Sponsored by The Good Guys Kitchens | Video produced by Lauren Ellis of My Picket Fence
The judges said Andy and Whitney’s kitchen was their strongest room to date. Here we get a better look around at its fixtures and fittings.
We love their matte charcoal cabinetry, exposed painted brick and marble effect Silestone island benchtop.
And how about that integrated herb garden? Brilliant or bonkers?!
Book your kitchen design appointment online at kitchens.thegoodguys.com.au or call 1300 764 737.
Sponsored by The Good Guys Kitchens
Yesterday we brought you Shay and Dean’s stylish space, today we give you a closer look at Caro & Kingi’s kitchen, which won them top marks and $10,000. With its distinctive industrial edge, they definitely didn’t play it safe, but it paid off! Our reporter Lauren Ellis chats to them about their choices, gets the lowdown on all the bells and whistles and their top tips for Interiors Addict readers.
Find out exactly how they created that touchscreen splashback, all the cool stuff behind their cupboard and drawer fronts and their appliance details.
Book your kitchen design appointment online at kitchens.thegoodguys.com.au or call 1300 764 737.
Sponsored by The Good Guys Kitchens
Kitchen week is always one of the most popular, and indeed demanding (for the contestants!) on The Block. For us, it’s not just about what the kitchen looks like but how it functions and we love seeing all the gadgets and tricks which have been used to create inventive and clever spaces. For the next week, we’ll bring you one episode a day where our reporter Lauren Ellis takes a closer look at the kitchens and interviews the couples who created them. Prepare to see lots of features not covered on the room reveal episode.
Take a closer look at Dean and Shay’s (second place by just half a point) penthouse kitchen…
The pair’s butler’s pantry and sophisticated styling wowed the judges. And their gamble of swapping the kitchen and living areas was shown to pay off in a big way with Neale Whitaker saying it had wow factor and Shaynna Blaze describing it as “knockout”.
We love the gold sinks (hello!), integrated coffee machine, soft-close drawers and slide-out cupboard shelves.
Book your kitchen design appointment online at kitchens.thegoodguys.com.au or call 1300 764 737.
You don’t have to be a Block fanatic to know that kitchens sell houses and with the current renovation boom only continuing to bloom (sorry, couldn’t resist!), nailing your kitchen design has never been so important.
Chris and Jenna Susetio, former contestants on The Block Glasshouse, and now kitchen designers for The Good Guys Kitchens, scored a near perfect score for their kitchen in series nine. Now they’ve pulled together their top five tips for creating a kitchen full of character and personality, using a clever layout and stylish work surfaces.
1. Layout and Space
2. Colour and texture
3. Finer Details
4. Designer work surfaces
5. Lighting
Last week, we sent our resident Blockhead Kathryn Bamford to look around the finished Block apartments. She was a little bit excited…
So I went into The Block on Thursday night and when I say went to The Block I mean got a full blown tour of all the finished apartments. Dreams can come true, right? I guess this is what little kids feel like at Disneyland and can I tell you it was everything I expected and more. The Block is situated on bustling High Street, Prahran. The neighbouring houses are cute double-storey terraces and mid rise new apartment complexes, which is rather different when compared to the monstrosity of The Block. Yet for an old eighties office conversion that is huge, it’s surprisingly not too overpowering from the street front and I have to say they have done a grand job of converting it.
We were greeted with delicious canapés and champagne of course, and ushered upstairs. It was a lot bigger than I expected on the inside and there’s even a common area complete with a lift that all the homes open onto (which we haven’t been privy to on TV yet). The contestants were all lovely and I think a little relieved it was nearly all over. They were all getting along so surely not too much drama will unfold for the rest of this season? The lovely Shelley Craft talked us through the proceedings of the night and we were sworn to secrecy with no photos banned inside the apartments (if only I could share the mental pictures I took). We were divided into five groups of around 10 people and ushered around the apartments.
First up for my group was Max and Karstan’s apartment. Holy moly this place is huge. It feels massive! The kitchen looks great and even has a TV in it which is a great idea and very family friendly. There are four ovens and a huge butler’s pantry which overlooks a massive courtyard. We were even lucky enough to see inside ‘the secret room’ which is at the top of a tight spiral staircase off the courtyard. Then it was off across the common area to Darren and Dee’s. Ok, so I’m actually in love with Darren and Dee’s apartment. It’s smaller than the others but boy, do I love it! Those herringbone floors are killer and are almost throughout the whole place. The kitchen is noticeably smaller than the other apartments and has a small butler’s pantry but it is still nice nonetheless. After seeing Dee’s styling in the flesh, it’s just as good as on the screen. I’ve decided that she should be crowned the texture queen of The Block! The master bedroom feels huge and has a balcony overlooking the courtyard which both have great city views. Their apartment is definitely the most consistent of the bunch so despite being the smallest, I wouldn’t rule them out of potentially taking it out.
Next up it was onto the boys’ apartment. Shannon and Simon have done a fabulous job and I can assure you the kitchen is not a disaster, it’s actually really nice. I love the dark benchtops and textured wood grain cupboards they went with. I love the fact that you can stand at your stove top cooking whilst looking out of the massive window onto bustling High Street. All I can say for now is that the boys’ master room robe is as good if not better than it looks on the big screen. It feels more like a luxurious parents’ retreat than a bedroom. Wait until you see their master en suite. IT IS OUT OF CONTROL! I walked in and actually had to take a moment to take it all in. It’s so different to what you would have ever seen before and it really works.
Our fourth stop was at Michael and Carlene’s apartment. The kitchen didn’t wow me but it was still really nice. Their living/dining area is large yet still feels really family friendly and homely. It opens onto a huge courtyard which is perfect for hosting large family events and overlooks High Street. I have a feeling that a family is going to want to buy their apartment. Last stop was Chris and Jenna’s house. I mean apartment. I’m hesitant to call Chris and Jenna’s an apartment as when you’re in there it feels like a house. It’s noticeably bigger than the others and has a gorgeous three-storey staircase going all the way up to the rooftop terrace. I loved Chris and Jenna’s main bathroom which received a perfect score and standing in it, you actually can’t fault it. Their kitchen is huge like the rest of their house and I love the fact the butler’s pantry is hidden behind normal kitchen doors so you can’t even tell it’s there. The copper sinks and black tapware look fantastic and all overlooking a huge courtyard. To be honest, I don’t know how they finished such a big apartment with the same budget everyone else had.
So I’m not even sure if I can share this but what the heck. The couples get to do a re-do room and I’m sure you will agree with which rooms they choose to re-do. The night ended with some Q&A with the contestants and producers and after that and I got to take home a signed copy of Darren Palmer’s new book Easy Luxury. It was a great night and a big thank you to The Good Guys Kitchens for inviting me along!
Did you love this week’s Block kitchens? The Good Guys Kitchens, who supplied all the essentials like cabinetry, benchtops and appliances, asked the contestants to share their thoughts on their finished kitchens with us.
Alisa and Lysandra
What were the benefits of working with a professional kitchen designer? Jo, our designer, was amazing; she was of benefit because we could combine her expertise and our creativity to create something pretty amazing. We trusted her and that is essential.
What elements have you added to make your kitchen stand out from the crowd? We believe our point of difference was the layout of our kitchen. Our galley style kitchen was seven metres and had a 200mm servery which set it apart. We added a timber breakfast area which completed our kitchen.
What do you think is clever about your design? I think the positioning of our kitchen was clever; placing the kitchen as soon as you walk into the apartment gave it instant wow factor.
When shopping at The Good Guys, were there any appliances that particularly appealed to you?
The Dyson vacuum cleaners are hard to go past, that’s for sure. There were so many awesome appliances at The Good Guys, it was hard not to go home with the whole store.
Brad and Dale
What was most important to you when you were designing your kitchen? Functionality.
What elements have you added to make your kitchen stand out on auction day? Our curved benchtop is a real feature in our kitchen.
What do you think is clever about your kitchen design? The layout is great but also putting in a butler’s pantry was a great idea.
What are you most happy about in your kitchen design? The look and the feel and also the cool drawer.
What advice would you give people who are renovating a kitchen on a budget? Try and get the best value you can and don’t go over budget.
When shopping at The Good Guys, were there any appliances that particularly appealed to you? I love freestanding ovens but our cool drawer was one of the best products on the market.
Steve and Chantelle
What were the benefits of working with a kitchen designer? Being able to see the designs.
What are you most happy about in your kitchen renovation? The fridge.
When shopping at The Good Guys, were there any appliances that particularly appealed to you? Coffee machine! Loved it!
Kyal and Kara
What were the benefits of working with a professional kitchen designer? A professional kitchen designer has experience and thinks practically.
Where did you skimp and where did you splurge? We splurged on quality Bosch products from The Good Guys.
What advice would you give to people who are renovating a kitchen on a budget? A professional can help you get the most out of your space/budget.
When shopping at The Good Guys, were there any appliances that particularly appealed to you? Bosch appliances for their quality and good reputation.
Visit The Good Guys Kitchens online.
I don’t always agree with the judges, much as I like and respect all three of them, but last night I sure did. It would have been just wrong if the twins hadn’t won the kitchen room reveal. I thought their room was outstanding: brave, well thought out and expertly finished.
It scored points for both style and practicality with all the judges. If you didn’t watch the show, make sure you catch up this week, because the photos don’t really do it justice. I loved the sophisticated look and mix of textures.
As for the judges, they loved it. Shaynna said it was a chef’s kitchen and despite the fact the girls had been driving her mad with some of their rooms, they had really proven themselves this week. Darren was impressed with their foresight in putting the kitchen somewhere else entirely to the rest of the contestants and loved the void and ceiling height. Neale said it made sense of the whole space and he can’t wait to see what they do with their living and dining areas. He also said it was modern but not too trendy and would date well.
GET THEIR LOOK: Untitled landscape artwork by Sue Quinn | benchtops and cabinetry by The Good Guys Kitchens | Gus Stanley stools.
Kyal and Kara
I loved this kitchen too but really wish it had a table or some better options for sitting and eating. That said, it is hard to judge without seeing it in the context of the living and dining area. The judges loved the huge pantry and storage with timber doors. Neale said it was his favourite thing this week. Darren loved the glass over exposed brick splashback (so did I!) and said he had never seen it done before. Shaynna commented on the great use of texture but said it was lacking in colour and felt a little too masculine.
GET THEIR LOOK: Benchtops and cabinetry by The Good Guys Kitchens.
Chantelle and Steve
I wasn’t crazy about this one. I’m not even sure why. There was a lot right with it and Chantelle and Steve certainly felt confident about their effort. It’s a little too industrial and quirky for me and I think it may polarise potential buyers.
The judges loved the lightbox-style poster art and Darren thought the island benchtop was great. Neale said it was a quirky and contemporary kitchen but Shaynna said it was too cluttered. Darren was also worried about how the lounge and dining areas will work with it but I guess that all remains to be seen!
GET THIER LOOK: Manor Barn light shade | Saint Tropez stool | Custom orange juice art | Benchtops and cabinetry by The Good Guys Kitchens.
Brad and Dale
The judges really weren’t too keen on this kitchen but I thought it was great. I agreed with Neale about the LED lighting being a bit over the top but I certainly didn’t think it felt 90s, like he did. I loved that curved bench, the lights, the brick wall and the floor. The bar stools made me cringe but on the whole I really liked it. And that artwork! Wow!
The judges described the art as both epic and divine! Neale said the floor was breathtaking but the room as a whole was really dated. While he loved some things about it, he said it reminded him of the 1990s when ice white kitchens were in. Darren said it felt too much like a showroom. And Shaynna said it didn’t feel warm. Try as she might to see what it looked like without the blue LED lighting, she couldn’t find the right switch, and there were a LOT of switches! Personally, I think this kitchen needs a few tweaks, different lighting (love the pendants though) and new tools and it’ll be HOT.
There’s no doubt about it, if it was the twins’ turn to feel hard done by last week, it was the boys’ turn this week.
GET THEIR LOOK: Droplet pendant lights | Brussels stools (please don’t!) | Benchtops and cabinetry by The Good Guys kitchens.