Five teams faced a monster challenge when they set about converting an eight-sided Melbourne hotel in the latest The Block Australia. In the first of a two-part series, we look back at some of the dizzying highs and lowest lows of those first weeks
Words by: Erin Miller. Photography by: Michael Gordon Hill.
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Apartment 1: Caro & Kingi.
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Caro said she and Kingi work well together because “we’re really good at communicating with one another”. In week 1, judge Neale loved the Grafico bath decal in their main bathroom, declaring it “really cool”.
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Week 2 Melbourne influences: “It adds instant mood,” judge Shaynna remarked of the gorgeous tram image used on the ensuite door in Caro and Kingi’s guest bedroom.
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Week 3 The judges approved of the industrial touches, including a geometric mirror, which added interest to the space.
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Week 4 A combination of rawness and luxury gave Caro and Kingi their first win. The bedhead they’d designed during a challenge was the hero piece in the room.
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Apartment 2: Whitney & Andrew.
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Despite admitting that they didn’t have any prior renovating experience, Whitney and Andrew were determined to give it a crack on The Block. In week 3, a statement timber bed provided plenty of wow factor in their master bedroom.
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The bath on a raised platform and mountain-ash timber finishes in the main bathroom were both hits with the judges.
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Week 2 Whitney teamed Curious Grace bedside tables with an Ingrain Designs bedhead.
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Week 4 The bold statement wall in “hot ginger” was softened with pastel furnishings and Freedom copper lamps.
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Apartment 3: Suzi & Vonni.
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Darren fell in love with the stunning dried-lotus-leaf artwork that Suzi and Vonni put in the main bedroom.
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week 1 Judge Neale labelled Suzi and Vonni’s main bathroom as being a “bit too nightclub”, while Shaynna was disappointed by the lack of storage.
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Week 4 Suzi and Vonni won the bedhead challenge and used the piece in the second guest bedroom.
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Week 2 To counter their eye-catching sisal-wallpaper feature wall, Suzi and Vonni used neutral furnishings and bedding.
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Apartment 4: Ebony & Luke.
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The main ensuite got “lots of ticks”, said Judge Shaynna, but was let down by mismatched tapware.
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Week 3 Shaynna thought the bold mulberry shade Ebony had chosen for the walls clashed with the walk-in cabinetry.
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Week 4 Neale was critical of the art deco-style headboard the pair had made during the challenge.
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Ebony and Luke were the only team to square off their main bathroom – a decision which was praised by the judges. However, Shaynna thought the basins were too small.
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Apartment 5: Shay & Dean.
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Neale loved the blue colour palette in the first bedroom. “It feels expensive,” he declared.
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The blue colour palette with Cranmore Home artworks gave the guest bedroom an inviting feel.
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Week 3 Shay and Dean’s Scandinavian styling in their main bedroom was very on trend, but judge Darren was concerned the room wasn’t “original”.
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Week 1 The team splurged a third of their overall budget on the main bathroom, creating a grand, luxe feel – perfect for a penthouse.
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Week 4 The feature wall was summed up as “very cool” by the judges, but they worried it clashed with the herringbone bedhead.
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