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Ebony tells all about her second chance on The Block with Luke

September 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

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The Block starts again this Sunday and I can’t wait! Adding to my usual excitement about a new series is the fact that WA siblings Ebony and Luke, my early favourites from the last series, are back for a second chance. I couldn’t wait to chat to Ebony Haythornthwaite about keeping this huge secret for the last few months and what we can expect from the Block-togon!

Luke and Ebony on last series
Luke and Ebony on last series

The pair found out they were getting a second chance on the show when they attended the auctions for Triple Threat. “We had become really great mates with the contestants we met during the eliminations, in particular Jess and Ayden. They invited us over to be a part of the celebrations and whilst we were there we are asked to take part in a short interview. We were under the impression it was regarding the auction results and Luke and I didn’t think much of it. We opened the door and were met with Scotty and Darren Palmer! They then proceeded to tell us to go home and pack our bags as we were on The Block!”

To say they were shocked would be an understatement. “We were both hesitant as we both doubt ourselves and our own abilities, but poor Luke had also booked a trip to Europe. It was all paid for and he would be leaving right in the middle of filming. There was definitely a moment of hesitation, but we both realised that this was an opportunity of a lifetime and we felt so grateful that we could not pass up the opportunity,” Ebony said.

block

Apart from some close friends and family, nobody else was allowed to know, with Ebony telling her other friends and colleagues that she had been offered an internship in Melbourne for three to four months! “They were so excited and I felt so terrible I couldn’t share the truth! But now that it’s out they are so thrilled and completely understand why I had to bend the truth a little.”

Despite the easy assumptions, Ebony says her and her brother aren’t really at much of advantage at all, having not even made it onto the Block ‘proper’ last series. “We’ve done a week of the show whereas the others haven’t and we knew a few crew members and had a taste of the camera and the pressure you’re under. But we also have never been on The Block – we were in an apartment complex for one week. The actual Block site and the running of the site are very different. But I understand the question of having an advantage; I would be thinking the same thing if I was a contestant and they brought someone else back. But as you’ll see, first or second time around makes no difference – you can still make huge mistakes either way!”

Humble Ebony also can’t help feeling a little guilty to get another shot at the experience when so many apply every year and miss out. “I’ve read comment after comment in the past of viewers being annoyed that others have had two opportunities to have a go. I do completely understand if people feel that way. Luke and I honestly believed that we had had our chance last time and we were not good enough to be involved. We had put it down to a great experience and had moved on. That’s why it was such a genuine surprise to be asked back and there was no way we could have said no to the opportunity. It’s something that people will either have a problem with or they won’t. Ultimately it was an unexpected delight to be asked back and we’re extremely grateful.”

Luke and Ebony
Luke and Ebony

If Ebony has any regrets it’s not backing herself enough. “Viewers will be very surprised with our apartment and choices we make – it comes down to my lack of confidence in my own ability. Luke was great and constantly boosted me up, but in hindsight I did make a lot of mistakes; not trusting my gut and doing my natural style from the beginning is the biggest mistake I made.”

That said, now the apartment is finished, they love it: “It took some time getting there, there are changes that we made along the way. But ultimately, we love our apartment and hopefully the buyers will too!”

Something viewers often grumble about is too much bitching and drama and not enough design but Ebony says we can expect a great sense of teamwork amongst the contestants this time. “Yes, we are all very different and there is still frustration, conflict and disagreement, but generally I believe we all got on extremely well and helped each other a lot. There are hours upon hours of footage which has to get cut down to a 45-minute episode. I hope that viewers see the many, many laughs we all had together. Each contestant is brilliantly hilarious and completely insane in their own way – it’s fabulous!”

But working on a building site for 12 weeks, alongside eight strangers and a crew you’re getting to know with very little sleep, there is always going to be drama. “This show is about capturing the moments as they unfold, and that means capturing the drama. If the show censored the drama and focused solely on the design, viewers wouldn’t be seeing the experience for what it really is; plus that’s not reality. I think this series will show a good balance of design and drama. Let’s not forget a lot of the drama comes from the design sometimes!”

Working on The Block was the hardest, most gruelling and challenging thing Ebony’s ever done but she also calls but it the most rewarding, hilarious and craziest thing she’s done. “I hope they show all the tears, the tantrums and the laughs, because then viewers can see what an emotional rollercoaster The Block really is. It’s not all laughs and fun, but it’s not all doom and gloom either – like I said, total rollercoaster!”

Having grown up in a close family, Ebony and Luke have been taught to trust one another and be open about things. “To be honest, I was shocked that Luke and I got along so well last time but I figured it was just because we had only spent a week together! After hearing that we were back on, I was worried about how we’d go. But in all seriousness, I am so proud of how we worked as a team. We had each other’s back from day one. We had arguments and disagreements, but it never lasted long and we never screamed at each other.”

The series has now finished filming, but open for inspection day and of course, the the auctions, are still looming. Ebony’s keeping her future options open but is definitely set on a design career and more study. “I thought I had a lot to learn before, now I know I have a lot to learn! But it’s exciting. Last time the show was right as I finished my brief study, this time it feels like the prequel to furthering my study and starting my career. I have a few different options at the moment, but I just need to seek advice as to what’s the best option for me, whether it is studying in Melbourne, studying overseas, taking some time to travel or perhaps another opportunity will arise. All I know at the moment is I don’t really want to see stairs, paintbrushes or ready-made dinners for quite some time!”

The Block starts with bathroom week on Sunday night at 7pm on Nine.

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! 💧 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!🤗

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap 🥴) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon 😆

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!💪🏻) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too 😉

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

✔️ I'm English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008😆 

✔️ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. 🛁 

✔️ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) 📓 

✔️ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London 🚔 

✔️I had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife 😁

✔️ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK ❤️ 🇬🇧 

✔️ At school, my favourite subject was French 🇫🇷 and I was head girl 🤓🤓

✔️ I'm addicted to ☕️ , long hot baths and💄 (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

✔️ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message 😁

✔️ My favourite cuisine is Japanese 🍣 🍜 and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

✔️ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

✔️ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or🍷 

✔️ Cheesy as it sounds, 💁‍♀️being a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life 🧒👦

✔️ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view 📖 

✔️ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

✔️ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker 😯 🅿️

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better 😘

📸 @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

“We are very honoured to have been a part of The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,” he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

🙏Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! 🎨 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find 🤗

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
📸 @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭 N The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

✔️ ventilation holes
✔️ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
✔️ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
✔️ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
✔️ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
✔️ compact, sleek, European design
✔️ 10 year warranty
✔️ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so 👌🏻

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
Kids and husband messing with my vignettes again🤨

PS. The coaster was RIGHT THERE 🤪
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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 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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