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The Block

Josh and Elyse win The Block! Auction recap.

They did it! The young favourites, Josh and Elyse, won series 13 of The Block in last night’s (well, Saturday’s really) auction. Good on ’em! It was a beautiful house and they worked really hard. Taking home over half a million bucks, it was a great night for the couple, and somewhat underwhelming for others, but everyone was gracious and grateful for their winnings, which was nice to see.

Here’s how the auctions panned out…

First up: favourites Josh (with a man bun and no shoes!) and ever-glamorous Elyse, who humbly said any money was a bonus as the show had already opened many doors for them (I think we all know they’ll have sponsorship deals a plenty!). Bidding started at $2.6m and momentum kept going with buyers’ advocates Frank Valentic and Greville Pabst in on the action. Greville finally had the winning bid for his client of $3, 067, 000. The young couple were clearly overjoyed with their 447k winnings! What a great start! “That’s life-changing,” said an overwhelmed Elyse. And then it was revealed comedian and TV personality Dave (Hughesy) Hughes had bought it! Quite the coup!

Second up: Controversial Jason and Sarah! It was all about buyers’ advocates Frank Valentic and Nicole Jacobs this time with Nicole winning for her client at $3, 007,000. This meant a generous $387k for the couple. “It honestly changes our entire life,” Jason said. “It’s huge. It’s insane.”

Things were going so well!

Third up: That very likeable duo Sticks and Wombat! It was all about Frank and Nicole again! Things stalled at $2,650,000 and everything felt a bit flat with Sticks in particular looking pretty devastated and the other contestants visibly disappointed for him and Wombat. They still ended up with $130k though and took it so well. While Shelley Craft was almost in tears for them!

Fourth up, the polarising (in personality and house!) Ronnie and Georgia! And it was over as soon as it started with Georgia in tears as bidding stopped at $2,600,000, just below the reserve. The house was passed in on Scotty’s strong recommendation. Negotiations with highest bidder Frank brought it up to $2,725,000 as his best and final offer. Then Nicole came to the couple with her client’s best and final offer of 2,781,000, which was accepted. Ronnie and Georgia did seem surprisingly happy with their $161k while the other contestants clearly expected them to be a lot more disappointed. But as Ronnie said, it was like buying the winning scratchie and a good amount for 6 months’ work, tax free. Phew!

Fifth and final, the (albeit lovely) underdogs, Hannah and Clint! Tensions were high after Ronnie and Georgia’s underwhelming result. $2, 410,00 was the starting bid and the bids kept coming. But it was short lived. And the depressing music started as things stalled $20k under reserve at 2,5000,000. And then it started again! Frank got this one at $2,615,000 so $95k for the couple. Hannah said she was over the moon. “We’ve absolutely loved renovating,” said Clint. “It’s been an incredible 12 weeks.” Gosh, I love those two! “What a beautiful couple,” Scotty said. Clint added: “It clears all our debts. The show gives everyone the opportunity to change their lives and it has.” Bless him!

So the youngest couple, and indeed the favourites, did it! Josh and Elyse took home $577k with the extra $100k for winning. What an amazing result for anyone, let alone a couple in their 20s!

We’ll have Greville Pabst’s thoughts on the auction results for you tomorrow!

What am I going to watch on TV now?! Back to Netflix and the Lifestyle Channel it is… Actually, I am absolutely LOVING the new Love It or List It? How about you?

All our Block coverage.

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Bathrooms House Tours The Block

The Block (season 13, week 1) bathroom reveals

Well I never, what a remarkable lot of room reveals we saw last night for week one! Impressed. Big time! You’d think there’d be at least one duff room, but I have to say, they all did really well. Although some, of course, did better than others. It was a tight race though, with only half a point between first and second place. Read on for all the details!

JASON AND SARAH (4th place with 24/30)

“How pretty,” said Shaynna, noting the beautiful tiles. Neale said it was nice to see a new, more subtle take on the Moroccan floor tile trend but thought the pendant light was overkill. Agreed!

Shaynna thought the functionality was spot on. A great start! She loved the underfloor heating, hydronic towel rail, double basin, good size vanity, cupboards and shelving. Darren would have preferred drawers, especially as there was no face-level storage (obviously this is going to be a big deal for the judges this season, but I 100% agree with them).

Neale was frustrated that they had chosen well on the big ticket items and really let themselves down with all the little details. The judges found the styling cluttered but all agreed they delivered a great room. As I was listening to the judges’ comments, I was already mentally removing all the bits and pieces from the space in my head, because underneath them, there’s a pretty stunning bathroom.

Our picks: Sussex Scala tapware and Milli Pure shower from Reece, arched leg planter, Aspar botanical handwash.

***

HANNAH AND CLINT (last place with 16/30)

Poor Hannah and Clint! Despite the lovely Sticks and Wombat helping the couple out cutting their tiles, they sadly ran out of time to get everything finished after a number of setbacks in the first few days. There were tears, but the beginners took the feedback with good attitudes.

Darren’s first world was “bummer” and Neale said it would be a nice bathroom if it was finished. He was pleased to see them try something bolder than last week though and loved the tile mix. Shaynna loved the layout, the type of bath, tapware, size of the vanity and styling efforts.

The couple had moved their bathroom to achieve a separate WC. Unfortunately Neale hated it. Really hated it! He said it was the meanest splashback he had ever seen and the pendant light looked wrong.

Can we talk about the black framed shower screen? I’m loving that look! And the black tub too.

Our picks: Hourglass stump stool, Kado Lux black bath from Reece, Ziporah Lifestyle towels.

***

GEORGIA AND RONNIE (3rd place with 25.5/30)

They started the week well by winning the challenge and $8.5k from Josh and Elyse’s budget. Then their builders made a number of mistakes which got them in trouble with Scotty and Dan. But an influx of trades helped them get back on track, delivering one of my favourite bathrooms.

Neale said it was bold and contemporary, neither too feminine or too masculine. “There’s so much to like,” he said. “If I walked in as a potential buyer, I’d be blown away.” High praise indeed.

Shaynna said it felt really good but majorly under-delivered on storage. She also criticised the placement of the powerpoints and the bath spout (agree on both counts).

Then we saw the first example of the judges disagreeing with each other this season over the gold speaker being overkill (Neale wasn’t so sure).

Our picks: Custom shower screen, Alape Circa matte black basin and Sussex Scala tapware from Reecebrass vase.

***

STICKS AND WOMBAT (2nd place with 26.5/30)

There were problems and setbacks for this pair too, mostly with tilers, but they managed to deliver a very unique and expertly finished (and really big) room!

Neale said the ceiling was beautiful and Shaynna called it an architectural success. Darren agreed, saying the symmetry was fantastic. Neale said the luxury was the amount of space. Darren said he was seeing a lot of personality in an appropriate way. And of course they loved the face level storage!

Shaynna said the level of finishing off blew her away. Quality workmanship. The handmade elements being at odds with the tapware, which was in turn at odds with the cabinetry handles (my first thoughts too and I didn’t like the mosaic feature either), worried her. But these are pretty easily changed later if they want to. Neale said top marks for giving it a go and doing something different. And Darren said they’d struck the balance of quirkiness just right. Neale added he couldn’t wait to see what they did with the rest of the house.

Our picks: Custom Rifco mirror cabinet and Kado Era bath from Reece, timber bath caddy.

***

JOSH AND ELYSE (1st place with 27/30)

WOWEE. I mean OMG. I absolutely loved this and knew they would have to come first, if only by half a point! Phew! Stunning bathroom!

The youngsters were the first to waterproof and tile and the first to use a round bath in Block history. I’m still not 100% sure on how comfortable it would be to bathe in (I’m a serious bath afficianado) but it sure looks hot!

The judges immediately loved the bath and the skylight. Neale said it was really dramatic and Darren loved all the play on circles. The only thing letting it down, said Shaynna, was the too-small vanity.

The judges said the design was at a professional level and I’d totally agree. It seems these two are not to be underestimated and written off as the token good-looking couple. They have some great ideas!

Our picks: Wild About Wood vanityMilli and Sussex tapware and hardware from Reecetimber stool.

Categories
Bedrooms The Block

The Block week 6 room reveals: master bedrooms

I think I actually shed a tear when underdogs Kim and Chris took out the master bedroom (sorry, suite) win last night because oh my goodness, didn’t they deserve it?! It was divine! And massive. And absolutely nothing like the previous week’s confused country-style living/dining. It was amazing to see such a change and such progress. I felt so proud of them!

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Chris and Kim’s winning master suite. The pictures don’t do it justice in my opinion.

So, the results were:

  • First place: Kim and Chris
  • Second place: Julia and Sasha
  • Third place: Will and Karlie
  • Fourth place: Dan and Carleen
  • Last place: Ben and Andy

And here’s what the judges had to say…

Karlie and Will

All three judges were wowed by the timber feature wall and rightly so. Wasn’t it gorgeous and so much work involved! I always love it when Darren Palmer comes out with comments like “holy moley!” He also said it showed extraordinary workmanship. Neale Whitaker agreed it was absolutely stunning and obviously the big idea they’d been working up to. “It just works.”

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The black double doors also got lots of praise. Neale said: “It’s a very contemporary bedroom, I love it.”

They found the wardrobe, although it great storage plus powerpoints, a bit of a letdown, and said it felt like an afterthought.

We loved the dimmable LED pendants lights.

Dan and Carleen

Darren said the room was so calming and tranquil and Neale was in love with the original deco pendant lights (from the vault).  The judges said they’d got the balance just right; contemporary but with well thought through references to deco. There was lots of pattern but it worked because it had been subtly done.

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The wardrobe however clearly lost them a lot of points when it was revealed the top section was not deep enough to hang a jacket or shirt in. The judges said it was a big letdown on functionality.

I liked this room but it didn’t wow me. The curtains were gorgeous though as were the West Elm bedsides.

Andy and Ben

Although the boys lost half of their wardrobe to their en suite, Darren said you could hardly notice and it didn’t feel any smaller. Winning!

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While Neale said it had a nice, fresh feel, Shaynna was underwhelmed and said it was a bit impersonal, and a bit of a bachelor pad.  Darren agreed, although he said he could see the boys had given it a really good shot, but it needed an extra layer of luxury. And Neale said the styling was a bit off!

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Things got more positive in the walk-in, where the bench seat, dressing table and shoe carousel went down a storm!

I loved the Jessica Skye Baker resin artwork! Buy similar.

Julia and Sasha

The judges loved the smart technology and the mega bedhead (me too) by Heatherly Design in this room. Neale said it felt like they’d really raised their game this week and hit it spot on. Personally, I don’t like it half as much as some of their other rooms and just felt it wasn’t very cohesive. Shaynna loved it too though, saying it was luxurious and the artwork was very clever and incredibly art deco.

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Neale said the walk-in (which was amazing!) felt like an extremely high end boutique. “It’s really quite beautiful. Darren loved everything about it; the  lighting, the handles and the gloss.

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I preferred the wardrobe to the room!

Kim and Chris

Well, well, well, this is where it got really good with Kim and Chris’s huge suite, which Neale said was bigger than his house (which just sold at the weekend)!

Again, I don’t think the photos do it justice.

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Shaynna said “ridiculous,” Darren said “insane,” and Neale said “absolutely magnificent”. Darren was totally in love with the bed and said the furniture all tied beautifully together.

Neale said it was penthouse living and they’d found a level of luxury he didn’t think they were capable of finding. “Luxury in spades.”

Darren said it lifted the calibre of the whole apartment, he just would have loved to see a door to the bathroom.

Neale, who loved seeing old fashioned doors on the wardrobes for once, put it out there, saying: “I think this is the most glam bedroom I’ve ever seen on The Block.”

We liked the pendant lights too.

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The Block

The Block week 5 room reveals: lounge/dining room

Here we go with all the pictures, judges’ comments, scoring, my thoughts and where to buy from last night’s room reveals!

Will and Karlie: last with 20.5 points

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First impressions seemed to be good but the judges’ comments soon turned to criticism, mainly about the use of space and having too much in it!

Neale said he felt hemmed in and he didn’t know why they would choose to make the column bigger by cladding it with timber.

Shaynna said they’d made the room feel half as big as it was.

My thoughts? Wasn’t keen on the timber cladding or the large artwork and agreed about it being too busy but it was still a nice room. Loved the West Elm rug.

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Dan and Carleen: won with 26.5 points

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Lucky these two chose to use their bonus point from last week as it ended up making all the difference. Until that point (literally!) they’d been tied with Julia and Sasha, who were then pushed into second place.

Shaynna said the space felt open and twice the size of Karlie and Will’s. Neale said it had a different vibe to the rest of their apartment; quite luxe and glamorous. “They’ve taken the Deco theme and turned up the dial.”

Darren loved the feature TV wall, saying it felt like it was from a high end furniture store.

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Neale said a young, design savvy buyer would appreciate what had been done and that they’d upped their styling game.

Shaynna thought the dining table and chairs were beautiful but Darren questioned why they’d picked tiles for the floor and then not used underfloor heating. In often-chilly Melbourne!

Neale concluded they’d really grown in the last few weeks and that the room felt expensive.

My thoughts? A great room but I preferred the girls’ and thought it should have won. In here, I loved the Pottery Barn gold coffee table and side table.

Ben and Andy: third with 22 points

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Shaynna said the artwork real was a real signature for the boys now but Neale said they were in danger of overdoing the big artworks referencing the building’s history. Enough now!

Neale liked the feel and palette but Shaynna said the dining area and couches weren’t high end enough. Darren agreed, saying it felt like a display suite. Oh, and the couches were too far from the coffee table and the TV, too high!

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Shaynna concluded the boys had come a long way and if they took advice on board it would be great. Neale said the room had enough visual interest to keep them in the game.

My thoughts? Not a patch on some of their other rooms and didn’t feel cohesive at all. Needed a much bigger rug too! I agree with Neale that the they’re in danger of overdoing the wall mural art. I hope they’ll be back on top form next week because they can do so much better!

Julia and Sasha: second with 25.5 points

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Shaynna and Neale LOVED the new window and the city views. If only they knew the trouble it had caused them with Chris and Kim! The judges said it was well worth whatever they’d paid.

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Darren and Shaynna were wowed by the “amazing” artwork and Neale said it looked like a magazine cover! “This is the modern take on Deco. Absolutely right. So now.”

They also loved their use of the paneling they’d last seen in challenge week.

My thoughts? IN LOVE with so much in this room! The art (buy a cheaper limited edition Megan Weston print here), the dining chairs (swoon), those blush velvet West Elm chairs! Great choices! The girls were robbed! Although I really think they need some rugs to zone the space and anchor the furniture more.

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Chris and Kim: fourth with 21 points

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Poor Chris and Kim came in for some criticism again this week. Neale said he didn’t know where to look because it felt like they’d thrown everything but the kitchen sink into this room.

Shaynna loved some of choices and the colour palette but said she felt like her head was going to explode.

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Darren loved the fireplace but again the TV was way too high for comfortable viewing. Shaynna feared it felt like a country house; a country house interior in the penthouse, Darren  added.

My thoughts? I thought the judges were perhaps a little harsh but agreed the look was too country for a Port Melbourne penthouse. It was so cosy though! The exposed brick didn’t work here like it has in Karlie and Will’s rooms. I always feel bad for these guys because they try so hard and they’re so nice!

Take tours of all the rooms at The Block Shop

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Designers

Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards 2016 winners

This year’s Belle Coco Republic Interior Design Awards were dominated by the outstanding projects of designer Fiona Lynch, who topped off the night by being the first woman to win the top prize of Designer of the Year. She also took out the top award for Best Residential Interior for the Balwyn Residence (pictured) and Best Bathroom Design for the Hargreaves Residence.

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At last night’s 2016 Awards, Australia’s interior design community came together to celebrate and identify the very best in Australian design talent. One of Australia’s most prestigious design accolades, the Awards acknowledge excellence in Australian interior design and decoration and set the benchmark for expertise, creativity and vision in what is a highly competitive and progressive industry.

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This year, Belle’s style-director-at-large Steve Cordony, transformed Coco Republic’s Alexandria showroom, evoking a modern geometric theme with hits of ultramarine blue to the delight over 250 industry and media guests. This year’s judging panel included publisher and design expert, Karen McCartney, Coco Republic executive directors, Anthony Spon Smith and Jeremy Byrne, Dinosaur Designs creative director, Louise Olsen, Timothy Oulton, founder and director of Timothy Oulton, Belle editor Tanya Buchanan and Steve Cordony.

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Tanya said: “Congratulations to all of the designers and firms who entered this year’s awards, which had the most entries ever with more than 300 projects submitted for judging. The calibre of entries was incredible and the judges really noticed a dynamic aesthetic and sense of innovation running through the body of work. It was great to see some of Australia’s best design talent Fiona Lynch, Whiting Architects, Arent & Pyke and Woods Bagot, recognised for their outstanding work. So many design schemes take years to plan and execute so I know how they must feel to win an award for one of these projects which are always challenging but ultimately rewarding.”

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Fiona receives return flights for two to Paris to visit Maison & Objet in September courtesy of Cathay Pacific, a $5,000 Parisi voucher, a $1,000 Coco Republic voucher and of course a one-year subscription to Belle. All the award winners are profiled in Belle’s June/July 2016 issue, on sale on Monday 16 May.

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The full list of winners

Best Residential Interior Fiona Lynch, Balwyn Residence

Best Commercial Interior Woods Bagot, Paramount by The Office Space (see it here)

Best Hospitality Interior Arent & Pyke, Alex Hotel

Best Residential Kitchen Design Whiting Architects, O’Grady Kitchen

Best Residential Bathroom Design Fiona Lynch, Hargreaves Residence

Belle Coco Republic Interior Designer of the Year Fiona Lynch

Best Residential Interior – Readers’ Choice Arent & Pyke, Double Bay House

Categories
Kitchens RENO ADDICT

Video: Scott and Nadia’s grand finale Hamptons-style kitchen

Scott and Nadia may not have won this week’s Reno Rumble grand finale, losing to Lisa and John, but they certainly pulled off a fantastic kitchen, and we have all the details for you here today in this video.

I personally loved the striking black cabinetry, window splashback and the use of my favourite Caesarstone Calcutta Nuovo. It certainly wowed judges Colin and Justin too. Justin said it was well planned and visually gorgeous, while Colin said it had one foot in the past and the other well and truly in the future.

Watch the video for all the details. Thanks to our friends at Freedom Kitchens.

All our Reno Rumble coverage.

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Competitions

The (8) winners of January 7 Vignettes with King Living

This month was a big one for prizes thanks to our generous sponsors King Living! They offered an Uno Sofa for the overall winner and Bongo Storage Ottomans for each daily theme winner. And without further ado, the winners are…

Overall winner: @hookedoninteriors “We love how each image captured the theme whilst still maintaining a consistent overall look,” says King Living social media coordinator, Katie Glover.

Overall winner: @hookedoninteriors

Sleep theme: @lauren.storey “Naps are best shared with a furry friend.”

@lauren.storey #sleep

Sunset theme: @englishgirl14  “Sunset is the perfect time for cocktails.”

Sunset winner: @englishgirl14

Queen for a day theme:  @mistic_187  “The King Cloud II, a throne befitting a queen.”

Queen for a day winner" @mistic_187

Entertaining theme: @gathering.light “The perfect accompaniments for movie night.”

Entertaining winner: @gathering.light

Relax theme: @mylittleteacup “There’s nothing better than sitting back and relaxing with a good book.”

Relax winner: @mylittleteacup

Colour pop theme: @thecontentcreative “Love the mix of greens.”

Colour pop winner: @thecontentcreative

Home theme: @thevelvetcode “‘Wherever my family is, that’s my home.’ We love the sentiment.

Home winner: @thevelvetcode
Home winner: @thevelvetcode

There are some beautiful feeds here by our talented readers and we encourage you to follow the hyperlinks to follow them.

A huge thank you to King Living. Winners should contact us with their name, address and telephone number.

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Designers Homewares Interviews Styling The Block

Shay and Dean on life after The Block and their new business

It’s been just over a month since high school teacher and electrician Shay and Dean won The Block so we caught up with them to see what life’s been like since and their plans to continue working in interiors. We were blown away by some of Shay’s styling so we’re happy to report she’s quitting teaching for now, to concentrate on a new career.

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“The Block was a wild ride and just getting through it gave us such a sense of achievement,” says Shay. “The auction was such a buzz of excitement and nerves, to have everyone come away with a great result was incredible. We feel so humbled by the win and feel it is a great platform for us to launch our new design business.”

Their new venture, The Wild Creatives, is billed as a holistic approach to creativity. “We encompass design consultancy for those looking for assistance, an online store and a lifestyle blog,” Shay adds.

Before going on the show, the couple loved being creative and had already renovated two properties, on much humbler budgets! “Our experience on the block encouraged us to push ourselves and make innovative design choices. We never gave up on what we knew was right for our rooms and we were encouraged by the feedback from the judges. We knew we wanted to continue to be creative and to help others to be inspired through design and so with a lot of dedication and collaboration, The Wild Creatives was born in the lead up to the auction.”

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Despite loving teaching, Shay has decided to take a break from her former career to concentrate on design and give it her best shot. Electrician Dean will continue to run his business in Newcastle, NSW, while also contributing to The Wild Creatives.

In terms of their online store, they’ve chosen to only stock products designed and made in Australia. “We have collaborated with other Australian creatives to design exclusive pieces for the home and we are so proud of the quality and design of each piece.”

Interest in the interior styling consulting work has been strong and they were busy in both Newcastle and Melbourne in the lead up to Christmas. “We are also quickly filling up for 2016. We have been keeping busy helping clients building new homes make design choices, collaborating on ideas for those renovating their current property, and having fun with clients who want a personal interior styling and shopping service. We all know I love to shop for homewares!” Shay says.

There’s plenty lined up for 2016 including styling workshops by Shay. Watch this space for more info. “We can’t wait for the year ahead, it is going to be fun and full of creativity.”

Categories
House Tours Kitchens The Block

Interiors Addict TV: Tour Caro & Kingi’s winning Block kitchen

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.

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Categories
Appliances House Tours The Block

The Block’s week 7 kitchen reveals

I always love kitchen week on The Block! I’ve got to say I didn’t fall in love with any of the kitchens overall, rather I liked elements of each of them. I’m sure I’ve been much more impressed in previous series. Do you agree?

Winning by half a point were the eminently likeable Caro and Kingi with 29. Yay! Shay and Dean were clearly disappointed to have taken a gamble on swapping their floorplan and overcoming so many hurdles and not taken home the prize with 28.5. Last week’s winners Luke and Ebony continued to up their game, coming third with 27. Then it was fourth place and 25.5 for Whitney and Andy and a disappointing last place and 25 for Suzi and Vonni. Looks like Whitney and Andy being rather unhelpful to the Gold Coast girls during the week may have just worked out for them!

Kingi & Caro

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Their touchscreen splashback certainly impressed with Romy Alwill (replacing Darren Palmer this week) saying she’d love one and Shaynna agreeing “that’s hot.”

When the second dishwasher and sink were revealed in the butler’s pantry, Neale declared they really had thought of everything.

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Shaynna and Neale disagreed over the popup powerpoint on the benchtop, but overall it was good news, with Romy calling it the perfect modern apartment kitchen and Neale saying it felt like the hero of the apartment.

Shaynna sealed the deal, saying it was hot, sexy, sophisticated and very hard to beat. And, as it turns out, she was right, eh?!

Our pick to buy: marble pinch pots | marble serving board | touchscreen splashback

Whitney & Andy

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There were positives and negatives for this one. It started well with the judges loving its fresh look and Shaynna saying it had the sophistication level they were going for in the master bedroom. Neale thought the exposed brick behind glass looked great. After that however, it all went a bit downhill.

Romy picked up the inconsistency with details, like the retro stove jarring with the other more modern appliances. Shaynna didn’t like the dead space “dancefloor” and Romy was perplexed by the dead spaces either side of the bench.

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Neale agreed it was visually quite negative and felt like it was waiting for something to be installed. And Shaynna found the herb garden a bit something and nothing. Neale did conclude however that it was their strongest room to date and if they brought the others up to this standard they would do really well.

Our pick to buy: Velletri stools | pendant lights

Suzi & Vonni

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These two were clearly very confident about their kitchen but ended up coming last. Their statement teppanyaki bench however got mixed reviews from the judges. Their tight budget saw them swap Christian Cole stools for replica Tolix from Aldi but nobody seemed too bothered!

First impressions were good. Shaynna loved it and said it was a great entertainer’s kitchen. She loved the idea of cooking in the centre with people sitting around. Romy agreed and said it had better proportions than the other kitchens.

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Romy didn’t like the two rangehoods though and Neale started to realise he wasn’t a fan of all the black. “A lot of people will walk in and think this is an amazing kitchen, but for me it’s about the connect emotionally and I don’t want to sit in this one. It’s not warm and appealing, it’s relentlessly black. Nothing makes me feel particularly good about being in here.”

Our pick to buy: Aspar handwashcandle

Luke & Ebony

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After their first win last week, things were looking up for the second chance siblings and this week brought more positive comments. Shaynna said the kitchen felt bright, light and good. Neale said the brother and sister had really hit their stride and he liked it a lot.

Romy said the detail was beautiful, giving it the soul missing in Suzi and Vonni’s kitchen.

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Shaynna was “disturbed” by the sink and thought it took up valuable bench space. And nobody really got the second small sink and its disproportionately huge tap!

Neale did say thought that it was going to be the most liveable and luxurious space.

Our pick to buy: Brass flowerpot | wooden butter knife

Shay & Dean

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After their huge gamble of swapping the living room and kitchen, you couldn’t help but feel bad for these two when they came second by just half a point! The view from the window was indeed a showstopper and all the judges loved it and agreed they’d made a great decision, especially when they saw the pantry they had achieved by cutting into their study space.

Shaynna called it a knockout and said the bench seating against the window was the star. Neale said it really deserved the term wow factor. “I actually really love it in this position,” Shaynna said. “People will instantly see themselves living in this space.” Neale said people were sure to fall in love with it and that the styling was superb.

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It wasn’t all praise though and Shaynna thought the massive dead space could have been filled with a much bigger bench. Shockingly, the storage queen also said the overhead cupboard were surplus to requirements and she would have brought the mirrored splashback up to the ceiling instead.

Our pick to buy: brass plant mister | vertical garden | large copper pitcher

Which was your favourite?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Interiors Addict

The Etsy Design Awards winners 2015!

Ok, so they come as no surprise to me seeing as I was one of the judges, but I’m delighted to finally be able to share with you the winners of this year’s Etsy Design Awards! They’re an impressive bunch and what amazing ambassadors for Etsy!

And the winners are (drumroll please)…

Art, Illustration & Papergoods: Liz Payne, Flirting with Yellow

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Fashion & Accessories: Sarah van Oosterom, Sarah van Oosterom

Home & Living: Gwyneth and Dave Hulse, Gwyneth Hulse Design

New Talent: James Howe, Vos Kho Baby

Business as Unusual: Grace Wood, Grace Wood Design Studio

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Community Choice: Sonia Singh, Tree Change Dolls

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Representing some of the best of Etsy’s creative community across Australia and New Zealand, this year’s Etsy Design Award winners impressed us judges­ and the public ­with their sophisticated designs, ingenuity and commitment to craftsmanship. The winners have secured a host of prizes designed to help them grow their businesses and profile including a feature in Inside Out magazine.

The New Talent and Community Choice winners James Howe and Sonia Singh, will also be embarking on a once­ in ­a ­lifetime trip to Etsy’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. According to James (voskhobaby.etsy.com), the creative validation the Etsy Design Awards has provided is as valuable as the prizes offered. “The prize is amazing, of course, and I’m really grateful for the boost it will no doubt give my design career. But most of all, as an emerging furniture designer, it’s wonderful for my work to have some external validation. Making the change table, I spent so many hours winding on Danish cord that by the time I’d finished I had honestly lost all insight into whether it looked good or not! So for my work to be noticed by such a high­ calibre judging panel is great,” he said.

Business as Unusual winner Grace Wood (gracewooddesigns.etsy.com) agrees: “Winning an Etsy Design Award is an incredible achievement and milestone for me. I started my little business with nothing other than passion for my craft and a lot of hope that the public would like my products! I never would have dreamed that a year and a half later I would be receiving such an accolade from a company I admire so greatly, that has supported me so much right from the beginning, and given me every opportunity to showcase and promote my products.”

Etsy’s managing director Australia and Asia, Helen Souness, said she was once again astonished by the breadth of creative talent displayed by the 2015 Etsy Design Award winners. “As this year’s winners highlight so brilliantly, the talent in Etsy’s Australian and New Zealand community and the quality of the goods they design, make and curate is remarkable. We’re thrilled to be able to once again showcase some of the best of the Etsy seller community through the Etsy Design Awards and to support the continued growth of their businesses on Etsy.”

This is the second year for the competition which celebrates the people and talent that make Etsy a destination for creativity and original design. The 2015 judges included myself, Inside Out’s editor ­in ­chief Claire Bradley, National Gallery of Victoria senior curator Ewan McEoin, and Etsy’s managing director Australia and Asia, Helen Souness.

Read more about this year’s winners.

Photography by Lauren Bamford, styling by Jacinta Moore. Apart from Tree Change Dolls photo, by Natalie Mendham.

Categories
Competitions Furniture Styling

Winners of June 7 Vignettes + 20% off everything at Retrojan

Well, thank goodness for guest judges is all I can say! Keeping up with the sheer volume of 7 Vignettes images when you have a newborn is tough! A big thank you to this month’s sponsors, Retrojan, who came up with the popular themes and have picked the daily and overall winners, which we’re sharing today.

The overall winner,  @mesalaris gets a $500 Retrojan voucher. Congratulations Melanie! What a pretty, colourful collection! Annaliese Loriot, social media manager for Retrojan, said: “Melanie has produced seven days of fun, beautiful and consistent vignettes. Each image has had a lot of thought put into the theme behind it and always made us excited to see her next vignette! Congratulations on a week of stunning images!”

The daily theme winners, who get $75 vouchers, are as follows:

Day 1 – White on white: @whiteroomcollective


Day 2 – Minimal: @angelasteynandco (last month’s overall winner is on a roll!)


Day 3 – Romantic: @englishgirl14


Day 4 – Colour: @blossomandlace


Day 5 – Bright: @alittlepartoftheworld


Day 6 – Timber: @natfee


Day 7 – Texture: @redagape_styleanddesign

All our winners should email [email protected] to claim their vouchers.

READER OFFER

Retrojan are offering our readers 20% off everything until the end of the week. Simply enter the promo code INTERIORSADDICT20 at checkout or mention it while shopping at their Melbourne showroom and store. Valid 09/06/15 to 15/06/15 on full priced items only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Go shopping!

 

 

Categories
Kitchens RENO ADDICT The Block

FINALLY, The Block kitchen week reveals: Shaynna lets rip!

“Strap yourselves in because it ain’t all pretty,” was how Scott Cam announced night’s judging to the contestants. Now, I’m not going to sit here being all “know it all” because I certainly wouldn’t have a clue how to put a winning kitchen together, so I’ll stick to saying I found all the kitchens a little underwhelming and it seems the judges agreed. So if last night’s room reveal episode was anything it was a little disappointing. That said, as far as drama went, it was pretty entertaining! And you can say it’s a show about design all you like but come on, we all know it’s reality TV. Those shows with no drama don’t keep coming back series after series… I’m not ashamed to say I enjoy it!

Back to the design, our staff writer Olivia Shead got to look around The Block last week (thanks to the Good Guys) and she told me the kitchens were pretty uninspiring too. Her favourite in the flesh was Ayden and Jess’s and I have to say, I liked theirs the best on screen (and not just because I love those two!). Like Neale said, it was the only one with some personality.

So, onto the judges’ comments…

Charlotte & Josh

This pair said they deliberately kept the kitchen simple so it wouldn’t polarise potential buyers. Neale’s first comment was that he’d expected the big guns to come out, all bells and whistles, and while they hadn’t, he liked the simplicity.

The Block in Melbourne

Shaynna loved the cabinetry handles, the double integrated fridge and the dish drawer. Neale said it was beautifully pared back, however low on wow factor and a little bit drab. He also said one corner of the room was like a cell!

Darren was confused by how obvious one of the beams was. Shaynna said it bugged her but not as much as the lack of task lighting about the food preparation area. Neale said nothing about it celebrated cooking or the preparation of food.

The Block in Melbourne

Shaynna said it was really sad that they kept coming back to the elimination rounds and that that had been the couple’s peak. She added unless they fixed the lighting, once someone lived in it they’d hate it.

Our pick to buy: Remilled Marri breakfast bar

Tim & Anastasia

Ironically, these two hated their kitchen, while the judges had many good things to say about it. The bench area in front of the window impressed all three of them. They also loved the matte black pantry and the choice of appliances.

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Darren pointed out it was the only kitchen that was still in the spot the architect had designated for it and consequently it worked well.

The judges said the sink was the perfect size and in the perfect spot but needed a drain board. Darren said he dug it! Shaynna loved the nook which was like a butler’s pantry without being one. Neale said the storage was good and the rangehood got a big tick.

The Block in Melbourne

Neale said their kitchen definitely had a luxury of space and any potential buyer would think wow. “But I’m still not feeling the magic. It’s still borderline kitchen showroom.” He added they’d not yet developed a confident signature style and asked where was the personality? Something that says this is home?

Darren said it desperately needed some personality in the form of tiles, artwork, or a hanging plant.

Our pick to buy: White oak round cheese paddle.

Ayden & Jess: FIRST PLACE

Finally, some wow! Neale said it felt full of personality and had style. Shaynna said it felt great and she loved the colour and stone choices. She said they hadn’t added value by moving the kitchen but what they’d done was great.

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Darren said the kitchen was terrific but it wasn’t logical to have it where it was. He’d prefer a lounge room full of light and opening up to the outside. Neale called it the serious foodie’s kitchen he’d expected Josh and Charlotte to deliver. Shaynna loved the butler’s pantry, which had been styled how you’d use it. Neale said made it feel real and believable.

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Our pick to buy: Banksia nut candle.

And the one we’d all been waiting for… Dea & Darren: LAST PLACE!

After all the drama the kitchen caused they expected very big things.

These 'goal posts' got a LOT of mentions and not in a  good way!
These ‘goal posts’ got a LOT of mentions and not in a good way!

Shaynna started with positives but I think we all knew it was only a matter of time! She loved the benchtop though! Neale wasted no time saying he was a big fan of Dea and Darren but this was not their best week. Shaynna said it was not their best couple of weeks! She described the drama over changing the layout as a debacle, with the whole thing hinging on making the kitchen amazing. Which it was not.

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Neale said even the styling made it feel as if they’d thrown in the towel. Neale said the black mosaic tiles (to match the bathroom) were a bad choice, killing the room and making it feel like a disco. He said it felt cheap and wrong. Ouch! Shaynna didn’t like the empty space by the bifold doors, which could have housed a pantry.

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Then she really let rip, slamming it as a disaster and she was gobsmacked at how badly planned it was. She said she was really really angry at how they’d treated her, dismissed the architect, Keith, Dan and everybody on building site. “And I’m actually livid at their arrogance at producing this average kitchen and what they put people through.”

Deep breaths!

Neale was on the same page, saying it did not feel good and had no flair, confidence, wow or pizzazz. It was not a whizz bang kitchen by any means. A little more diplomatic, Darren said while a kitchen flowing into dining room made logical sense from design point of view, the area that was designed to be a kitchen and would have worked much more nicely. Needless to say, the comments did not go down well with Dea, who had an answer for all of them, much to her fellow contestants’ amusement!

Our pick to buy: Mud Australia Dome light.

Overall though, nobody got great praise. Shaynna said nobody has pushed the boundary in materials or design and there was no wow. Neale said they’d all under-delivered and Shaynna said it felt as though they’d been asleep at the wheel.

See all our Block coverage.

If you love renovating, check out the real reno section on our sister site RENO ADDICT!

Categories
House Tours The Block

The Block master reveals, ‘winegate’ and a disqualification!

Well well well, what a night of room reveals it was! Some great rooms and all very different, which impressed the judges. As Neale said: “All four have a very distinct personality and stand out for different reasons. It’s the most memorable master bedroom week I’ve experienced on The Block.”

That wasn’t all though; the results of the wine audit were in and a very smug Dee and Daz (fair enough) were shown to be NOT guilty! Then, at the end of the show, we saw Charlotte and Josh, after receiving the series’ first 30/30 from the judges, being disqualified from the scoring because they’d broken the rules by not using their Jimmy Possum bed from the recent challenge. Those bloody beds! As I keep saying on Twitter, never have I seen more of a PR fail for a brand on the show. I feel really bad for them! Couples either did their best to disguise their beds or didn’t want to use them at all. Eep!

Onto the judging…

Charlotte and Josh (30 out of 30, first place, had they not been disqualified)

The Block in Melbourne

I really liked this room and its lounge area but didn’t feel it quite warranted the perfect score it got from the judges, much preferring Dee and Daz’s overall. It was all a little too white for my liking and felt like it needed another layer or too. But not wanting to take away from the young couple’s glory, it has some great points.

“Yes, yes, yes yes!” was Shaynna’s initial reaction. Neale said the exposed beams gave a raw, contemporary quality that he loved and called it terrific.

They all loved the automated blinds and lights, especially tech-savvy Darren. Neale said it felt like Josh and Charlotte at their absolute best and they had created something like a self contained apartment or suite.

The Block in Melbourne

Shaynna closely inspected Charlotte’s paint job on the windows and was super impressed, saying they’d really worked hard. “This is their shining star, the pinnacle, what will have buyers in a bidding war.”

The massive walk-in wardrobe almost made Shaynna hyperventilate and generally went down really well, aside from the pendant light, which Darren said was a bit too Silence of the Lambs for his liking! Charlotte, born in the 90s, had never heard of the film. Bless!

The Block in Melbourne

Our pick to buy: Ingrain floating entertainment unit (by the same people who supplied their bathroom vanity last week).

Tim and Anastasia (24.5 out of 30, tying second place with Ayden and Jess)

The Block in Melbourne

I agreed with pretty much everything the judges said about this one. It was, on the face of it, a gorgeous, luxurious, cosy room.

Shaynna said it was beautiful and she loved the colours. Neale said he’s never been convinced they had confidence in their own style but this room maybe proved him wrong. He called it a gentle room with nothing in it that anyone would dislike, with a colour palette just enough to keep it modern.

Darren, perhaps diplomatically, said it was appropriate and saleable but didn’t seem overly excited and was intrigued that they hadn’t carried on the grasscloth wallpaper theme. He was concerned it was too similar to their first bedroom.

The Block in Melbourne

Shaynna kept it real though, pointing out that the curtains, while beautiful, needed channelling into ceiling and that the artwork above the bed too heavy (I totally agree, especially with those black frames).

The two-way doors to the walk-in were praised by all three as being clever. But while it was a good use of space and cabinetry, Neale said it felt a bit too much like a shop and he wasn’t sure about laminate, finding it grey and depressing. “It doesn’t feel luxurious. I’m underwhelmed.”

The Block in Melbourne

Darren also spotted a gaping hole near the window. Oops.

Ayden and Jess (24.5 out of 30, joint second with Tim & Anastasia)

The Block in Melbourne

This room drew mixed comments from the judges, with Neale being a bigger fan than the others. He said they were getting bolder with each passing week. Shaynna said it was like a younger version of Tim and Anastasia’s apartment.

Darren wasn’t exactly doing cartwheels and said he didn’t love it and it felt like a great second bedroom, not a master. He went one further to say it seemed “kind of juvenile” and unsophisticated. I totally agreed that the drum bedsides with no storage weren’t right. And I also agreed with him wanting to throw the artwork above the bed out the window. It looked too cheap and generic. top marks for personality, texture and layering though, I’d say!

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Darren loved the wardrobe however, saying it dragged (interesting choice of word!) the bedroom up a level! I’m starting to see what he meant in our recent interview when he said he was going to be less Mr Nice Guy this series and more “cranky Daz”!

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Neale finished off on some nice positives though, saying they’d got over their initial fears and misgivings and he wouldn’t change a thing.

Dee and Darren (27 out of 30 and first place after Charlotte and Josh’s disqualification)

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Pow! This really was on another level to the others and I’m not sure why they scored less than Charlotte and Josh. So, at the end of the day, in my opinion, the most deserving couple won the 10 grand. The dark , moody grasscloth, the grand but contemporary four-poster, the perfect styling. Dodgy finishes aside, it was a cracker!

The Block in Melbourne

Darren was pretty much dancing around and trying to hang off the bed, he was so excited! “Woah, I love it! This is my all time favourite colour of grasscloth.” He loved the scale of the bed too.

Neale simply said: “Nailed it.” He added that it walked the line between really contemporary and classic, which is what Dee and Darren do again and again, and that it was finessed to a different level. Shaynna agreed it was gorgeous and felt like it enveloped you.

The Block in Melbourne

First impressions of the robe were great, with Darren loving the LED lighting and Neale, the choice of pendant light. They all noted a few finishing issues though, with Neale saying it was a little rough around the edges. Shaynna said the lack of blockout blinds and privacy were letting down a near perfect room.

Our pick to buy: Hale Mercantile Co doona cover and pillowcases.

With kitchen week now upon us, I’m excited! Which was your favourite this week? Did Charlotte and Josh deserve a perfect 30? Was their disqualification too harsh?

Categories
The Block

What do we do about Block spoilers?

It’s very rare I encounter criticism on the internet, which makes a me a lot luckier than many bloggers. But what does happen, and it winds me up a bit I must admit, is people complaining about seeing Block “spoilers” on our social media accounts.

Earlier this month, for example, we published an interview with last series’ Glasshouse winners Shannon and Simon Vos. It seemed nice timing with the new series about to start. What I hadn’t even considered, being that they won back in October, was that I would get a whole host of sad faces and “thanks for ruining it for me” comments on Instagram when I shared the interview. These were from our New Zealand readers who are, incredibly, still only part-way though The Block Glasshouse. Sigh.  Is it really reasonable for an Australian blog to be expected to be careful about revealing the winner of a show more than three months ago?

I totally get that it would be annoying to find out early, but the comments, the real despair, anger and sad faces which people articulate is a little over the top. It’s just a TV show!

But maybe I am being unreasonable? What do you think?

I cannot tell you quite how much our readers love the The Block and our traffic goes through the roof when it’s on (which is excellent news for us bloggers!). So we really want to bring the fans all the latest news, opinions, interviews and any exclusives we might get, as quickly as we can.

I’m really happy we have readers from NZ and all over the world, but I do think it’s a bit much to hold off for a quarter of a year to ever mention who won the episode while another country catches up? Seeing spoilers on social media is just part of life these days isn’t it? And if you really don’t want to know, it is probably wise to unfollow media outlets who write about TV shows relevant to their genre in real-time?

We get the same with those in different states who have to wait an hour or two to watch what we’re watching here in New South Wales and I have more sympathy for that. This is why we will always endeavour to bear all the Australian timezones in mind before posting about winners of room reveals or series. But again, if you really care about not finding out, just stay off Facebook for an hour or two? It’s what my husband does if (God forbid) he has to miss a Formula One race and wants to watch it later without already knowing what happened. Because I can’t promise the rest of the social media-using world will be as careful as we will. Why should they? If you don’t want to know, isn’t it your responsibility to avoid the place where everyone is likely to be talking about something?

Or maybe all our social shares of Block posts should carry a #SPOILERALERT? Would that help perhaps?

I did find this article on CNET which explains how you can avoid social media spoilers if you use Google Chrome. I haven’t tried it myself but it might be worth checking out.

I don’t really understand how people get their knickers in such a twist about TV shows anyway. The sheer venom I see posted by viewers (and directed towards contestants and judges) on The Block Facebook Page never fails to shock me. If you don’t like it, just change channel!

Like this guy, for example, who sent me a private message on Facebook last week:

Screen Shot 2015-01-29 at 3.05.43 PMUm, it’s not advertising (that’s paid for), it’s writing about what my readers are interested in and I can pretty much write about whatever I like, thanks very much!

Love to hear your views below but please, no sad faces?!

Categories
Bedrooms House Tours The Block

The Block’s first elimination and all the room reveal pictures

Last night’s episode drove me a little bonkers. HURRY UP! I wanted to shout! Seemed like most of the contestants were on a go-slow and nobody seemed to care enough. And when you consider how many people must want to get on the show (I am definitely not one of them, unless they’re offering a guest judge spot!) that’s a little frustrating.

So I was the last person to expect Neale Whitaker to be saying it was a tough call when six rooms of a high standard had been delivered. That’s clever TV editing for you I guess! And I have to say, when it came to the end results, despite some dodgy finishes, I was eating-my-words surprised! I think most of the viewing public expected the ditsy cousins Brooke and Aimee to be a dead cert to be eliminated but oh, how wrong we were! They ended up in second place. So, all in all, it was a good episode!

So, in order of judging…

Tim & Anastasia. Came 5th and stayed in the competition by the skin of their teeth (half a point!):

Tim & Anastasia's room
Tim & Anastasia’s room

Darren and Neale said completing this room in 24 hours was mind-boggling, but then at this point, they had nobody else’s to compare it to. Neale said the artwork was a bold, good choice and set the tone for the whole room. Both loved the timber walls but the dodgy finishing where they met the ceiling didn’t escape Darren’s beady eye. The powerpoint and TV aerial socket in the middle of the wall were also clangers. But Neale said overall it was a pretty strong start.

OUR PICK: Tufted bedhead by Forty Winks.

Ayden  and Jess. Came 3rd:

Ayden and Jess's room
Ayden and Jess’s room

Pre-judging, Ayden described the room as “us on a platter,” and said they wouldn’t change a thing. I liked his confidence! The judges said it was very fresh and inviting. Darren loved the linen (I have the same on my bed from Aura as it happens), cushion and art choices. Neale said it was young, cool and sophisticated. They both raved about the open-shelved wardrobe but Darren said the paint work and plaster work were a dog’s breakfast! And those curtains certainly needed ironing!

OUR PICK: Ali McNabney Stevens print.

Mark & JJ came last and were eliminated. I bet she’s glad she doesn’t have to be called JJ anymore:

ELIM 1_EP02_BEDROOM_JM_02 copy

It was clear from Darren and Neale’s comments, by the end of the judging, that these two were heading home. Neale said it was hard to know where to look first. Although the wallpaper was very brave and very well done and the mix of retro and contemporary was good, there were too many styles going on and nothing tied together well. And the deal was sealed with terms like “chaos” and “panic styling”. Bye bye, guys!

OUR PICK: Sebastian pendant by Thomas Gannan.

Brooke & Aimee. Came 2nd despite looking like they wouldn’t even finish:

Brooke and Aimee's room
Brooke and Aimee’s room

And their door didn’t shut either! But Neale really liked it, coining the term ‘industrial country’ and both judges loved the vintage style, mint green bed. they even said the wardrobe was an extraordinary achievement in the timeframe. But nobody could ignore that black curtain rod, drooping in the middle!

OUR PICK: Pony Rider cushion.

Ebony & Luke came 4th and were visibly shocked to still be in the game:

Luke & Ebony's room
Luke & Ebony’s room

The blue wall went down a treat and the judges noted the rest of the room was subtle and restrained. Darren was not happy with the chest of drawers as the only storage option, or the poorly finished skirting and bedhead. And no window dressing despite a pelmet! Darren said though, that it was a well designed room with good choices, just bad finishes. Neale found it frustrating that some bits were so right and others so wrong.

OUR PICK: Katie McKinnon artwork.

Charlotte & Josh took out the top spot and came 1st with their subtle scheme:

Josh & Charlotte's winning subtle room
Josh & Charlotte’s winning subtle room

Josh was confident too, saying before the judging that he thought they’d get through to the next stage. On entering the room, Neale and Darren both said wow and they were even more impressed when they realised the timber wall was real and not wallpaper. Neale loved the pared back glamour and called it ‘industrial glam beach house’! There’s a new one! And Darren said the wall was magnificent for so many reasons. Neale rounded the compliments off with “superb”! The only downsides were the lack of window dressing and the seam of the lampshade facing out to the room.

OUR PICK: It had to be the copper sideboard, right?!

Nice one, winners!
Nice one, winners!
Categories
Competitions Styling

The best 7 Vignettes photos of 2014

7 Vignettes is always one of my highlights of each month and I’m still so proud to have started it. Now about to start its third year, I thought it would be remiss to let 2014 pass without showcasing some of our readers’ best efforts.

Here are my favourites from each monthly winner’s collections:

January 2014: Picturedthoughts

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February 2014: @mozsas

heart february 2014 mozsas

March 2014: @themastersfoodandstyling

march vignettes

April 2014: @lauren.storey

austrahlee april vignettes

May 2014: @vintagefox_

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June 2014: @kraig_at_the_warehouse (our first male winner!)

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July 2014: @angelasteynandco

july vignettes angela steyne

August 2014: @brownpaperlemon (now featured in the 7 Vignettes Gather Journal from Rainy Sunday)

brownpaperlemon august vignettes

September 2014: @overgrown_garden

overgrown garden vignettes september

October 2014: @_fridays_child_

ocotber 7 vignettes

November 2014: @mozsas (second win of the year!)

mozsas november vignettes

December 2014: @mintandfizz

mint and fizz december vignettes

A huge thank you to all our participants, sponsors and guest judges!

Seeing all these together makes me think, as I have been all year, that it would be fantastic to take some of these images and turn them into something tangible and, at the same time, raise money for charity. I’d love that to be a project for 2015 and I’d really welcome your thoughts and ideas on what we could do and the best way to do it. Please comment below. Thanks! Jen.

Ready to take part in next month’s challenge, starting on New Year’s Day? You could win a $500 Kip and Co voucher! More info.

Categories
Designers

2014 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) winners revealed

(Inside) magazine has announced the winners of its 2014 Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA). The 12th annual awards were celebrated in style at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Friday.

The winners are as follows:

Overall Winner: Kennedy Nolan – St Kilda West House

The judges called this a superb design incorporating Asian architectural themes within a contemporary vernacular. Taking inspiration from the client’s desire for a home that would be expressive, without being formulaic or symbolic, Kennedy Nolan’s design responds with a sensibility that is never literal. The project was also recognised as the winner of the Residential Single category.

Photo by Derek Swalwell
Photo by Derek Swalwell
Derek Swalwell
Derek Swalwell

Designer of the Year: Woods Bagot

The judges said Woods Bagot’s contribution of exemplar projects over the past year saw them take home the Designer of the Year title. Presenting work across hospitality, commercial and public space, their exceptional calibre of work is celebrated for its unique and elegant response.

Royal Randwick. Photo by Shannon McGrath
Royal Randwick. Photo by Shannon McGrath

Gold Medal: Chris Connell

The judges said Chris Connell, one of the country’s most highly regarded design figures, took home this year’s most prestigious award, the IDEA Gold Medal, presented to practitioners who have made an enduring contribution to Australian design over the course of their career.

Editors’ Medal: Greg Natale

Greg Natale was named the inaugural winner of the Editors’ Medal. The judges said a designer of extraordinary talent, Natale is both an exemplar and prolific contributor to the Australian interior design milieu. Compounding his work as an interior designer and architect with his firm Greg Natale Design, Natale has also designed a range of rugs, carpets, wallpapers, and furniture this year, while launching his first book, The Tailored Interior, earlier this month.

GND_EastBrisbaneHouse_AnsonSmart_05
East Brisbane House. Photo by Anson Smart

Emerging Designer: C+M Studio

The highly regarded Emerging Designer award was this year awarded to C + M Studio, for their inaugural project Manly Penthouse. Their design saw a curved interior room inserted within a modernist shell with the skill and resolution of a mature practice.

Sustainability: Breathe Architects – The Commons

Emerging practice Breathe Architecture received IDEA’s Sustainability award for The Commons, a triple bottom line development that is, uniquely, replicable. Comprising a series of small, but delightful architectural moments, the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts. The project and Breathe Architecture were also recognised as winner of the Residential Multi category.

Event

Winner: NGV + Mathery – Pastello – Draw Act

Highly Commended: Fold Theory – City of Trees

Highly Commended: Justin Architecture – Fallow: Between Abandonment and Rebirth

Hospitality

Winner: DesignOffice – A. Baker

Highly Commended: Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects – Norton Street Cinema

Highly Commended: Pascale Gomes-McNabb Design (PGMD) – Yellow

International

Winner: BVN Donovan Hill – Regional Terminal at Christchurch Airport

Highly Commended: BVN Donovan Hill in association with Jasmax – ASB North Wharf

Highly Commended: Travis Walton Architecture – Sisterfields

Object – Furniture and Lighting

Winner: Coco Flip – Bucket Table

Highly Commended: Christopher Boots – Asterix Series

Highly Commended: Ross Gardam – Asymmetry

Public Space

Winner: Bates Smart – 171 Collins Street

Highly Commended: Luchetti Krelle – Claremont House Driveway

Highly Commended: Museum Victoria Design Studio – First Peoples Exhibition

Residential Decoration

Winner: Arent&Pyke – The Avenue

Highly Commended: Sarah Davison Interior Design – Art House

Residential Multi

Winner: Breathe Architecture – The Commons

Highly Commended: DesignOffice – Park and Raphael Display Unit

Highly Commended: Smart Design Studio and Koichi Takada Architects – One Central Park

Residential Single

Winner: Kennedy Nolan – St Kilda West House

Highly Commended: Andrew Burges Architects – Pittwater House

Highly Commended: Maddison Architects – Cabin 2

Retail

Winner: Kerstin Thompson Architects – Aesop Emporium

Highly Commended: Elenberg Fraser – Adrian Zumbo Patisserie

Highly Commended: Studio Equator – Whites Dispensary

Workplace Over 1000sqm

Winner: Architectus and Ingenhoven Architects – Sydney Commonwealth Parliament Offices

Highly Commended: CO-AP – Camperdown Childcare

Highly Commended: Intermain – WWF Australia

Workplace Under 1000sqm

Winner: Melbourne Design Studios – Birkenstock Australia HQ

Highly Commended: Alexander &Co. – Calida HQ

Now in their 12th year, (Inside) magazine’s annual Interior Design Excellence Awards IDEA are nationally recognised as the country’s premier independent design awards program. Close to 500 entries were received this year. The 2014 judges were Miriam Fanning from Mim Design; Fiona Dunin from FMD Architects; Trent Jansen; Grant Amon, from Grant Amon Architects; Jon Goulder; Mark Simpson from DesignOffice and the Jury chairs, Inside Magazine’s editors Jan Henderson and Gillian Serisier

For more information.