Tag: living dining

The Block 2020: living/dining reveals

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date October 12, 2020
No Comments on The Block 2020: living/dining reveals

Finally, we got to see how the main open plan living/dining/kitchen spaces come together as a whole! There were mixed reviews from the judges last night but Harry and Tash took out the win and I have to say, I think the judges chose well. Here’s the recap…

Harry and Tash | Winners | 28.5 /30

The judges couldn’t believe how big the space looked. Shaynna said the furniture positioning made it seem grand. Neale said he felt like he was walking in and seeing the work of a professional interior designer. “There’s a level of sophistication and cohesion in this room that blows me away.” Shaynna said the void was impressive.

Darren said the furniture choices and the spaces left empty made the best use of the dappled light. “I love this, I love it so much,” he said. Neale said: “It really creates a strong sense of itself.” The lighting bothered him though. There was nothing apart from downlights and this wouldn’t allow for any ambience in the evening.

They noticed the dodgy paintwork around the fireplace but otherwise it was perfect. “They should be proud,” Shaynna said.

Pick to buy: 8-seater black dining table and dining chairs. Art from Artist Lane.

Sarah and George | Third | 25/30

Darren loved the wide fireplace with its statement brick and solid concrete. He wasn’t sure it felt beachy though. Shaynna liked it however. Neale said he loved the brick which gave it a sense of heritage and age. He felt the monochrome colour palette was starting to become overkill though, and a little cold and unwelcoming.

Neale was harping on about the lack of lamps again. And Shaynna said there wasn’t enough interest at eye level. She said she just wasn’t feeling it.

Darren said the dining table was too small for a house with a huge entertainer’s kitchen. He agreed it needed more emotional drawcards too.

Neale said they’d done a lot well but it needed more. “It’s a case of injecting a bit more warmth so that it feels like just that: a living space.”

Picks to buy: Asher coffee table and vintage linen fringe cushion

Daniel and Jade | Second | 28/30

Darren was in sultry, moody heaven! Shaynna said the curved wall took confidence and was stunning, especially with the lighting. Neale said they’d done it again after their impressive kitchen.

Darren thought the dining table was gorgeous and Shaynna went one further and said it was sexy! But still no lamps for poor Neale!

Shaynna said the rug needed to be the next size up and to have a bit of pile to it. Neale thought the styling was a little ordinary. And Darren noted there was zero art but it was one of very few spaces where it wouldn’t have benefited from it, so that was okay. Darren said this was the sort of space which would help sell a house.

Pick to buy: (but not if you’re on a budget!): Christian Cole dining table

Luke and Jasmin | Fourth | 24.5/30

Neale and Darren agreed it did feel like a beach house and it matched the kitchen. Darren said they’d used the palette, the materials and the curved profile really well. He said the perfect luxury beach home would look like just like this. Neale said it was a really appropriate continuation from the kitchen.

Shaynna thought the room worked well with the rest of the house and loved the timber on timber and the pendant light.

None of them could get over the fireplace shoved in the corner though. “It’s quite obvious it’s in the wrong spot,” said Shaynna. Darren said it was nonsensical and Neale said it would be very expensive to rectify. Neale said it was a dealbreaker and that a lot of people would walk in, see it in the wrong place and think it would be expensive to shift.

Pick to buy: Pinnacle woven rug

Jimmy and Tam | Last place | 21.5/30

It wasn’t off to a good start with the judges all saying the living space felt too small. And the missing dining table of course! Neale said it felt incredibly compromised. Darren and Neale said in a family home with 4 or 5 bedrooms it was a real misjudgement not to include one. Shaynna asked “what were they thinking?!” Neale said it wasn’t adequate for a house of that size.

Shaynna said the armchairs looked like they were set up for camping and it really needed to be rectified. A modular would work better. Darren said the space between the kitchen and the sofa was wasted. Neale said it was very, very odd. “It doesn’t feel like I’m in a living room.” Darren said they hadn’t allocated the right amount of space for the lounge.

Darren suggested they bought an expensive curved modular from Jardan to fix it! Neale said it was a “complete fail”. Ouch!

Pick to buy: Sulis lounge chair by Satara

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Tags living dining, room reveals, the block, the block brighton

House Tours The Block

The Block series 13, week 5 living/dining reveals

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 4, 2017
3 Comments on The Block series 13, week 5 living/dining reveals

I’m just going to gloss over this week’s drama (and there was a lot!) because, well, I don’t really care! Let’s stick to the rooms and the judging!

Sarah and Jason: second with 26.5

The fire! I agree with Shaynna, the fact it was it centred made it even better. It’s safe to say all the judges loved it. Neale thought the room was stunning, especially the navy blue and gold colour palette (me too!). “Everything has been chosen with such care and style,” he said. “They have pared back beautifully.” Darren noted the great sofa choice, but Shaynna didn’t think there were enough seats for a five-bedroom house. The judges also loved the extendable dining table but the light being positioned wrong (off centre, which was a mistake) let it down. Easily fixed later though! They loved the artwork by the couple’s daughter Greta and loved the fact it said family.

Our picks to buy: LEDlux Circa dimmable pendant light, west elm Terrace Console, west elm Distressed Foliage Rug.

Hannah and Clint: third with 23.5

This couple changed the floorplan again with their nib wall dividing the living and dining. I loved the idea but I don’t think it executed well in reality, making both rooms seem a little pokey. The concrete render looked great though. Neale said it made him feel cut off from the living room. Darren said it made it feel smaller Shaynna said the dining table was too small as it only seated six. The styling though, was beautiful, they said. Neale said the level of sophistication was correct for the market. Overall though, the wall was a bad choice. Neale said the main living room was now not big enough for the house. Jason and Sarah took the feedback on board but said they’d be keeping it!

Our picks to buy: Mia Oatley artwork, west elm Avery coffee table, west elm Bello Shag Wool rug.

Ronnie and Georgia: joint first with 29.5

The judges were all impressed from the start. Darren loved the timber table and spacious dining area, Shaynna loved the big couch and Neale was wowed by the neutral palette. He said the level of sophistication was incredible and the level of skill was one he had rarely seen on The Block. Shaynna said the artwork was one of the nicest she’d seen on the show. I liked this room too, although I personally prefer a bit more colour, but the lights over the dining table drove me nuts and I just thought they looked messy! Just me?!

Our picks to buy: GlobeWest Finsbury herringbone dining table, Rug Addiction rug.

Sticks and Wombat: last with 20

“Somebody loves timber! A lot,” said Darren. the judges were clearly overwhelmed by the use of timber. Neale said it was a bit like a Japanese/Scandi/industrial mishmash. Darren said ‘Japandi’ was a spot on trend, but the black cabinetry around the TV didn’t fit at all. Neale said the room was disappointing because nothing worked together. Darren thought the adjustable dining table made no sense (agreed) and Shaynna pointed out the couch was too small for a five-bedroom house and as it was their only lounge room, it was even more important for them to get it right. The home automation went down well but Neale said the room lacked warmth and soul. Shaynna said they needed to stop and rethink who they are and think more about appealing to the buyer and the market. The poor lads were visibly upset. Personally, I loved the timber in this room. I agreed on the dining table and I didn’t love the lighting or the cabinetry around the TV. But I thought the judges were a little harsh overall.

Our picks to buy: Hampton wool and jute rug, Freedom fabric ottoman, west elm Mongolian lamb cushion.

Josh and Elyse: joint first (after using their bonus point) with 29.5

The judges quickly worked out the fire hadn’t been finished but loved the look of it anyway. The amazing long concrete shelf wowed them (I loved it too) and Neale said it was the hero. Darren said the room was like the greatest hits of all the other houses and had a raw, kinfolk aesthetic. Shaynna said the dining table styling was drop dead stunning. I’m not a big fan of a fully set table myself; it’s generally a big no-no. Too much! Neale said the room was contemporary and had soul. I felt this room was one of the most cohesive overall.

Our picks to buy: Fireplace, west elm Slope leather dining chairs, west elm low bone coffee table.

So go on, tell me, what did YOU think of the rooms AND the drama?!

The Block Glasshouse living and dining rooms

Post author By Jen Bishop
Post date September 15, 2014
9 Comments on The Block Glasshouse living and dining rooms

After last week’s kitchen reveals, fantastic as they were, I was ready for some soft furnishings this week, so living/dining reveals were just the thing! In my mind, the winners were Max and Karstan and Darren and Dee, but the judges didn’t agree, with Michael and Carlene taking out the top spot. It was a disappointing week for the boys, whose dwindling budget saw them produce a room the judges found didn’t match up to the rest of their apartment. And for Chris and Jenna, who came fifth, they were more than a little “over it” thanks to the many criticisms of the judges, who they said were being rude, rather than judging. Eek!

MAX AND KARSTAN

Max and Karstan’s reveal started well with a (very macho!) squeal of delight from Darren! They all loved the natural light afforded by the windows and the striking pendant above the dining table (how gorgeous?!). Neale said he absolutely loved the sophisticated palette and look of restrained glamour. Shaynna said the softness of the room capitalised on the natural light. Darren loved the recessed carpet (genius!) and said it was elegant and a break from the concrete floor. Neale went on to say the look was upmarket and he couldn’t find anything he didn’t like! The custom concrete table also went down very well with all the judges.

Get Max and Karstan’s look: Alexia dining chair, Juno Scandi 3-seater and 2-seater sofas, Palma round coffee table, Palma side table, Gus GT rocking chair, Cintemani pendant, Edge 1 light single drop pendant, Just The Two of Us by Thierry B artwork.

SIMON AND SHANNON

This one didn’t get off to a good start with “the weird corner under the stairs” not going down well with Darren. Neale was immediately underwhelmed, saying some parts were extremely high end, like the floor, but others were low budget and he didn’t like the art. Darren did however. “It jars with the rest of the apartment,” said Neale. And Darren and Shaynna criticised the too-small rug in the living area. And as for the pullout clothes line? I’m not sure anyone knows why they thought that was a good idea!

Get Simon and Shannon’s look: Masai artwork, Sean Dix Forte round glass coffee table, Sean Dix Forte glass dining table, Block 2-print set, Nice View print, replica Eames DSW chair, Florida lamp, Jacob oak floor lamp, Audrey table lamp, Shelley Panton salad bowl.

CHRIS AND JENNA

Well, it’s probably no surprise Chris and Jenna felt so hard done by this week with all the criticism over this room, but I do think they could have been a little less whingey about it. Easy for me to say though, eh?! All the judges said they didn’t like seeing the study nook as soon as they walked in. Darren was really upset about the badly finished paintwork and the mess, right down to the dusty desk which hadn’t been wiped before styling items on it. Shaynna took exception to the “random” low shelf and suggested they remove it. All that before they even got to the living/dining area proper! The timber dining table was a hit (phew!) with Darren calling it amazing and Shaynna calling it divine. Shaynna thought the pendant above it though, although nice, was too small and felt miserly. The judges liked the lamp, couch and chair but felt they didn’t work well together. Neale said the room lacked soul and Shaynna said it had no mood at all. Ouch! Neale said nothing about the room made him want to stay there. Oh, and the dining chairs wouldn’t fit under the table…

Get Chris and Jenna’s look: Opaque black shadows pendants, Geo oval coffee table, Mia armchair, Juno armchair, Harlequin custom sofa, wine rack dining table, recycled timber pew, Frame lamp with custom shade, throw rug with fringe.

DEE AND DARREN

I was a big fan of this room. I mean, it has a massive Bromley and French oak herringbone floors?! Gorgeous! Shaynna remarked on the beautiful styling and Neale said the parquetry floor was an absolute winner. The compliments stopped there from Neale though, who said he had been expecting something more and that everything was fighting with the Bromley art. His least favourite thing though was the over-styled under stairs space. I have to agree it looked a bit wrong, but overall, I loved this look. Darren said the space was beautiful and exceptionally well considered.

Get Dee and Darren’s look: Enzo 1 Light floor lamp, black lantern, Labaratory samphire candle, Easy Luxury, Simple Conservatory dining table, Great Gig limited edition print by Prudence Caroline.

MICHAEL AND CARLENE: WINNERS!

It was a case of last but not least for winners Michael and Carlene and their impressive bookcase! It started well with the computer-controlled lights and just kept getting better. The judges all cooed over the chair with the small table (which they realised could be move and added onto the end of the dining table when required for extra seating — clever!) and Neale said they had a great eye. Onto the impressive cabinetry and Neale said it was the first time he had seen a bookcase styled properly on the show. Darren was impressed by the way they’d styled op shop finds by colour coding and paying attention to size and scale. Neale said they’d created a very homely environment but he feared the exposed brick wall would be polarising. Shaynna disagreed saying it would appeal to many buyers. She wasn’t a fan of the too-blingy pendant light though and said it should go. Agreed!