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Interviews The Block

The Block’s Amity on life after winning, mezzanines, motherhood and musicals

In the run-up to The Block, Amity Dry was on Interiors Addict every night, doing her research. Now that’s what I like to hear! I was delighted to get the opportunity to interview one half of my favourite All Stars couple this week and here’s what she had to say…

Life hasn't calmed down much for All Stars winners Amity and Phil since leaving the Block
Life hasn’t calmed down much for All Stars winners Amity and Phil since leaving the Block

Amity Dry doesn’t do things by halves. She had just two days off between arriving home from The Block auction and starting rehearsals for her musical Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life, which she produces as well as stars in. “My workload is pretty massive and it’s a lot to juggle at the moment, but I’m so passionate about the show that’s it’s worth it. We’ll be taking a holiday in June, that’s for sure!”

Their winning Block house
Their winning Block house

The show, coming to Melbourne and Sydney this month, is a musical comedy about marriage, motherhood and the way women juggle relationships, work kids and friendship. “It’s very funny, but it’s also really emotional in parts, as we explore topics like post natal depression, the breakdown of a marriage and the pressure to do it all,” she says. “The ultimate message of the show is that marriage and motherhood can be wonderful and the most rewarding things you’ll ever do, but they’re also really hard work and it’s ok to say that and laugh about those tough moments. 

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The Block

The Block & Better Homes & Gardens win Logies

Two homes shows won in tonight’s Logies. The Block (not the most recent All Stars but the 2012 season) took out most popular reality series and Better Homes And Gardens, most popular lifestyle show.

As well as being part of the winning The Block team, Shaynna Blaze, who looked stunning in a Charlie Brown dress, also presented the Logie for most popular factual program, which went to Bondi Rescue.

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Interiors Addict

Shaynna Blaze gets her own show, Blank Canvas

The pilot for her first interiors show of her very own airs on The Lifestyle Channel in a couple of weeks and Shaynna Blaze is hoping you’ll watch so she gets to do a whole series!

Shaynna Blaze Blank Canvas

No stranger to reality TV, it will be the first time the star of Selling Houses Australia and The Block won’t have co-hosts or judges. “I am totally over the moon, nervous and excited,” she told me. “This is the first show where I carry it on my own so there is a certain fear and responsibility that comes with that but the opportunity to do a show purely about interiors is so incredible. I have been looking at my own show for a while and after talking with Taubmans and The LifeStyle Channel, they saw a gap in the market and this is the result.”

Shaynna says the show is purely about design and decoration for people stuck on where to go next because they’re either scared or lost on where to start in their renovation. “This is a show for people who want to do up their home to live in it, and working on ideas and styles that suit our Australian lifestyle and environment.”

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Bedrooms

Iva’s bedroom makeover impresses Shaynna Blaze

Earlier this month we ran a competition to win a course at the new International Institute of Home Staging (IIHS) and asked readers to send in their own room makeovers aimed at helping sell a home.

We asked our friend Shaynna Blaze, star of The Block and Selling Houses Australia, to judge. Who better?! She chose this unisex toddler bedroom entry from Iva Izman.

Iva 1

This room is a work of art in itself. All decorations are DIY from salvaged items and recycled materials. From the wall art down to the cushion details and baby mobile, it was all handmade by me,” said Iva in her entry.

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The Block

The Block’s Dani launches an online magazine

Dani Wales, of Dan and Dani on The Block All Stars, has launched an online magazine.

The Home Journal

Check out The Home Journal here.

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Interiors Addict

Real Living, April 2013

As they say on The Block: “Wow, wow, wow!” Real Living’s front cover for April certainly packs a punch – the genius colour and print combination is so crazy it works. I’m not brave enough to wear prints, but I’m now reconsidering the option of working prints into my wardrobe, and my home!

Real Living cover

Highlights

The highlight for me this issue was the ‘Find your own Colour Palette’ feature by designer Jacinta Preston. It gives some great advice and made me feel more confident when it comes to choosing colour. I loved one of Jacinta’s examples: “Gloss matt is very different to matt black: gloss accentuates and intensifies the colour, matt helps colour to recede and look more subtle.”

What I’m loving

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Interiors Addict

The winner of 7 Vignettes March is…

Dee! (aka Pictured Thoughts on Instagram).

Guest judge Darren Palmer and I were equally impressed with her consistent effort throughout the entire week (never mind the outtakes which have continued to be posted as extras ever since!). This is why she won…

White

CirclesIt was such a tricky choice this month with so many stunning entries! I think even Darren might agree it was tougher than judging a room on The Block! But we both feel pretty confident we picked the right person. Darren, who said the quality of everyone’s work was inspiring, added: “Dee definitely had the most vignettes I liked over the week. Great work all round and there were many entries in my shortlist. I was so happy to see such great style and skill out there!”

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Interiors Addict

Belle April/May 2013

Belle April May 2013

At the risk of being hammered by interior aficionados, I have to admit this is the first time I have read Belle magazine. Gasp. But put down your pitchforks, because I’ve been converted. If their deliciously decadent front cover didn’t do it (which, let’s admit, it did), then the quality editorial inside would have tipped me over. Why, I hear you ask, is this the first time I’ve read Belle? It was the Vogue effect; I don’t buy Vogue because it’s too inaccessible (concepts and price tags). And I mistakenly believed I would feel the same way about Belle… I’ve never been so happy to be proved wrong!

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The Block

7 Vignettes with The Block’s Darren Palmer

It’s almost time for the March round of my Instagram photo challenge 7 Vignettes, and next month I’m delighted we have interior designer and judge on The Block Darren Palmer, taking part as our guest judge. Here’s the new list!

7 vignettes March

This month I’ve compiled the list from participants’ suggestions. I hope you like them! The lovely Darren will be watching the hashtag and joining in the fun, then helping me pick the winner at the end of the week.

Darren Palmer

This time we have a great prize for the winner; not just a $200 voucher to spend at PAD (Passionate about Design), but also two bespoke cushions from Mantel and Church worth $270.

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The Block

The Block is open for inspection next weekend!

Head on down to Tasman Street, Bondi, next weekend (2 and 3 March 2013) to meet the all star couples and see The Block finished homes from 10am to 2pm both days. Might see you there!

Enjoy!

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Art The Block

Buy Dan and Dani’s art from The Block

Dan and Dani may have been criticised by The Block judges for using work by the same artist they used in the last series, but you can see why they would. Andrew O’Brien’s work is gorgeous!

Andrew O'Brien

The good news is you can buy one of his prints online from just $130, which is a massive bargain if you ask me.

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Interiors Addict

Home Beautiful, March 2013

In a new regular feature, Jacqui Greig reviews the latest interiors magazines.

I know this is terrible, but with the sheer volume of magazines I purchase each month, I sometimes struggle to remember if I’ve bought Home Beautiful already – their covers tend to get a bit ‘same same’. Don’t get me wrong, obviously they’ve hit the nail on the head when it comes to branding… maybe it’s their use of colour? This month they’ve gone with a gorgeous blue teal on their masthead, and a charming rustic country outdoor setting.

Home Beautiful March 2013 cover

Highlights

1. The quirky cool home of Charlotte and Philippe in Odense, Denmark (story by Eckmann Studio and photography by Bjarni B Jacobsen). The bright pops of colour have me itching to pick up a paintbrush (the purple velour furniture is insanely fabulous), and the bathroom is brimming with character thanks to panels of ‘Paperback Stacks’ wallpaper by Tracy Kendall (available from The Collection). The house is actually a villa, called ‘the church house’ because of its distinctive architecture. 

Home Beautiful March 2013 Church House

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Designers The Block

The new kid on The Block Darren Palmer

Here at Interiors Addict I was delighted when Darren Palmer was made the third full-time judge on The Block. Possibly not as much as he was though. “SO EXCITED! It’s a brilliant competition that has featured some really great talent over the years. I love the Block and am so happy to be a part of it,” he told me.

Darren Palmer

Darren rose to fame as a runner up on reality TV show homeMADE and now here he is, a renowned interior designer and a judge on another show. He’s done good, eh? “The thing is I know renovations because I renovate, I know design because I’m a designer and I know the competition and understand its constraints and pressures because I’ve been in exactly that situation myself. Well not quite exactly as we did a complete house every 5 days. These guys get 6 weeks. The Block is pretty much a holiday…”

Careful, Darren!

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The Block

The Block All Stars starts tonight

The much hyped The Block All Stars starts tonight at 7pm and, having visited the houses a couple of months ago, I’m really looking forward to watching. Friend of Interiors Addict Darren Palmer has also been announced as a new full-time judge, replacing John McGrath and joining Shaynna Blaze from Selling Houses Australia and Belle editor in chief Neale Whitaker. A great trio, don’t you think?

The new judging lineup includes Darren Palmer, who rose to fame as a star of reality TV himself
The new judging lineup includes Darren Palmer, who rose to fame as a star of reality TV himself

The Block spinoff, which has been filming in Sydney’s Bondi, features four couples from previous series who didn’t win (but maybe should have?). They are Amity and Phil, Josh and Jenna, Mark and Duncan (the ‘two fat tradies’) and, from the most recent series, Dan and Dani. It’s a little ironic that new judge Darren rose to fame as a star of reality TV show (homeMADE) himself, even though he didn’t win.

There’s been some drama, with The SMH reporting, at the end of November, that contestant Mark Bowyer had left the show after being rushed to hospital and feeling unwell. Apparently host Scott Cam and Mark’s wife Jenny, stepped in to assist his partner Duncan Miller, but it’s not clear if he eventually returned to filming.

I visited the block in November  and was really impressed and excited by what I saw in the heritage houses, which at that point had had two rooms each renovated. I have no doubt they will all be worth a small fortune once they’re finished and I can’t wait to see how they turn out.

The Block All Stars houses in Sydney's Bondi
The Block All Stars houses in Sydney’s Bondi

This year they’ve also set up an online Block shop where you can buy products used in the show. Now there’s a simple but brilliant idea! Check it out here.

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Interiors Addict

4 great interiors things coming in 2013

1. American heavyweights Pottery Barn, West Elm and Williams-Sonoma are all hitting Australian shores for the first time ever and opening in Bondi, date to be confirmed.

2. The Block All Stars starts in the New Year featuring four favourite double acts from previous series. I’ve already had a look around the houses in Bondi and I can’t wait to see how they all turn out. In my opinion, they can’t fail to sell for a small fortune!

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Interiors Addict

Shaynna’s own show. Want to be on it?

The fabulous Shaynna Blaze from Selling Houses Australia and The Block (does she ever stop?!) is getting her own show. Hoorah! And you could be on it!

Are you ready to update your tired kitchen or loungeroom but don’t know where to start? Let Shaynna help tap into your inner renovator. She’s looking for shabby kitchen and living areas in desperate need of help and owners willing to project manage under her guidance. So you actually get to learn too, not just have someone else do it all for you. Sounds great, no?

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The Block

The Block All Stars read Interiors Addict!

Well, Amity does anyway! Yesterday I was very excited to be invited to have a look around the partially renovated The Block All Star terraces in Bondi. What a treat! Four couples who didn’t win their series (but perhaps should have) are back for this special version of the show, which will be aired on Nine after Christmas.

I wish I could tell you more about what I saw inside!

I met all but one of the contestants yesterday, shook a lot of dusty hands and had a look inside their homes, four weeks in. They’ve completed two bedrooms and a bathroom and are onto their lounge rooms this week. Never have I seen such contrast between the untouched rooms in the run down heritage homes and the brand new restored and renovated. And I was really impressed with what I saw. The bathrooms in particular were really great and made me bemoan the fact I don’t have a bath even more than usual…

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The Block

The Block All Stars is filming in Bondi

Word on the street is that The Block All Stars has started filming the next series in Sydney’s Bondi. Have you spotted them yet? According to previous reports, heritage cottages in Tasman Street have been earmarked for renovation. This week, the Block All Stars lineup was announced.

I’m very excited to have the show on NSW ground again!