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The Block

Who will win The Block 2020? Mitch and Mark weigh in.

Mitch & Mark, contestants from The Block 2019, are ambassadors for hipages. Photo by Andrew Murray/The Photo Pitch


Last year’s flamboyant The Block contestants Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie, are back this week to share their thoughts on who has the best chance of winning the show come auction day.

The Block 2020 is now halfway through and hurtling toward the most unusual sales campaign and auction in its history.

As Melbourne begins to slowly emerge from Stage 4 lockdown, and the houses from The Block 2020 have begun their campaign for sale, advertised with price guides of $3.2m to $3.4m – these are big numbers. Reserve setting will be key as to whether contestants will earn any money from their hard work and efforts during such a strange season of The Block.

With five vastly different houses, the win could be anyone’s.

The auction order selection this year will have a different sense of drama about it. Giving one couple the power to choose the auction order is almost like giving them a blank cheque book (remember those?!) to decide how much each couple will win! For some this would be an enviable position, and for others it would be a hard burden to carry.

So far, it’s looking like Jimmy and Tam will be making that decision, but so much can change, it really is too early to tell. With the perfect scores for Luke and Jasmin (yes, even with a bathroom not connected to plumbing – we’re not sure either), they could easily be deciding the order. We will be extremely interested to see how couples position themselves to influence the decision makers as things get closer to D-Day.

As we write the favourites, according to the bookies, to take out the win are Jimmy and Tam followed by George and Sarah. The Block auctions throw up some unusual results, and history has shown this. Tess and Luke were unexpected winners of 2019, winning only two rooms from the judges with the lowest average score and the lowest cumulative score. In 2018 Hayden and Sara took out the win, with only one room win from the judges. It is so hard to tell!

When it comes to winning The Block, there is no formula, all we know is that in the auction room the judges’ opinions and scores are not indicative of what is the preferred property amongst buyers.

Turning our attention to the 2020 properties, these our views on the pros and cons of each house, heading into auction;

House 1 – Harry and Tash

While House 1 was the last to be ‘chosen’, being left for Harry and Tash to ‘select’, we think the location is the most preferred of all five houses. The floorplan and orientation of the house gives it a private sunny courtyard that none of the other houses can boast. While some of the styling and layout is concerning, they have the largest master suite on The Block, which is also an asset for buyers in this price range. All said, we think House 1 is in a good place to take out the win, which would be in keeping with Block history.

House 2 – George and Sarah

It’s been hard to get the overall picture of their house. Their first guest room, with the built-in study, now seems so sensible given how many of us are working from home! They have not really played with the overall floorplan and the aesthetic is neutral, which would have broad appeal, but so far there is nothing significant that makes this house stand above the rest.

House 3 – Daniel and Jade

Week 5 of The Block saw Daniel and Jade take a gamble by adding an extra bedroom to their floorplan. With a house already boasting four bedrooms, adding a fifth seems redundant, especially if they are small. However, if the fifth bedroom is easily transformed to a home office, they might just be onto something. For a buyer in this range, they might need two home offices, making this change to the floorplan attractive!

House 4 – Luke and Jasmin

Jasmin and Luke started slow, and in the last few weeks we have seen their competitive sides come through fast and strong…creating some drama along the way. They have created beautiful rooms that are not polarising and would sit well with many buyers who would be able to imagine themselves in this house. There seems to be a sense of calm in their design, and the house is back from the busy street corner.

House 5 – Jimmy and Tam

Throughout the season, Jimmy and Tam have been fan favourites and received great scores from the judges. History would therefore suggest this house will not win. Looking at their design aesthetic it is quite polarising, and we think they have reduced the appeal of their house to quite a specific buyer. This may reduce the number of buyers, and competition for their house. The corner block position is also not appealing, and this may reduce buyer demand.

Our pick for the win? Flip a coin! The Block is full of surprises!

Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie are hipages ambassadors.

Block’s oldest contestants Mitch & Mark share their advice for this year’s couples

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The Block 2019 auction results: A surprise win?

If you’ve been following The Block, I think you’d agree that last weekend’s auction results threw out a few curve balls; none more surprising than the series’ underdogs Tess and…
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The Block

The Block 2019: living & dining reveals

This week’s room reveal roundup comes to you from our friends at The Block Shop!

MITCH AND MARK: 
SCORE: 22/30: JOINT LAST


Mitch and Mark continued their mid-century ‘Palm Springs Luxe’ theme in their living/dining area, producing a gorgeous on-trend, bright and luxurious room. The first thing the judges noticed when they stepped inside was the fact the couple had chosen to replace their ‘Cottage Garden’ light-box windows from last week with beautiful, framed surf photography.

Their decision to pare back this large feature wall went down well. “That was a good call,” said Shaynna, who thought Mitch and Mark had styled their room, which included a stunning white brick feature fireplace, blue velvet dining chairs, a white terrazzo table and brown leather couch from Freedom, immaculately.

TESS AND LUKE
SCORE: 22/30: JOINT LAST


Tess and Luke had various setbacks this week, but overcame every conceivable obstacle to produce a stunning, contemporary living/dining space. The hero in their room was that beautiful custom-made timber table, which they built to butt up against their huge island bench, making it the focal point of the room.

Elsewhere, they used a mellow palette of whites and creams, including an oversized cream couch, earth-toned circular coffee table, light-coloured rug and grey occasional chairs to work as a contrast to their black brick feature wall and fireplace. That wall, in turn, played beautifully with the light from their oversized void, which Shaynna said would prove a huge selling-point for their home.

ANDY AND DEB
SCORE: 28/30: SECOND


Andy and Deb produced another exceptional space this week, ther gorgeous pared-back living area seeing them take out second place. The judges fell in love with the room, which continued with the couple’s trademark ‘coastal luxe’ vibe.

They particularly liked how everything flowed from the kitchen, as well as the placement of their large timber table and contemporary chairs, configured to run adjacent to their island bench. Neale loved their light, bright colour palette, cane coffee table, cane occasional chair, white in-built cabinetry and the white sofa and jute rug. But the thing that piqued his interest the most – and had all three judges rejoicing – was the placement of their stunning piece of commissioned Indigenous art.

EL’ISE AND MATT
SCORE: 24.5/30: THIRD


El’ise and Matt had a rough time in the judging last week, with Shaynna, Neale and Darren questioning a lot of their decisions with regards to their kitchen. This week they were back on track, revealing a stunning, contemporary and homely living/dining space, complete with burnt orange sofa, petrified wood nest of tables, a brick feature fireplace and a selection of stunning artworks.

“They’re back!” Neale said, upon stepping into their luxe oasis, which also sported a dark charcoal sofa, grey rug and olive hued cushions to match their green kitchen seats.

JESSE AND MEL: FIRST
SCORE: 29/30


Jesse and Mel are back! This week we took out a win for their near-perfect living/dining room. Like Deb and Andy, Jesse and Mel decided to orientate their dining table adjacent to their kitchen bench, a decision that won them favour with the judges, who loved the open, contemporary feel. They particularly loved that the couple held back 500mm from their kitchen to allow extra room in their living area, making theirs the most functional and usable living space of anywhere on this year’s Block.

They particularly loved the fireplace, which the couple made to be the architectural focal point of the room by incorporating custom black marble benchtops and cabinetry. Unlike so many of the other couples, theirs was a fire that could be enjoyed while sitting on the oversized couch, or the two stunning blue occasional chairs, while still watching the television.

The judges were instantly smitten.

Shop your favourites from these rooms at The Block Shop

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Bedrooms The Block

The Block 2019: guest bedroom 2 All Stars reveals

We’re currently experiencing a cable outage at Interiors Addict HQ! In short, some live wires came crashing down across the road outside in Friday night’s storms and although we’re nearly back to normal, we couldn’t tune into The Block last night! So, today’s write-up comes courtesy of our friends at The Block Shop! And as I still haven’t watched, I’d love you to tell me what the rooms were really like and which you thought should have won!

Mitch and Mark / Alisa and Lysandra: LAST PLACE
Score: 27/30


Mitch and Mark – with the help of Block all stars Alisa and Lysandra, managed to create a simply stunning room this week, despite the fact they flipped the architect’s plans again, changing the space to become a huge master suite, complete with walk-in robe and ensuite, connected via a private corridor.

“This room is the grand statement of what we’ve done. The master bedroom is the owner’s sanctuary,” Mitch said ahead of reveal.

The judges loved what they did – especially their statement ceiling, complete with that amazing pendant light.

Tess and Luke / Josh and Elyse: JOINT THIRD PLACE
Score: 28.5

Queenslanders Tess and Luke paired with previous Block champs Josh and Elyse, whose understated and chic fingerprints were all over this stunning, pared back “Scan-deco” guest bedroom.

The hero of the room was undoubtedly that beautiful wooden feature wall, which worked beautifully with the dressed bed in blush pinks and greys, the dark grey walls, light grey fitted robes, study nook with wire-framed chair, and the beautiful suede ottoman at the foot of the bed.

Deb and Andy / Josh and Jenna: FIRST PLACE
Score: 29.5

Deb and Andy – with help from Block mega-champs Josh and Jenna – went all out this week to present a stunning guest bedroom. And they were rewarded with a win! Courtesy of that controversial bonus point.

As Deb explained, this week the couple from country New South Wales were attempting to “not just create a look, but also a feeling.” And they certainly did that – the judges fell in love with their simple yet sophisticated guest bedroom space.

El’ise and Matt / Ronnie and Georgia: SECOND PLACE
Score: 29

The addition of Perth super champs Ronnie and Georgia really spurred this year’s Western Australian contestants on this week, and they stepped up their game to reveal a simply stunning guest bedroom. This week the couple effectively created a second master, choosing to add AM and PM wardrobes and a connecting ensuite, giving their house the option of a second main bedroom space.

And it was a master stroke – almost winning them the week, if Andy and Deb hadn’t used their pesky bonus point!

The judges loved their room, which featured that bold, art-inspired Graffico feature wall, blush pink walls, a burgundy bed styled in greys and greens, marble side bench, soft, grey occasional chair and circular side tables. A black grid-formation mirror, black wardrobes and black details on the furniture tied everything together, making a dramatic, opulent and sumptuous guest bedroom that the judges liked a great deal.

Jesse and Mel / Deanne and Darren: JOINT THIRD PLACE
Score: 28.5

Jesse and Mel, along with their all star teamsters Dee and Daz, presented a beautiful guest bedroom, which, as Jesse explained, was all about “effortless luxury.” They included a recessed slate-grey velvet bedhead, which complimented the blush pink linen, the dark-coloured wardrobes, that large circular floor rug, the round side tables, and simple brass wall sconces.

The judges liked what they had done.

 

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Shop last night’s room in The Block Shop

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The Block

The Block 2019: formal living room reveals

It was an important space on last night’s Block room reveals: the formal living. Up front, I have to say I don’t think the following images do the rooms justice as they certainly looked a lot better on TV than they do in the photographs. These things can be so hard to capture sometimes! But overall, it was another strong week so early in the competition and I agreed with the judges’ first place for El’ise and Matt.

House 1: Mitch and Mark

28.5 out of 30, second place

“Honey I’m home” were the first words out of Darren’s mouth. “Me too,” said Neale.

“I am loving these guys’ sense of colour,” said Shaynna. “These guys are Hollywood. It’s lush, it’s over the top and I love it.”

They loved the herringbone floor and the inset carpet with the brass detail. “It looks really finessed,” said Darren.

Neale said it felt like it had been there forever, which was a big compliment.

The only issue Shaynna had was that everything was directed around the fireplace and it shouldn’t have been flush to the floor. Darren didn’t like the marble-look shelving because it didn’t feel as authentic as everything else in the room.

But it was otherwise good news with the judges saying this was the standard they’d expect towards the end of the competition, not this early on. “They’ve made a masterpiece of it,” said Darren. “It’s amazing.”

They all hoped they had the stamina and budget to continue in the same vein.

Our picks to buy: The Danielle canvas print by Colour Clash Studio | Esther pendant in solid brass by Beacon Lighting | Cooper green velvet armchair from Freedom

House 2: Tess and Luke

22 out of 30, last place

First up, it was the first time this couple had finished a room!

“It’s another wow room,” said Neale, on first impression. Darren loved the flooring, the colourscheme and the lighting plan.

Neale said the art was hung much too high. Shaynna said structurally and in the major details , it was great. But they weren’t getting the sense of scale or style right. While the pendant light was incredible it was hung much too high. “Whoever is doing the styling is panicking. They don’t really know what they’re doing.”

Neale’s first instinct was that it was a very elegant but blank canvas. “As blank canvases go it’s a very good one. I want to come in here, roll my sleeves up and finish the room for them!”

Shaynna said the dark shelves were a mistake and felt too heavy. Darren said it was 80% there. “They need to add more.”

Neale said: “Give me some things that make it feel like a home. This certainly isn’t the room to pull back on.”

Our picks to buy: Empire chandelier in black by Beacon Lighting | Make Me Blush artwork by Hannah and Clint X Artist Lane

House 3: Andy and Deb

25.5 out of 30, third place

It was off to a great start again. The green wall was immediately popular with all three judges and the artwork choices were “genius”.

Darren said: “Everything in here feels like the right scale for the space. They’ve found a really nice balance to make these grand spaces feel personal.”

Neale said there was a sense of Colonial. “I love the fact they’ve introduced one small lamp. You could actually have some ambience at night.”

Shaynna however said it didn’t feel cosy enough. It was too white and bright and they should have used that green on all the walls. “They probably weren’t brave enough but maybe they should have been,” Neale added.

He thought the shelving was beautiful though, and the styling. They all agreed the LED lighting on the shelving wasn’t the right choice. They also questioned why they created a niche for the curtains when it wasn’t actually hiding what it should have!

Darren said: “I love that Andy and Deb have done everything that we said in the first two judgings.” Neale said they had hung on to their style but it had grown up.

Our picks to buy: Dreamer art print by Adele Naidoo | Sun Goes Down art print by Jonathan Gemmell

House 4: El’ise and Matt

29 out of 30, first place

Shaynna was gobsmacked. She loved that it was the first house to do all the detailing like cornicing and the ceiling rose. Neale said: “This is pretty spectacular. This is giving Mitch and Mark a serious run for their money.”

Darren loved the colour palette. “It feels like a modern take on what this building requires which is a kind of gentle understanding of heritage detailing,” he said, and added: “I’m fizzing out!”

Then they all lost it over the Venetian plaster on the walls. Shaynna loved that the fireplace was elevated to the right height and had a mantel.

“It seems like a real home,” said Neale. “Because they’re the sort of layers you build up over time.”

“This couple’s sense of romance and heritage excites me,” says Shaynna.

There weren’t many negatives. Neale said the hallway side of the room was a little under styled. But that was it!

Our pick to buy: Vittoria Curve sofa by GlobeWest

House 5: Jesse and Mel

23 out of 30, fourth place

The pair changed the floor plan, adding a hallway. And spending a lot of money on doors (and other things!) in the process.

“They’re incredible doors,” said Neale. “That’s a serious amount of work,” said Darren. “To put that amount of money and effort into a door is huge on week two. This looks super contemporary to me, right out of a luxury designer showroom.”

Neale said it didn’t feel as homely as some of the other rooms. Shaynna loved the ceiling rose and the light combo but hated the marble tile border around the edge of the floor. Darren agreed and said it jarred with the rest of the room.

While there were many beautiful things in the room, Shaynna said the mirror and fireplace didn’t work together. Neale said it felt a little forced: “I feel like I’m in some kind of corporate waiting room. It’s not feeling warm and fuzzy.”

Darren said Jesse had taken a very real estate approach to decorating. “It does present well but it doesn’t have the homeliness and the lived in story we’ve appreciated in some of the other houses.”

Shaynna said the accessories were bargain basement and didn’t elevate everything else in the room.

“To me this feels the least connected to St Kilda and the least connected to the heritage of the house,” said Neale. “This could be anywhere.”

On a positive note they agreed their project management skills were outstanding to have achieved that level of detail and on time.

Our picks to buy: Deeply Connected by Belinda Nadwie limited edition canvas print from Art Lovers Australia | Frost chandelier by Beacon Lighting

So, what did YOU think? We’d love to hear which room was your favourite!

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