Not only is The Block all about houses this season, they’re also period houses! And we’re onto the first room reveals already! That’s what we’re all here for, right?! It was pretty good feedback from the judges last night for this early on in the competition. Although it remains to be seen how crucial sticking to the homes’ eras will be and I think this could get interesting!
Jimmy and Tam, with their high ceilings, skylights and palm tree wallpaper won, and Luke and Jasmin, who were slammed for not taking the heritage cues of their house at all and doing their own (contemporary) thing, came last.
Read on for more of what the couples did, what the judges thought and where you can buy our favourite picks.
THIRD: HARRY & TASH (1920s house) 24/30
The feedback was so good for the show’s first father-daughter team, it left Tash in happy tears of relief!
The judges loved (of course) the skylights and the sense of space. Shaynna loved the Venetian blinds saying they worked with the period, and the colour scheme.
Neale couldn’t believe it was the team who came last in last week’s challenge. He said it was a contemporary home with a nod to the twenties. “It feels like a very confident room. Those little touches give you a sense of period but feel very in keeping with today. To come through with something as accomplished as this is amazing.”
Darren said: “This colour palette his spot on trend, very 2020.” And all the hardware in the wardrobes said luxury. He said the painting was mostly very good and he loved the grey and white.
Shaynna didn’t like the carpet, saying it was more office than luxury, but that was about as far as the negatives went.
We loved the Woodrow pink marble-topped bedside from Fenton & Fenton, $550.
FOURTH: SARAH AND GEORGE (1940s house) 21/30
These two were brave in deciding to split their massive guest bedroom into a bedroom plus study which they hoped would give them an edge. But they were left deflated by the judges’ feedback.
Shaynna loved the colour palette but was disappointed at how they hadn’t worked with the beautiful period features, rather recreating their own idea. The execution though was “pretty good”. She wished they’d done a walk-in robe rather than use the space for a study. Neale found the study dull and bland.
Darren loved the ceiling rose, the door handles and the cabinetry, but hated walking straight into a corner. Moving the door would have made a big difference. He said the painting finish was very good and the finishes in the study were excellent. “As a luxury addition, I’m confident this adds value to the house.”
Neale acknowledged the 40s was a challenging period to represent. He said they’d done just enough. He didn’t like the lights but loved the wardrobes.
We loved the Art Deco door handles from Schots.
SECOND: DANIEL AND JADE (1930s house) 25/30
Darren was immediately wowed by the ceiling rose, the skirting and pendant light. Neale said it had a beautiful vintage feel but felt modern too. Shaynna was not happy with the shutters though as they weren’t Deco style at all.
The judges loved the use of green. Neale said the greys and greens in the bed linen were perfect. Darren noted there were no bedside tables, but loved the “delicious” wardrobe handles!
Execution wise, the paintwork was perfect. “How is this week one?” said Darren, with Neale adding that they’d set the bar very high.
We loved the grey velvet custom bedhead by Martini Furniture, $699.
LAST: LUKE AND JASMIN (1910s house) 20.5/30
This couple weren’t quiet about the fact they weren’t keeping to the period and that they preferred contemporary. Whoops! Because the judges immediately picked up on this and weren’t impressed!
They said it was a contemporary room with some generic heritage touches which was a shame. Shaynna said it was the least relevant room to its era they had seen. “This is the first house that shutters are truly relevant. What it doesn’t work with is Venetian plastering!”
Darren however said it was a fair interpretation. Shaynna argued it was a crying shame! And Neale said it was a very accomplished, glamorous, contemporary room.
Shaynna wouldn’t let up though, eventually talking Neale and Darren around to her way of thinking!
“The shutters, the wardrobe and the doors: tick, amazing, gorgeous!” Shaynna said. “The rest of it? Goodbye!”
Period-appropriate or not, we love that artwork, The Exception by Prudence De Marchi. Buy it from $290.
FIRST: JIMMY AND TAM (1950s house) 25.5/30
Of course the high ceilings and four skylights made a great first impression. “I’ve walked into this room with an evident, powerful, emotional attachment, Darren said.
Shaynna even did a little dance! “This one has got me by the heart strings. It feels so beautiful.” Darren said it was light, bright, cool and edgy.
They loved the secret door to the (future) en suite and said the execution was excellent.
“This is not what I thought this house was going to be but now I’m in here I absolutely bloody love it,” Neale said. But he also said he didn’t see much that was fifties.
And there ensued a debate about how fifties it was, or not! Wth Shaynna, unusually, sitting on the fence!
That sage green palm tree wallpaper (which is designed to suit your space) is available via The Block shop.
NEXT WEEK: The couples are facing their first bathrooms!
What did you think? Which was your favourite? Do you think the couples are sticking to the periods of their homes?
