With $10,000 dollars in cash from Ford, a $10,000 Hafele wardrobe upgrade and a bonus $10,000 Gucci dress and earrings for styling on the line it was no surprise the Blockheads turned up the dial for this next bedroom challenge. And from playful kids’ retreats to a โsexyโ guest room, the birth of a new โholiday resortโ style and more, the judges were impressed.ย
But with such a high standard and a bonus-point penguin in play, who did enough to win?
Kristian and Mimi (first place, 28/30)
With soft clouds as a bedhead โ complete with LED lighting behind and a Grafico rainbow overhead โ Kristian and Mimiโs kids room was playful but sophisticated and very, very camera friendly, Marty said.
โThe idea of the day!โ Darren said, with Marty adding the Lunar Bed Head by Create Estate would โbreak the internetโ. โThatโs going to be a best seller on The Block Shop because it’s just amazing,โ he said. For Shaynna, they were just the start, saying she loved the soft palette and a play on Art Deco and fifties style that somehow felt coastal. Not even trundle beds that struggled in the space and artworks hung too high for kids could take away from the fun, the judges agreed.
Shop the look: Lunar bedhead | rainbow rug | rainbow decal
Kylie and Brad (second place, 27.5/30)
Have Kylie and Brad been listening to the judges’ advice? It seemed that way when Shaynna led the house four cheer squad this week, pointing to โexactly the rightโ blend of black and white, perfect Kinsman wardrobes (complete with soft leather handles), the awesome Briar Ivory Jute and Wool Rug and practical floorboards.
โThey only needed a little shift of thinking,โ Darren said, โAnd here it is! Thereโs still black but it’s soft, lightย and bright.โ Even Marty agreed, loving the Myer Triple Bunk bed, Grafico wallpaper and the Bohteak Hapuna Hanging chair that โreally says Phillip Islandโ. Add in the perfect artworks, a chic Porta Timber feature and it was a room they all loved. If only theyโd played their penguin, this would have taken the win!
Shop the look: Triple bunk | hanging chair | jute and wool rug
Courtney and Grant (third place, 27/30)
For Marty, the instant attraction for House 2 came from the curves. โItโs incredible!โ he said as he walked in the room, with Darren adding โmy heart just jumped out of my chest!โ. For Shaynna, it was the inclusions such as the Kinsman wardrobes, the Bailey Dining Chair and Solstice Cairo bedsides that caught her eyeโฆ but unlike her colleagues, she wasnโt completely sold. The pendants, she said, were too big and looked strange, and the desk area had a power point underneath with no way to access it from the top.
Details, details, Marty replied as he took in the curved skirting boards and expert finish. This room, he declared, showed why he thought Courtney and Grant were front runners to win the Block. โThis house is an auctioneer’s dream!โ
Shop the look: fantail wallpaper | Love of Lavender canvas print | bedside table
Ricky and Haydn (joint fourth place, 26.5/30)
After a disaster the week before, Ricky and Haydn needed a confidence boost this week and they certainly got it from judges who loved everything from Arlo bed and matching bedside, the stylish off-centre feature wall, contemporary P50 shadow line around the door and skirts, stylish Amanda Hinkelmann artwork textures galore with the boucle, linen, carpet and sheers all working in harmony and a high-standard finish winning praise.
โI love it. I love it. I love it a lot!” Darren said.ย โYou crushed it!โ Scotty added. Only the wardrobe laminate gave them pause โ but with a new energy, new builder and new style (โholiday resort,โ Scotty decided), the boys are back!
Shop the look: Tropical Hamptons wallpaper | bedside table | mini cloud vase
Jessie and Paige (joint fourth place, 26.5/30)
A versatile room โ aimed at kids but easily converted to adults, a King bed could fit in easily, Marty said โ Jessie and Paigeโs room impressed the judges at first glance. With its Kave Home Boucle chair and, twin Velux skylights, Rattan pendant and Iconiko artwork, it was: โSo on trend,โ Darren said, โand fits in well with the rest of the house!โ
But looking closer, the judges soon found faults. From unfinished paintwork and raw plaster in the step-in wardrobe, to the pink scalloped-edge desk that was too low to sit at and incomplete caulking, it was a room where time had simply run out, they felt. A few catch-up days would fix things, but as it was presented, this was far from a winning space.
Shop the look: Gingham wallpaper | boucle dining chair | rattan pendant light
Images via The Block Shop, where you can shop what you see each week, and nine now.