Tag: guest bedrooms

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Bedrooms RENO ADDICT Shopping The Block

The Block 2021 room reveals: guest bedroom and re-do’s

A nice bit of variety on The Block last night with guest bedrooms, kids bedrooms and the re-do rooms. Here are the scores, the judges’ comments and where to buy what you saw.

Ronnie & Georgia: 1st place

Score: 29/30
Spent: $24,680

From the traditional yet contemporary wallpaper to contrasting yet matching bedhead and cushions, Ronnie and Georgia threw a curveball at the judges with their bedroom this week, but it was one they loved. Declaring this her favourite colour palette of The Block so far, Shaynna thought this was a room with its own style, but still a complement to the rest of the house. Even the challenge artwork seemed to fit, said Neale!

Neale and Darren thought the bedsides were perhaps too low or the bedside lamps too small, but Shaynna disagreed.

Moving to the re-do room – a larger walk-in wardrobe – they were blown away by the transformation. More spacious, better fittings, this was a room that completes the master wing.

The re-do walk-in robe

Shop the look: Bjorn tall arch mirror

Mark & Mitch: 3rd place

Score: 28/30
Spent: $22,461

Whimsical, playful, cute and fun, the judges said and that’s just what Mitch and Mark wanted to hear for their children’s bedroom. With bunkbeds, pistachio-green wardrobes and beautifully styled to lure in a young buyer. Neale noted this is a kids room right now, but one that could be easily converted to an older child’s room or even an office easily. And that’s smart planning.

Shaynna said the roofline was too much with all the skylights as well as the large window. Darren liked it though. They loved the wardrobe and thought the styling was magic.

So too was the re-do bedroom, now a smart addition to the home with its own feel and colour scheme. Neale said it has a bit more pizazz back.

Shop the look: Framed parrot art

Tanya & Vito: 4th place

Score: 27/30
Spent: $15,220

A built-in bunk, generous wardrobe and ample storage space, a desk and funky styling make this an ideal kids bedroom, perfect to show Tanya and Vito’s house could easily become their home. Neale’s big concern was how easily the room could be converted for an older child or another purpose – the built-in fixtures might make things tricky – but all agreed it’s a great value add for the home.

Shaynna said she found it a bit cold and the edges needed softening.

Re-do bathroom sans brown tiles

So too was the re-do room, now without its polarising brown tiles. Thank God! said all three judges. It’s still a room with personality, but one that won’t divide the market. Darren said it now definitely adds value to the house.

Shop the look: White pop-up desk

Josh & Luke: last place

Score: 20/30
Spent: $17,248

From the highs of the master wing to the lows of this bedroom, Josh and Luke’s rollercoaster Block ride continues with the judges declaring this space a mismatch of style with a colour palette that’s too cold. Some fresh styling was needed, the judges agreed, to bring it into line with the rest of the home.

Let’s face it, nothing went with anything!

Then to the re-do bathroom. Once again the styling and colour palette weren’t what the judges were hoping for, with the floor to ceiling toilet screen the only obvious change… and not one they loved. Shaynna said it looked worse and Neale couldn’t really see what was different.

Re-do bathroom

Shop the look: Framed cockatoo artwork

Kirsty & Jesse: 2nd place

Score: 28.5/30
Spent: $19,855

A Hamptons style kids’ room, styled for a little girl right down to the Dolly Parton storybooks on the shelves, Kirsty and Jesse’s room had a definite style and a definite theme in mind. Not even an upside-down lampshade could dampen the judges’ enthusiasm with Shaynna loving the valance, Neale the Grafico wallpaper and all agreeing it’s a space that shows what a home this can be – while still able to be converted to other uses.

Also converted, was their opinion of the guest bedroom, with Kirsty and Jesse’s re-do bringing a new shade of blue, new bedding, new bedsides and more, winning them over.

Shop the look: Magazine rack

Which was YOUR favourite?

The Block 2021 room reveals: master ensuite

This week on The Block, they revealed the master en suites. Read on for the scoring and to see the rooms. FIRST: Ronnie & Georgia Score: 29/30 (after using their…

The Block 2021 room reveals: 4 cinemas & a steam room

I’m going to leave this week’s drama and cheating scandal at the door because if you watched The Block this week, I’m sure you’ve already had enough! Onto the media…

Photography: David Cook Photography

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Bedrooms The Block

The Block room reveals 2018: second guest bedroom

These were probably never going to be that exciting! They’re not big rooms so we’re effectively judging bed styling, art and wardrobe choices. But I suppose by the same token, there’s no excuse for doing a bad job at this stage of the game! The scoring, equally, wasn’t particularly controversial. What did you think?

First: BIANCA AND CARLA

28.5/30

Darren said it was balanced and beautiful. Neale said the girls were so good at showing luxury through texture and tone. Shaynna loved the artwork and the wardrobes (with brass trim and timber insides). Darren said you’d be happy with that much storage in a master bedroom. Neale said guest rooms now needed to be more like hotel rooms because we all live through our laptops, so the study nook went down well. The bedside lamps seemed mean though, in comparison to their other great lighting elsewhere.

I personally liked the dark drapes and the tan leather bedhead and the simple and sophisticated colour palette. I think the judges picked the right winner.

Our pick to buy: Custom leather bedhead

Second: JESS AND NORM
27.5

Neale said the colour palette, height of ceiling and the styling felt so welcoming. Shaynna said she wanted them to replicate it in the master bedroom and she couldn’t get the smile off her face. Darren said it felt more sophisticated. Neale said it was a textbook example of taking many shades of grey and yet still keeping it warm and welcoming.

Shaynna said the Woollies flowers were daggy and Neale was cross that there were no bedside lights. But otherwise it was all good!

I loved those putty coloured Shaker style wardrobes, mirroring their kitchen cabinets, and the overall soft and relaxing look and feel.

Our picks to buy: Mirror and artwork

Joint third: HAYDEN AND SARA
26/30


Neale said they’d made the best of a small room. Darren and Shaynna loved the bed styling apart from that navy faux fur throw (yuck!). Shaynna loved the amount of storage but Neale thought the end cupboard was a little too tight.

Shaynna felt the room was trying too hard to be luxury and that they were caught between two target markets. She said the room was old fashioned and for more of an older clientele. Neale however liked it and found it glamorous and the right style for the rest of the apartment.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the dark wardrobes but found everything else perfectly pleasant if not all that memorable! The ceiling was great though!

Our pick to buy: Artwork

Joint third: KERRIE AND SPENCE
26/30

Neale said it was another small room but it felt bigger than Courtney and Hans’ because of the orientation of the bed. Darren loved the bedhead and couldn’t stop touching it! He thought the space was planned really well with a nice big wardrobe. Shaynna loved the storage too. Darren was very excited about the air con vent integrated into the joinery. Shaynna thought there were too many woodland creatures! Neale found it hard to fault and liked the soft palette but thought it wasn’t particularly exciting or memorable. Shaynna agreed. Darren said at the end of the day, a simplified room with a simple palette was difficult.

I personally was not a fan of the cute animal prints (better for a kid’s room) and thought they were hung a bit too high.

Then they saw the bonus study space down the hall and were very impressed. Neale said it could only be an advantage to them.

Our pick to buy: Artwork

Fourth: COURTNEY AND HANS
25/30


Darren said the room was very vibrant. Neale said it was one of the nicest rooms they’d delivered. But he also felt claustrophobic. Shaynna agreed and thought the bed should have been placed differently. It could also feel softer and grander if they’d done sheers across the wall like they did in the master. Darren loved the concrete look wardrobe doors with the colour palette. They all liked the whimsical art choices but ultimately Neale felt that at opens, buyers might think the bedrooms were disappointing compared to the living areas.

Our picks to buy: Velvet cushion

The rest of our Block coverage

The master bedrooms

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Expert Tips RENO ADDICT The Block

Jess & Norm’s guest bedroom powerpoint fail: top tips

Bec Sparky, Clipsal by Schneider Electric’s brand ambassador, talks about the slip up that undid Jess and Norm’s otherwise great guest bedroom on The Block last week, and her top tips for electrical planning when renovating.

Last week’s guest bedroom reveal on The Block was revelatory by all accounts, with the winning bedroom compared to a luxurious hotel – while the losing team were told: “You have created a soulless room similar to a basic display home.” The horror!

The judges have never held back when it comes to constructive criticism, and this year is no exception. But in the midst of all the drama, you might have missed the common but little-known challenge faced by home renovators all over Australia that was unveiled in the guest bedroom reveal. The problem Functionality, or more specifically, electrical functionality.

You would have seen that while Jess and Norm’s room was rated highly for styling and its luxe factor, the lack of practical consideration let them down – particularly with their electrical planning. While it’s not the most sexy part of the renovation process, inconveniently placed power points and light switches were a big problem for the room and as the judges pointed out, this will have an impact on both the liveability and comfort of the room.

As an electrician, I’m faced with this problem most days when called in to install electrical facilities like switches, powerpoints and dials in my clients’ homes. And – to Jess and Norm’s defence – it’s tricky to get exactly right without expert input.

You don’t have to compromise on aesthetics to make your home functional, but you do need to plan accordingly. So, here are my three top tips for stylish, electrical practicality:

Connect your home to protect your renovation investment

Make sure you approach your electrical planning with thought and consideration. Each space in your home has different requirements. You don’t want to get stuck in the living room without enough plugs for your television, Foxtel box and Playstation 4. And wait – do you have an extra plug for the vacuum cleaner?!

Each room in your home has various needs for different tasks and nothing is more frustrating than being limited by the number of power points you have access to. It’s important to consider where you plan on plugging in simple everyday appliances like your toaster and kettle so they can be easily accessed and used.

Have a lighting plan

Lighting choices have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of a room. Not enough light, and the space will feel dark and depressing; too much, and it can come across as stark and sterile. It’s all about getting the right balance and using a careful combination of task, accent and ambient lighting to help accentuate your room.

You can even integrate your lighting choices with a voice activation software like Amazon Alexa to accentuate your choices, and create bespoke lighting settings for different areas. Imagine walking into your dimmed home theatre and switching your lights off when you’re ready to watch a flick, by just using your voice. This, ladies and gentleman, is the home of the future!

Create a plan that is functional and ergonomic

It’s the finer details that set the best homes apart and unfortunately many people don’t give a second thought to their electrical installation. Choose outlets and switch plate covers to coordinate with your material selections and you’ll turn your plugs from an unsightly fixture into a coordinated design element.

If you want to keep it discreet and tidy, why not invest in a pop-up outlet which is a great way to tie in functionality and keep your electrical facilities out of sight? For example, if you do most of your food preparation on your kitchen island, you could install a pop-up power point to plug in appliances and charge your devices.

For your next renovation, keep these suggestions in mind as you plan your rooms. As smart devices and connected homes become commonplace in Australia, investing in electrical functionality now will save you time and resources in the future. If only Jess and Norm took a moment to step back and plan, the outcome may have been very different!

–Bec Sparky is an electrician and brand ambassador for Clipsal by Schneider Electric.