darren and dea – The Interiors Addict

Triple room reveal on last night’s Block

I really couldn’t get TOO excited about last night’s room reveals because they were so utilitarian. I’ve never renovated and although I love wine, I currently can’t drink it because I’m pregnant, so maybe that’s why! Or the fact that a wine cellar is something so South Yarra is it outside most people’s reality, but a great feature for what will be luxury homes, nonetheless!

I was not surprised Dee and Daz won but I think they all did pretty well. Although I’m a little worried my favourite couple (personality wise) Ayden & Jess are losing their touch and I hated those brown mosaic tiles! Tim & Anastasia seem to be seriously lifting their game while Charlotte & Josh, bless them, but I just can’t get too excited. Here’s what the judges had to say…

Charlotte & Josh

The judges said their powder room was simple and elegant. Darren said it was just the right balance and liked the finish on the taps. Neale loved the tiny basin and Shaynna loved the touches of texture and personality. They all agreed it was almost perfect but they needed to be careful with attention to detail. And Shaynna thought the tap was too long for the basin.

Our pick to buy: Timber vanity shelf.

Shaynna said the laundry was like an oasis in a battlefield and a good size. Neale said it wasn’t a show pony but it had everything you’d want in a laundry. They were disappointed not to see a laundry chute but thought the speakers were a nice touch.

Then to the cellar. They loved the recycled timber wine rack. Neale said it was a serious cellar, beautifully done. And they all loved the storage area too. Then they cracked open a bottle and discovered it was full of coloured water! And were impressed by their money-saving ingenuity!

Tim & Anastasia: came a close second

All the judges were impressed by the size of the powder room. Neale said it had a feel of luxury and grandeur similar to last week’s bedroom. Shaynna was worried they were spending a bit too much money too soon, like on underfloor heating in the powder room. But Darren said why not in chilly Melbourne? Neale loved the styling. Darren said the execution and finishes were up to their usual standard.

Our pick to buy: Unika pendant light.

It was compliments all round for the laundry too. Darren said it felt well finished, resolved and really beautiful but needed better paintwork. Shaynna said a laundry chute would have been nice. Darren said he was very confident that they were on the right path now.

They all agreed the cellar was a serious cellar and they had put a lot of time and money into the wine collection. Neale said it was impressive in its simplicity. Shaynna preferred a moodier cellar and said that there were too many lights. It was all going so well until they realised how dangerous the glass door with no stopper was against a concrete bulkhead…

Ayden & Jess

Neale and Darren and Shaynna loved the light and bright powder room and the restraint in only putting hex tiles on one wall! They thought the sliding door was a smart move.

Our pick to buy: Sigma mirror.

Onto the laundry. Neale loved it and said they had their confidence and mojo back. Shaynna liked the overall functionality but noted there was nowhere for an ironing board.

And in the cellar it got controversial! (Come on, all those compliments and agreements were getting kind of dull!). Darren thought the idea of drinking down there at a couple of stools facing the wall was ridiculous and reeked of a lonely afternoon! Neale really liked the idea of it though. Darren said it was a step back into the mid-nineties. Shaynna said it didn’t convey the same feeling of luxury as the laundry and power room. Darren hated the paint colour on the walls and Shaynna said they weren’t romancing the buyer and it was like a basic storage cabinet. Neale argued again, saying he felt very comfortable in there. They all agreed the painting was a mess.

Darren & Dea: WINNERS by half a point!

They all loved the powder room on first glance and Darren said Dea had a really refined eye for detailed design. Shaynna said the styling was beautiful and details gorgeous but the painting was bad quality. Neale said poor finishing was particularly inexcusable for the Double Ds because they’d been there and done it before.

Shaynna thought the laundry was beautiful, especially the benchtop. And when she finally found her first laundry chute she was over the moon! Neale said it was simple but oozed luxury. They loved the storage room too.

Our pick to buy: Planet Luxe laundry products.

Of course they couldn’t fail to be completely blown away by that amazing cellar! Shaynna realised it was the same storage system Ayden and Jess used but because it was full of wine and painted the same colour as the wall it looked much better. She said it was beautiful. Neale said they’d now seen three great cellars and one amazing one! Shaynna said it was too warm for keeping wine but visually absolutely stunning.

What did you think about the triple reveal? Did the right couple win?

The Block Triple Threat controversial second bedroom judging!

Hoorah for all three judges ‘proper’ this week: Neale, Shaynna and Darren! And definitely the most entertaining judging of the series so far. Loved it! Didn’t those Jimmy Possum challenge beds (I wasn’t a fan!) cause trouble?! There was also much talk about just how much inspiration Tim and Anastasia had taken from Darren’s mentoring session (perhaps too much?) and then there was the Neale and Shaynna fallout over Dea and Darren’s room. And to top it all off, Darren pointed out that many of the things in Dea and Darren’s room were exactly the same as those he had used in Jennifer Hawkins’ home, which is featured in his book, prompting Shaynna to ask who was the copycat now?

But ultimately, Tim & Anastasia came first, beating their besties Dea and Darren by half a point despite them having taken a point off them due to winning the bed challenge. Here’s a recap of the judging…

Charlotte & Josh: 3rd place

Shaynna’s first impressions were “very crisp” and Neale said it had a beautiful colonial feel. Darren agreed it was a lot better than their first bedroom.

That bed was dividing though. Shaynna found it too messy. Darren loved the unmade look. But then Shaynna talked him round! And Neale said in South Yarra people make their beds! But he loved the colour palette and called it absolutely beautiful.

Controversially, they didn’t use their Jimmy Possum bed from the challenge because it didn’t work with everything else. Not that the judges knew anything about the challenge. The show left us thinking this is something they’re going to regret later! Big time. Eek!

Neale found the styling a little twee but Darren dug it! Shaynna said the lighting plan was perfect. It was all going so well until Shaynna pointed out the bad finish on the windows (whoops, Charlotte!).

Shaynna said they had their confidence back but Neale said it still lacked some of the energy and oomph he saw in the elimination rounds.

Our pick to buy: Hessian blue velvet cushion

Tim & Anastasia: WINNERS by half a point!

“They have come on quite a journey since the cat,” noted Neale! Darren couldn’t get the smile off his face and was amused by the use of seagrass wallpaper… again! But was it a happy smile? Hmmm… He wasn’t sure how he felt about the replication of ‘his’ mentor room. He also thought the cushions were a little expensive for a guest room!

They loved the built-in dressing table and the carpet. Darren said the linen was better and not cheap and nasty like the first bedroom. Neale said they’d taken much more than the grasscloth from Darren’s mentoring sessions. But they all loved the black windows and the window treatments, including electric blinds.

Sadly, the switch hidden behind the bed (due to using the challenge bed rather than the one they had already bought) wasn’t missed! Neale said the style was suited to an older buyer but they needed to run with it now for the rest of the apartment.

Our pick to buy: Elliot pendant light

Ayden & Jess: last place

Despite a mentoring and shopping session with Neale this week, it wasn’t a great week for these two. The judges found the lights were hung too high and there was no focal point. When they removed the cushions hiding the Jimmy Possum bedhead, they actually liked it! Eek! Darren thought the wardrobe was too small even though the room was designed for guests, as you might want to change its use later on.

Neale said the custom bedsides were oversized to compensate for the wardrobe. And he found everything styled on them way too small, saying he could see no evidence of the things he and Jess had discussed on their shopping trip in Sydney. It left him saying the room was lacking personality despite having a good finish and not being a bad room. And it didn’t say South Yarra.

Our pick to buy: Berber zig zag rug

Dea & Darren : 2nd place

“Welcome to The Block Grasscloth,” quipped Neale. “What have I done?” asked Darren. Shaynna didn’t see all the fuss, declaring that Dea didn’t invent grasscloth wallpaper! Darren said it was executed beautifully but didn’t like the powerpoint below the art.

Neale found the whole room very appealing and if he had to check into a boutique hotel room in South Yarra this was what he’d expect. Darren loved the colour palette and the execution.

[contextly_sidebar id=”g83yqkS54nVYEXKAf4CVNTGafLoe0gmO”]But then Shaynna made a face and called the bedhead (the challenge-winning one) HORRENDOUS and so over the top it was ridiculous! She also thought the wall sconce lights didn’t work and were too industrial.

Neale however, said he bloody loved it, including the leopard print, and found it sexy. And then began an argument between Shaynna and Neale that did make me chuckle! Darren was left somewhat awkward and amused in the middle! I loved how they both stood by their opinions. Neale called it genius and Shaynna called it gaudy.

Darren then went on to list everything he had used in Jennifer Hawkins’ bedroom, seen in his book, which had also been used in the room. Say no more.

Our pick to buy: Hale Mercantile Co. Crush linen throw

Most entertaining judging of the series so far if you ask me! What did you think? I’m pretty much in agreement with the judges this week. There wasn’t much between the top two rooms, Josh and Charlotte’s was definitely next best and my favourites, Ayden and Jess, just didn’t come up with the goods this week, I’m sad to say.

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