy. “My tips are eat super clean, lots and lots of vegetables, and have a really low sugar intake (most of the time). I do whatever I can to relax and unwind when Iโ€™m not working.

“I train at the gym, more now than I have for the last few years, but I’m getting back to peak health and fitness slowly but surely. Iโ€™m very diligent at looking after myself and prioritise time with my family and to keep myself well maintained rather than saying yes to everything that comes my way. Itโ€™s important to create the balance you need to thrive and I feel Iโ€™m doing a fairly good job of that at the moment.”

He has lots more happening at the moment too, including his own homewares range for Myer, launching very soon. “Iโ€™m bursting with excitement about seeing my logo and name on swing tags on the most beautiful product Iโ€™ve been working on for a good while now. I havenโ€™t been able to talk about it, but now that it will be in all Myer stores across the country, I could not be happier.

The Block season 13 site

“Iโ€™m working on a few projects of my own and I have plenty of brilliant and interesting corporate relationships like writing for Domain, the ambassadorships with Audi, Hafele and Carpet Court as well as some interesting short term alliances. Iโ€™ll be doing another Yourtown Christmas prize home later in the year and will have a few shoots and things to keep me occupied. As always, watch this space!”

His own home needs a lot of time and money spent on it, but has amazing potential. “Itโ€™s a slow but steady process. I do what I can that doesnโ€™t cost much or that I can DIY, working with my favourite suppliers as much as possible. My house is a sort of pre-reno fix-up. Iโ€™ve painted walls and ceilings and laid floors, tizzed up [that’s a technical term!] a few rooms here and there and styled my lovely Myer range throughout, but thereโ€™s a lot left to do and a lot I want to do with the house. It has huge potential but the real reno is going to have to be done in stages and will take a lot of time and money. Iโ€™m patient though and I can see clearly what the house will become, which is good, but it also makes me very eager to see it in reality.”

Of course, you can rely on us to bring you all The Block room reveal details, pictures and gossip as the series progresses. We can’t wait!

Block latest.

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July 27, 2017

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Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I fir Me and @fantasticfurniture go WAY back! When I first came to Australia in my 20s, it's where I headed to buy everything I needed for my first apartment at an incredible price! And I've loved watching the range get more and more impressive over the years as my knowledge of furniture has increased. I had no idea how extensive their Aussie Made sofa range was though. I'd love you to check out the options via link in bio as I think you'll be impressed! I think we have a renewed appreciation for Aussie Made and supporting local manufacturing and jobs and this is a great success story. We love a bit of high low decorating, and turns out Fantastic Furniture is a great place to find your family lounge, a special accent chair, an extra ottoman for occasional seating and so much more. 

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Please don't show my boys this room or they'll wan Please don't show my boys this room or they'll want one like it!

How gorgeous is this Brisbane kids' bedroom?! 

@brittwhitestudio worked closely with the boys (aged 7 and 9) to understand their needs with a bespoke bunk bed solution crafted by BRC Cabinets, featuring ample storage as well as an under-stair hidey-hole, a useful reading nook for books and a built-in charger for electronics. Local craftsmen Emmettโ€™s Ropes designed and hand-tied the ropework on the top bunk and the supporting pillar beneath.

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see and read more!

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Just 3 of the kitchens in the @duluxaus Colour Awards 2023 shortlist which will give you some serious inspiration!

Loads more gorgeous residential rooms to see on the blog this morning via link in bio.

Projects by @studio__bright @kaiko_design and Georgie Shepherd Interior Design. Pix by @arorygardiner @fiona_susanto and @christophermorrisphoto 

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We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony m We're a bit obsessed with Cara Standen's balcony makeover using @kmartaus stone tiles!

Nineties townhouse in Lennox Head or villa in Greece? You decide! All up it cost $2000 including all materials and she did the work herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

Love your work @twin_palms_lennox

#kmartaustralia #kmartdiy #kmarthack #kmarthome #modernmediterranean #balconymakeover #balconyideas #diybalcony #budgetdiy #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
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What do you reckon? You'd think it would be overkill but it isn't because so many of the designs are subtle yet still impactful.

Head over to the blog to see how @grafico_walls transformed this blank canvas Melbourne townhouse with their products, which you've probably seen on The Block over the years. And read how Damian Corney has grown this Melbourne business with wife Adele and a growing team. There's also a look inside the very cool Motley Hotel which has used a whopping 4km of their wallpaper throughout!

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Via link in bio now.

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Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! Kids and fluffy chickens. Does it get any cuter?! 

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Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: Itโ€™s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!โ€

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno. L Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno.

Located inside a 1912 sandstone villa in Adelaideโ€™s Kensington, this bathroom makeover combines classic and contemporary elements that complement the homeโ€™s original, period features. 

Designed by the homeโ€™s owner @designby_Tahirih, who is a property stylist too, the renovation came sooner than expected after water ingress made the makeover of their only bathroom an urgent necessity!

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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

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