Tag: dan and dani

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Designers RENO ADDICT Styling The Block

9 former Block couples now working in design

You love them on The Block and then suddenly auction day comes and goes and they’re out of your life. However, while some contestants go back to their pre-Block life, others harness their new love of design and decide to give a job as a stylist, designer, builder or TV star a red-hot go! Below are the contestants doing just that. 

Dan and Dani: Dorcas Street, South Melbourne (2012) and All Stars (2013)

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Following on from their successes on The Block, Dani Wales said goodbye to her career in finance and founded interiors blog and e-commerce site Basic Habitat. She also returned to TV as the co-host on home and lifestyle series, Healthy Homes TV Australia. Meanwhile, Dan ‘Foredan’ Reilly upscaled his carpentry qualifications and is now a qualified Master Builder. For the past two seasons of The Block, he has worked alongside Keith as an assistant foreman. Dan and Dani have also recently launched design and construction company Red Door Project and have almost completed a two–year long renovation project in Melbourne’s Inner West.

Josh and Jenna: Cameron Street, Richmond (2011) and All Stars (2013)

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Since being on The Block, plumber Josh Densten and wife and hairdresser Jenna, have found a true passion for renovation, in particular interior styling and decorating. Jenna has completed a Diploma of Interior Design & Decoration at RMIT and in partnership with Josh, has renovated and built a handful of properties. They have also started their own style and design business Bicker Design Co., the name stemming from their trademark of bickering whilst on the The Block! They are currently ambassadors for Beacon Lighting where they launched the Josh and Jenna Range of lights and earlier this year featured on new renovation show, Reno Rumble.

Alisa and Lysandra: Sky High (2013) and Fans Vs Faves (2014)

After a successful career in the police force, Alisa and Lysandra Fraser hung up their handcuffs for the pursuit of their dream, which kick-started with their appearance and winning success on the The Block. They now have a successful interior design business, are resident experts on our sister site Reno Addict and have collaborated with Grafico on a wallpaper range, United Artworks on an artwork range and Forty Winks on a bedroom range.

Shay and Dean: Blocktagon (2015)

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After their recent win on The Block, Shay and Dean Paine have launched the fresh and innovative design brand The Wild Creatives. Featuring an online shop and a range of interior design consultancy options, we’re confident this is only the beginning for the duo.

Bec and George: Sky High (2013)

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Since filming wrapped up Bec and George Douros certainly haven’t put down the hammer and nails. Bec completed studying at the International Institute of Home Staging and launched both Empire of Style, an interior design and consulting business, and blog Bec Marks The Spot, where she draws on her former life working in the beauty industry as well as her current life as a mini real estate mogul with husband George, who has been busy building and developing properties. The couple have also recently been appointed the first ever ambassadors for Melbourne based construction company Nostra Homes and style ambassadors for Australia’s leading homewares brand Adairs.

Kyal and Kara: Fans vs Faves (2014)

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Now running their own construction, renovation and styling business, Diverse Design and Construct, qualified carpenter Kyal Demmrich and his wife, physiotherapist and style-guru Kara help transform clients’ visions into a beautiful and practical reality. They are also brand ambassadors for leading tile manufacturer Beaumont Tiles and clothing brand Bisley Workwear and starred in this year’s debut season of Reno Rumble.

Matt and Kim: Sky High (2013)

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After appearing on The Block, plasterer turned architecture student Matt Di Costa and teacher Kim Owen got straight into designing and project managing a Perth build. Since then they’ve gone on to design many other projects, landed their own TV show Matt and Kim to the Rescue (exclusively shown in Perth) and Matt also launched polished plastering business, Sky High Renders, for archirectural wall finishes and polished concrete custom furniture. They also gave The Block another crack, however got eliminated in the first round of The Block Triple Threat.

Simon and Shannon: Glasshouse (2014)

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With the The Block win under their belt Simon and Shannon Vos have remained busy. Builder, plumber and site foreman Simon opened his business VOSA, where he offers a complete start to finish service, from interiors to building and everything in between. Meanwhile Shannon has been studying interior design and now runs Vos Creative, where he provides interior design services, consulting and even writing. However, for those hoping to see them together again never fear, there are talks for a TV show!

Michael and Carlene: Glasshouse (2014)

Carlene and Michael Duffy

After achieving the most number of room wins Michael and Carlene Duffy were destined to keep renovating. They founded Cedar & Suede, a design and construction service and candid renovation and design blog with video focus and also appeared in the inaugural season of Reno Rumble. They now have partnered with DecoRug, Homeworld Helensvale, Dri.Glo, Domain, and Open Colleges in a range of capacities.

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Appliances Designers The Block

The Block’s Dani Wales returns to TV this Saturday

After chatting to Dan Reilly about his return to The Block last week, it turns out his partner and ex-Blockhead herself, Dani Wales, will also be making a return to our screens.

dani wales interiors addict

Launching this Saturday on TEN, Healthy Homes TV Australia will follow Dani, alongside co-host Walt Collins, as they explore the latest innovations, ideas and products for the home and garden.

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Dani and Walt

Promising not to be yet another home makeover show, the duo will be staying far away from tired concepts and instead focusing on giving Aussies realistic projects that they can do themselves. “You certainly won’t see us running around with paintbrushes doing room reveals before the homeowners arrive home,” explains Dani, who blogs at Basic Habitat. “Healthy Homes TV Australia is about bringing you the latest ideas and products to help you achieve a look or style yourself.”

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Dani and Walt

Each week, Dani and Walt will visit a home and showcase how you too can transform your property. “We’re not tradies and we’re not pretending to be interior designers,” says Walt. “It’s a really honest and down to earth format which really does show you the things you can have a crack at yourself; how to achieve a designer look on a budget or how the latest air-conditioning technology can save you heaps of cash.”

Healthy Homes TV Australia launches Saturday 24 January at 1pm on TEN.

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Interviews The Block

Dan of Dan & Dani is back as ‘foreboy’ on The Block next week

Admittedly, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for former Blockhead Dan Reilly (one half of the rather feisty Dan and Dani), but having already competed in two series, I thought it was safe to say that Dan wouldn’t be coming back to The Block anytime soon. But… I was wrong! The Block Triple Threat sees Dan come back not as a contestant, but rather as a foreboy. Fore-what?! I hear you ask. I’ll let Dan explain this one…

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“I’m Keith the foreman’s (fore-man, fore-boy, get it?!) righthand man and we pretty much make sure the build is up to standard. As you can imagine, I’ve copped a lot of flak for my name on site. There’s been a lot of laughing. But I guess I have to own it. I’m happy to be the foreboy, I look at it as if they’re saying I’m still young!”

The Block in Melbourne in Melbourne
Keith and Dan, foreman and foreboy!

Having worked as a site manager for a construction company for the last two years, Dan has had considerable experience running a building site, but little did he realise how hard managing The Block would actually be. “I never knew how hard Keith’s job was because there’s just so much going on. You’ve got the site tradies doing the base build, you’ve got the tradies of the contestants, you’ve got the contestants themselves and then you’ve got all the politics between the contestants, and you get dragged into all of that! It’s a pretty full-on gig, so at the end of the day, you’re as exhausted as everyone else.”

Working 13 hours a day, six days a week (he gets to enjoy a sleep-in on Sundays) Dan has had no issues working under Keith, which comes as a surprise, seeing as they’ve not been shy of an argument in the past. “When I was a contestant, we did have a few arguments. But we are mates, we’ve had a beer and made up! Working under him has been really easy. Obviously, you’d never do anything like The Block normally, so I have been able to learn a lot from both Keith and Scotty.”

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What Dan has found the hardest is navigating his relationships with the contestants, realising he can’t give them too many hints and tips, but rather they’ve got to figure it out themselves. “I sort of still see myself as a contestant, but I’ve kind of jumped ship to the other side and I have to remember that. I have to try not to help and guide the contestants too much. I mean we’re all still friends, we still have a laugh, but when it’s time to be serious, I’m serious with them.”

So has Dan ever had to put his foot down, in the infamous way Keith does oh so well? Yes! “There have been a few tiffs with some contestants. I think it was inevitable. It does happen, that’s just part of the role.”

The Block in Melbourne

With the upcoming The Block Triple Threat set to start next week on 27 January, Dan promises we are in for show that has lots of tears, lots of laughter and is even a little bit brutal! “There’s never been a dynamic like this before. We’ve got six new couples and the way they have to get onto the show is quite brutal I reckon! And then we’ve got three all-star couples competing as well. It does get very full-on at the beginning but it sorts itself out!”

We can’t wait!

Find all The Block latest here.

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House Tours The Block

Dan and Dani sell first property since The Block

Dani and Dan

Two-time Blockheads Dan Reilly and Dani Wales know a lot when it comes to renovating and selling homes. But this time there are no TV cameras and they’re selling their very own apartment.

Dan and Dani in Apartment

Situated in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, it is the first property they have renovated since being on 2012’s The Block and 2013’s The Block All Stars.

Outside

The pair purchased the one-bed apartment just before they had their TV debut, which saw them juggle renovating The Block house and moving in. “It was such a hectic week as we were working on the master bedroom and en suite on The Block whilst trying to move into our apartment at the same time,” explained Dan.

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The Block

The Block’s Dani launches an online magazine

Dani Wales, of Dan and Dani on The Block All Stars, has launched an online magazine.

The Home Journal

Check out The Home Journal here.

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Art The Block

Buy Dan and Dani’s art from The Block

Dan and Dani may have been criticised by The Block judges for using work by the same artist they used in the last series, but you can see why they would. Andrew O’Brien’s work is gorgeous!

Andrew O'Brien

The good news is you can buy one of his prints online from just $130, which is a massive bargain if you ask me.

Continue reading “Buy Dan and Dani’s art from The Block”

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The Block

The Block All Stars starts tonight

The Block judges: Neale, Shaynna and Darren

The much hyped The Block All Stars starts tonight at 7pm and, having visited the houses a couple of months ago, I’m really looking forward to watching. Friend of Interiors Addict Darren Palmer has also been announced as a new full-time judge, replacing John McGrath and joining Shaynna Blaze from Selling Houses Australia and Belle editor in chief Neale Whitaker. A great trio, don’t you think?

The new judging lineup includes Darren Palmer, who rose to fame as a star of reality TV himself
The new judging lineup includes Darren Palmer, who rose to fame as a star of reality TV himself

The Block spinoff, which has been filming in Sydney’s Bondi, features four couples from previous series who didn’t win (but maybe should have?). They are Amity and Phil, Josh and Jenna, Mark and Duncan (the ‘two fat tradies’) and, from the most recent series, Dan and Dani. It’s a little ironic that new judge Darren rose to fame as a star of reality TV show (homeMADE) himself, even though he didn’t win.

There’s been some drama, with The SMH reporting, at the end of November, that contestant Mark Bowyer had left the show after being rushed to hospital and feeling unwell. Apparently host Scott Cam and Mark’s wife Jenny, stepped in to assist his partner Duncan Miller, but it’s not clear if he eventually returned to filming.

I visited the block in November  and was really impressed and excited by what I saw in the heritage houses, which at that point had had two rooms each renovated. I have no doubt they will all be worth a small fortune once they’re finished and I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

The Block All Stars houses in Sydney's Bondi
The Block All Stars houses in Sydney’s Bondi

This year they’ve also set up an online Block shop where you can buy products used in the show. Now there’s a simple but brilliant idea! Check it out here.

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The Block

The Block All Stars read Interiors Addict!

I wish I could tell you more about what I saw inside!

Well, Amity does anyway! Yesterday I was very excited to be invited to have a look around the partially renovated The Block All Star terraces in Bondi. What a treat! Four couples who didn’t win their series (but perhaps should have) are back for this special version of the show, which will be aired on Nine after Christmas.

I wish I could tell you more about what I saw inside!

I met all but one of the contestants yesterday, shook a lot of dusty hands and had a look inside their homes, four weeks in. They’ve completed two bedrooms and a bathroom and are onto their lounge rooms this week. Never have I seen such contrast between the untouched rooms in the run down heritage homes and the brand new restored and renovated. And I was really impressed with what I saw. The bathrooms in particular were really great and made me bemoan the fact I don’t have a bath even more than usual…

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Interiors Addict

The Block’s Dan and Dani at Andrew O’Brien’s first Sydney solo show

The Block’s Dan and Dani (yes they are still together) were among the guests at Andrew O’Brien’s first Sydney solo show at Corporate Culture on Thursday night.

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