It was a close one last night with Tanya and Vito’s quirky sunken lounge and Ronnie and Georgia’s broad appeal grey, white and gold room tying first place. But only after Ronnie and Georgia played their gnome point to prevent their sworn enemies from winning!

It often feels like these living/dining spaces should be quite straightforward and all about furniture choices, but in reality the open plan and often vast spaces can be hard work to get right from a layout perspective. And it was certainly a mixed bag last night.

Read on for what the judges had to say, the scores and how to shop the look.

Ronnie & Georgia: joint first (after playing their gnome)

Score: 28.5/30
Spent: $47,001

“Now everything makes sense!” said Darren. The judges loved all the textures. Neale said it was classic, contemporary and luxury. Darren said it delivered, delivered and delivered! He was completely in love with the dining chairs and the way they played with the artwork. The styling was perfect and the steel framed door gave a nice acoustic barrier. Darren said they’d made it broad appeal without being generic.

Flipping the usual flow, with lounge and dining rooms before the kitchen somehow just worked for the judges, creating a dining and living area where each room supports the other and all pull towards the central space. A perfectly placed television and fireplace, bar area adjacent to the dining area with lowered ceiling for intimacy and all taking advantage of the soaring roofline of the living area combined for an area that felt spacious but still an intimate enough to be used every day.

Shop the look: Slab coffee table | Natadora Morocco Speckle sofa | Cohen dining chairs

Mark & Mitch: fourth place

Score: 24.5/30
Spent: $37,691

With striking rows of skylights flooding the huge living and dining area with natural light, this is the wow factor the judges were looking for. “What an incredible ceiling!” said Shaynna.

“It’s one of those spaces that you walk in and look up and see the light and the tree, and then when you start analysing the way the space has been used, you sort of think ‘why would you do that?’” Neale said, quickly bringing down the mood! Darren loved the table and vase in the entrance foyer but felt there was a lot of dead space around it. “There are so many things to love about it but a lot of it is wrong.”

The beautifully styled dining table got top marks: “It looks like a party about to begin!” Neale said. But he said it all felt unfinished. It was like a series of vignettes but wasn’t meshing together as a home. Darren said the TV was too high because it was above the fireplace. “I feel like I’m sitting in a waiting room. I don’t feel comfortable,” said Neale.

Shaynna said she knew Mitch and Mark gave it their all but that the space felt like two separate houses. “I’m glad I’m not in the room when Scotty gives our feedback. But they need to hear it because buyers will feel it.”

Shop the look: Bailey dining chairs | Brighton pendant light

Tanya & Vito: joint first place

Score: 29.5/30
Spent: $49,618

Perfectly matched to the overall 1950s feel of this home was Tanya and Vito’s sunken lounge – and the judges fell in love – and into the couches – immediately. “Fun, playful, cool and retro!” gushed Darren, jumping in to see how the living area fit perfectly between the original front feature window with full length sheers and newly installed double-sided fireplace. “There’s nothing more conducive to people being together,” Neale added. “It’s just been so well thought through.”

Next over was the generous dining area, just perfect for a family dinner. And over it all, the “work of art” of five round Velux skylights. “You guys have nailed it!” Shaynna said. “I absolutely would not change a thing. I am pretty much in heaven.

“It’s so bright, light and white and happy. Quirky and saleable are usually mutually exclusive but you guys have pulled it off.”

Shop the look: Frameless gas fireplace | Benjamin Ripple Oval Dining Table | Harold dining chair

Josh & Luke: last place

Score: 22.5/30
Spent: $37,367

If it’s space the judges were after, they’d come to the right place, with Josh and Luke’s huge dining and living area.

“They’ve chosen an a amazing table and an amazing artwork,” said Darren, who also said he had imagined they’d lay the space out completely differently. Shaynna said the table was so beautiful but they hadn’t made the best of it and it made her sad for Christian Cole, who was an artisan. “Even the chairs don’t complement it,” she added. And the living room rug was way too small.

“They have a huge task in front of them and it sometimes overwhelms them,” said Darren. Shaynna agreed.

The judges then ran through exactly what they needed to do to save the space, including flipping the living and dining areas. “Get this space right and it certainly will reward you on auction day.”

Shop the look: Christian Cole American oak dining table | Scribe lounge chair

Kirsty & Jesse: third place

Score: 29/30
Spent: $47,864

“Honey I’m home,” said Neale. “It’s just so warm and welcoming.” Darren said it wasn’t a huge lounge room but the gigantic sofa made it feel generous. Shaynna said it felt like the perfect cosy, homely, family space. “I love the way it all works together,” said Neale. “It’s like a little symphony in white.”

Darren loved the dining area and its own private area with a view to the outside. “This is a really proper dining space.”

Neale said Kirsty and Jesse had got better and better with each passing week.

Shaynna loved the blue striped wallpaper nook, even though their trades had said it looked “too Greek”!.

Shop the look: Paxton Pompadour reclaimed elm dining table | Watercolour stripes wallpaper | Noosa modular sofa