Well, that was a frustrating night of room reveals! It was definitely not a case of the best room winning if you ask me. In fact, the best two rooms (Dean and Shay’s and Luke and Ebony’s) came last and second from last on account of being unfinished. And I suppose the judges do have to judge on what they see on the night rather than the room’s potential but still! Frustration plus! What did you think?
Nevertheless, in my humble opinion, there were two fantastic (unfinished) rooms and three so-so ones. But the good moments were great!
CARO & KINGI (a close second, 25.5 points)
Shaynna loved the Melbourne wallpaper in the foyer and Neale liked the pale grey palette and the art. They didn’t like the LEDs on the floor. As Darren pointed out, they can look night clubby and cheap. And well, they kind of did! They also, as Shaynna pointed out, highlighted the dust and dirt.
Into the dining room and Neale loved the glass table, saying it preserved the sense of space. Darren thought the chairs were beautiful but sitting on them proved they weren’t comfortable!
Shaynna liked that the table was low and simple, which would draw attention to the terrace later. Darren said it showed being on level one was no disadvantage and the view was still spectacular. Shaynna wasn’t sold on the styling, which was too obviously industrial recycled. And the barnacle urn wasn’t winning any fans!
Sorry guys, I just wasn’t vibing this room, especially the table. And I didn’t like the mirror or the urn either. I just didn’t get it!
Our pick to buy: Melbourne wallpaper
WHITNEY & ANDY (first place, 26 points)
The real timber floors wowed all the judges who could see how much work had gone into them. From then on it was up and down! Shaynna said the placement of the art was too low, the lighting too harsh and that if they were going to use a poster as art they were better off having no art at all!
Into the dining room and Darren thought the ceiling was phenomenal, the star. He said the room felt really graphic and elegant and Neale said the table was cool. Shaynna said the table was engaging and Neale thought it was genius. He hated the “styling” though, saying he’d rather see nothing. Similarly, Darren liked the table but hated everything on it!
On the plus side, the judges thought they did get all the basics right this week and Shaynna said it was amazing that they finished everything. Personally, I couldn’t get too excited about this space.
Our pick to buy: Ingrain Designs dining table
SUZI & VONNI (last place, 16 points)
Oh dear. These were the first words we heard from the judges. Not the best start! Shaynna was stunned that the girls had gone for marble skirting boards (“What is that?!”) Neale and Darren couldn’t get over the poor finishes, saying they assumed they were aiming for luxury but it had been “shockingly badly done”. The judges weren’t mincing their words last night! Shaynna said the finishes were awful and that the mirror only magnified the lift door.
The judges were perplexed by the orientation of dining table, leaving half the guests with their back to the view. But maybe that didn’t matter being that the huge and low pendant light was blocking most of it anyway! Shaynna said the poor treatment of the ceiling, the light fitting and the curtains all shut down the view.
Neale said that with every week, the apartment was feeling more disappointing. “I don’t think this apartment knows what it is anymore.”
They were also underwhelmed by the other styling choices with the metal artwork causing Shaynna to ask for the second time: “What is that?!”
Neale added: “There’s absolutely no subtlety in this apartment. The styling hits you between the eyes, the light is too much and heavy. It feels like they’ve gone out of their way to hide view.”
Oh dear. Thank goodness for that Christian Cole table they won in the challenge! I just didn’t like this room. Sorry girls!
Our pick to buy: Christian Cole dining table
LUKE & EBONY (fourth place, 19 points)
The unpainted Gyprock wall was a bad start and the unfinished paintwork was disappointing. It became even more disappointing when the judges turned the corner into the dining room and saw what had been achieved.
“Oh my goodness, it’s magnificent in here,” Neale said. He added it was palatial and every time he walked into this apartment he felt like he was in the penthouse with its luxury of space due to the change in floorplan. “Removing those walls has completely auction-proofed the apartment,” said Darren. Neale said any potential buyer would walk out of the lift and be blown away.
Shaynna loved the oval dining table. Neale said that if only they’d finished they would have been team to beat (until they saw Dean and Shay’s apartment next, that is!). He said they were still in really strong position in the competition overall. How far the second chance siblings have come!
I loved the art, the styling and the light and I’m so happy to see these guys getting deservedly great feedback after their dodgy start.
Our pick to buy: Nicky Kriss art print | Black Franklin console (from the foyer)
DEAN & SHAY (third place, 21 points)
This was my favourite without a doubt, let’s forget about whether it was finished or not! This pair had awful luck with the rain delaying their spectacular floor and you had to feel for them.
In the foyer, Neale absolutely loved the Silestone, timber and metal combo and Darren said it was a bit like the feel Suzi and Vonni had been (unsuccessfully) aiming for. Shaynna didn’t like it at all though! Neale and Darren loved the art choices.
Darren then rightly pointed out that the reason things weren’t finished was the “amazing” floor, which was absolutely beautiful, and they all loved the under floor heating.
Into the dining room and Darren said the styling on the table was totally over the top, theatrical, totally crazy and fantastic! Shaynna couldn’t hold her excitement in saying she loved it and it was the sexiest apartment she’d seen so far. Neale said it had a humour about it too. “I love it.” Shaynna meanwhile was still grinning from ear to ear: “I feel like I’m having a sugar high and my insides are going ‘wow’!” I hear you Shaynna, it was pretty special!
Neale said it was feeling like the penthouse, they’d kept true to their slightly Scandi look but turned the dial up on the glamour. But he couldn’t ignore the fact that the foyer behind them was, sadly, a disaster.
Our pick to buy: Ben Tovin Design pendant light | Autumn leaves artwork | Pink concrete platter
So which was your favourite? Do you agree with me that the two unfinished rooms were the best? Is it fair that they were scored so low?