The Block – Sun, Sept 11 – bathroom reveals

It’s the master bathroom room reveals tonight on The Block, Channel 9, 7-8pm.
The blurb says: One couple impresses Darren with their fresh take on traditional art deco design, while another team disappoints when the judges discover there is no toilet!

No toilet? I’ll have to rely on Talking TV Block correspondent Maz to explain that one. Sounds almost as bad as the time Michael and Carlene decided it was a good idea to have steps leading up to a raised shower.

Totally not a slip hazard.

Totally not a slip hazard.



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74 Comments

  1. “New traditional”. It’s wanky terms like this the judges on The Block use/abuse that make me want to go to the bathroom.

    “Yeah whaddya fink of me new traditionlal floor tiles ……I seen ’em on The Block”.

  2. If there is a song to encapsulate the judges’ limited vocabulary it would be
    G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S. But we digress, all three judges love the ‘feeling’ in the room. They love the combination of the cement panelling and tiles. By placing the cement panel horizontally, it accentuates the height of the room.

    They love the artwork (black and white photos of 1920s St Kilda). Stunning is the word Shaynna uses. Shaynna also loves the ‘face light’. It is young, modern and sophisticated.

    Take careful note of the taps and light fixtures.

    Score: 8.5,9.5,9=27

    • Whoever conceived of using woks in a bathroom? Some gas burners under those and it’s seared scallops with your morning ablution or late night snack. Is that “new traditional” enough?

      Why two wash basins? I know a lot of people are two faced….but I’m not getting the “wow” factor here.

      • Perhaps we consume too much House Hunters but the lack of double vanity is often a deal breaker in that universe. It needs to be His and Hers or the kids need their space.

        The Block meets MC vanity?

    • I hate above-counter basins like this – so impractical. And I’m not on board with brass and copper accents. Thanks for the screengrabs and rundowns, Maz.

  3. What can I add to BDD’s take of the judges’ take away line? It’s New Traditional. We suspect that Darren likes the sound of words without knowing their meaning.

    Neale just as articulate, describes the room as ‘wow’. They are definitely back in the game. It has a great sense of period (very public toilet). The vanity matches the door. It has ‘trend notes’ but references a by-gone era.

    Biggest complaint, the light switches are on the outside. We could add the floor tiles are way too busy but hey we are not au fait with New Traditional.

    This week’s winner. 9.5.9.5,10=29

    • Walking on those dizzying floor tiles while drunk around all those hard surfaces is just begging for an accident, too. It’s your choice to smash your head on the bath or the copious mirror. But no one ever slips over when they’re drunk. Doesn’t happen, hey?

      The bath itself looks large enough to hold a whale.

    • Are these judges serious? I would have to take some anti nausea pills before walking into this bathroom. Those floor tiles make want to vomit. The vanity is way too small and looks out of place. Subway tiles and the crazy floor just don’t work together, IMHO.

  4. What can we say, Sasha was robbed.

    The fishscale tiles (which BTW were featured in quite a few lifestyle magazines a couple months ago) are (wait for it) G L A M O R O U S. The vanity is absolutely stunning. Handles, tapware, blah, blah , blah, beautiful, wow, stunning (really just pick one of the adjectives). Of course, the sconces are too high (something that the judges just happen to pick on since Julia had a melt down over it). Bottom line Execution is almost perfect and its Game On Moles.

    9.5,9.5,9.5=28.5

  5. Darren for one moment believes he is on House Hunters where three toilets for every bedroom is requisite for a house to be remotely inhabitable. The boys have made a big booboo. Only two toilets for four bedrooms. OMG, how is the tenant going to cope????????

    The boys have declined to put a toilet in the main bathroom as if you are a guy you could always do a cheeky wee in the shower.

    According to Shaynna it is “grown up” and the referencing to Velvet Soap is a ‘touch of genius’. (Thanks Port Melbourne Historical Preservation Society). The feature wall tiles are beautiful and cleverly laid.

    6.5,6.5,6.5=19.5

    • “Touch of genius” is going a bit far with the praise of the Velvet Soap sign, $haynna..

      Red is not a relaxing colour at all and is associated with danger and aggression. Just what you need to unwind in the bath to. I’d say it was more a touch of insanity , Shaynna.

      I’m proud to have a poster of Frank Zappa’s “200 Motels ” in the bathroom. And also an ad for a Jimi Hendrix gig. Folks who were truly touched by genius……and lots of groupies.

    • That red just does not look right in the bathroom. I do agree with the judges that there should be a toilet here. Since I fast forward through the episodes was it shown why the boys decided not to put in a toilet?

      • We believe the boys declined to put a toilet in due to the proximity of the powder room (virtually 2metres away). If we recall the floor plan it is main bath, laundry then powder room.

        As for the toliet, we think it is better separate to the bathroom but we guess this preference is dependent on what you are familiar with. Houses in the older suburbs where we live had the one toilet outside (not that there are many of those left if any) so to have three toilets for a three bedroom apartment is slightly over the top.

        • I’m reminded of England fast bowler F.S Trueman who concluded that the definition of a gentleman is “one who gets out of the bathtub to pee”

          But that’d be secret mens’ business on a buliding site.

      • Hopefully they were being smart, and are planning a separate toilet later?

        Toilets should only be in bathrooms when there is absolutely no other option.

    • I’m all about functionality first in bathrooms, kitchen, laundries. When someone is showering/bathing the toilet can’t be used, so why bother having it in the bathroom. Separate toilet every day for me.

  6. It pains me to type this but maybe Kim’s taste are a bit too bogan ‘I think they don’t know what art deco is,” observes Shaynna. Really???? You don’t say. And if one was to garner their knowledge of Art Deco from the Block, we would conclude, neither do you.

    Nova’s woes began in Week One when they were slammed for their bathroom but offered no real guidance than it would seem go and consult Pinterest. So by Week three and two unchangeable rooms down there apartment is a ‘mish mash of styles’.

    Seen Home Show with George Clarke? Don’t mix brassware and that is exactly what they have done. Federation taps and Country Style Handles on the Vanity and Matte Black showerhead. (If Kim is as big a fan of the Block as she is reputed to be she would know Ebony got slammed for the same thing last season). But the real crime, they have brass taps and silver power sockets. The judges have some really short term memories.

    But then Darren continues (and shows he can be the nastiest judge on the Block)’ All this marble isn’t even marble its faux.’ Neale intervenes and reminds Darren they do not have the budget for real marble so it is not a valid criticism.

    Yes the mix matched handles are a problem but the first three rooms not relating to each other is a bigger problem. Shaynna agrees it is crunch time for the apartment. They need to decide what style they are going to carry through though her face reads otherwise. The apartment is stuffed.

    5,6.5,7.5=19 And thus Nova is crowned chumps because that STUPID jacket is back.

    • Agree that this bathroom is a mish mash of styles and periods and it doesn’t look right. Remove the paneling and replace it with the faux marble and that would help. So obvious that the tap ware and hardware don’t go together and look “off”. It’s like they are trying to throw anything they can into a room to attempt to get a win.

      Maybe the producers think the Chump jacket is funny but it’s just stupid and juvenile. Just as bad as the losing team on The Block NZ having to wear embarrassing costumes during the next week’s reveal.

  7. Can’t help myself, but somehow none of the bathrooms really “wow” me. I think the whiny girls’s bathroom was the best.
    The missing loo isn’t an issue. In France most of the bathrooms do not have a loo, you have a little restroom. And coming from Germany, light switches are usually outside of the bathrooms. Much to my dismay as my little niece loves switching off and on the light when you are in the bathroom. 😉

    • None of the rooms this season have been wow for me!
      Actually I know of a few family/main bathrooms of family/friends (in Melbourne) that have separate loos but the judges were right, for the size of the bathroom and the fact that they have 4 bedrooms, they should have put a toilet in there.
      I also know of a lot of bathrooms where the light switches are on the outside.

  8. I could have bet alot of money that Dan and Carleen were going to win this week. It reminds me of Dee and Darren, the more you act like are a sore loser, the more the judges crawl to you in the following weeks.

  9. On dear God, Julia cannot be serious. Monday morning’s drama was the direction of the bed. Yes, you read that correctly, the bed! “Can’t have the beds directionally the same.” What?

    The week progresses with Julia drinking coffee and internet browsing in bed and disagreeing with Sasha’s choice of snakeskin wallpaper and grey paint as it clashes with Julia’s Mum’s paintings. Beyond that she is a sobbing mess who can’t make a decision beyond pointing out how much she hates Sasha’s choices.

    The boys consolidate the game changing decision made in week one to add an additional ensuite (even sneaking the plumber in via the whizz bin/wheelie bin). Find out the Reece budget was $30k. There was a brief mention that they will add the toilet to the main bathroom so they will have a four bedroom, 3.5 bathroom apartment for auction. (Take note Kim, put the bath in the master ensuite & keep the loggia).

    Speaking of Nova, fight with the builder about been charged for the five hours argued with Keith. Goneski. They win the McCafe Cleanliness Award. Prize is a consultation a lighting designer Danielle Mastro. The children are flown down to Melbourne.

    Will and Karlie ‘s drama focuses on whether to use nylon or wool carpet.

    • Almost everything is dramatic with Julia and Sasha.
      In fact, once again, too much faux drama on the block.
      Carpeting, tiles, bed direction, builder wages, Keith, Dan, etc, etc, etc.

  10. Tonight is challenge night. It is too painful to watch. The contestants must choose two pieces of ‘art deco’ furniture. Restore one and completely destroy (ahem…re-purposed) the other. Kara and Kyal to pick the winner, Prize is a bonus point, $5000 cash.

    Julia still fuming over Sasha choosing the wallpaper, won’t start the challenge until she has cancelled EVERYTHING Sasha has ordered for the week. Why are they even a couple????

    • Dan and Carleen win the challenge. The boys think it is unfair as they would have seen the pieces originally in the 1920s.

      So its carte blanche for the boys to play a prank. They go to Grafico and get a couple car stickers printed “The Block Retirement Village” and “Honk, if you love old people.” Carleen doesn’t notice until Dan points it out to her.

      W&K decide to do polish concrete floors.

  11. Tonight’s episode started with Shelley and Scotty waking the contestants up.

    Julia spends the episode sobbing AGAIN. Mental Health issues????? Tonight’s breakdown was attributable to her “doubting” the colour of the bed frame. And no, they still have not chosen the paint colour.

    The pranks continue courtesy of Aldi. The boys purchase incontinence undies, slippers, anti wrinkle cream…get a drift of the shopping list?

    Will and Karlie finally get their comeuppance. Will failed to consult Keith on the intricacies of polish concrete. So the concreters rock up and let the drama begin. It needs a plastic membrane. Then it needs reo. Underfloor heating needs to go in. Services need to be prepared for the kitchen. Of course this action comprises the structural integrity of the slab. The underfloor heating will draw too much power (40 amps of the allocated 63) so they have to ditch the oven in the butlers pantry, the wine fridge and warming drawer of the kitchen. So kerching , easy money for the concreters. Of course, it is all Keith’s fault. Um no, have they not watched Grand Designs and the inherent drama in concrete pouring??? Don’t care, they come across as arrogant and entitled.

  12. What did we learn for the Block tonigh? There is a Pottery Barn in Australia?! The refuge for every bored American housewife if daytime movies are to be believed.

    The second thing we learnt was Aldi paid a sh#tload of cash to sponsor this show if tonight’s lame storyline was anything to go. Keith and Dan go to Alid to shop for meat for a BBQ. Will and Karlie want to skip it until the producer points out the clauses in their contract to play ‘nice’. Now for the scoring:

  13. The wrong theme song was used to introduced the girls’ bedroom. Forget Spice Girls, Katy Perry’s Hot N Cold would have been more appropriate. Initially, Shaynna said ‘I think it’s a beautiful room, it feels very warm, this is a lot more personal than the last room.” But then Neale looked around and observed it ‘lacked something’.

    Shaynna added it felt too styled, quite magaziney (is that even a word?), ‘uptight’.

    Then the adjective ‘souless’ tumbled out. It is not a memorable room. The (smeared paint) artwork has been done to death over the past seven season of the Block. A black and white vintage photo would have been better.

    Or as Neale observed, “Julia is a stylist who is being out styled by some of the other couples.”

    *Sigh*Julia wails that they are ‘assassinating’ her career. 1. Yes, the comments were harsh (but Ebony was also on the receiving end of that level of criticism so you should have expected it). 2. Julia does nothing (Chris had to help Sasha assemble the bed while she stood around like a limp rag doll) 3. Your indecisiveness is far more damaging to your career than anything the judges say.

    Agree with the judges, the pendant choice was appalling and did not go with the bed.

    Finally score:8.5,8,7.5=24

    • Sorry, Maz – I should have set up a new thread for tonight. Thanks so much for the updates. This brass is just so ugly. And the peach!!

    • I didn’t like the overall look of this room and the pendants didn’t fit but the judges were a bit rude especially with the comment about the other contestants outstyling the stylist. They were also inconsistent….harsh comments and above average scores. Room is warm but soulless…made no sense. It looks like it’s out of a magazine….so what. Many people want rooms that look like they were styled for a magazine or a showroom.

      • there was also something about “trying to sell a house not create a home” isn’t the whole point to sell place at the end of it??!!!
        When i’m house hunting, i want a neutral palette,so add my own personal touches, i don’t want to feel like i am an imposter in someone elses home.
        Ok, sure these apartments a little different in that they are sold with everything included but its not like the buyers are going to come into it with nothing of their own.
        At the same surely no buyer is going to think, i won’t buy that apartment because it has the same artwork as the place down the street or too many cushions on the bed!

        • It is a room that would appeal to buyers (depending on the paint job) as it is bland. It also reflects Julia’s indecision about paint colour (both the walls and trim are white), art work (It is from her mother) and lack of texture.

          I don’t agree with the judges’ opinions been informed by the backgrounds of the contestants, but as a home viewer, Julia should have had the edge over the contestants in that a) she is a stylist and b) she is from Melbourne. We can understand the agonising over the kitchen and bathroom areas as they can’t be fixed but the bedrooms are the places to experiment (particularly now that the art deco brief has all but been dropped) and if it goes wrong they can be amended in the redo week.

          Julia has damaged her own career by a)the crying and indecisiveness (surely you would be self aware enough to realise the Block is not the best platform for you to gain exposure if you have trouble making decisions at the best of times) b) not showing what she does know.

          There are other contestants who are mindful of how they come across as we can imagine Nova are biting their tongues.

          • What I’m seeing on the promos for tonight, Julia is just getting warmed up.

            “Warm and soulless”~ just don’t understand what the judge is getting at there,either. I did experience something like that once, when I went to Surfer’s Paradise in the 80’s.

  14. Kim and Chris decided to ditch the Art Deco brief and let’s do something we are comfortable with. The judges, well? “It feels like a showroom” (um, could it be that Kim took styling lessons from the Pottery Barn?”), “It’s nice but lacks personality.’ Ouch since Kim stated the room was more them.

    Neale liked the ‘pendant’ and noted that they were ‘future proofing’ the apartment with the coaxial power points.

    8.5,8,8=24.5

  15. Upon entering the room and seeing the monstrous bedhead Darren exclaimed, I love the geometry, I love the brass, I love the black. It feels really contemporary.’

    Neale looked around the room and was not impressed, too many cushions, inappropriate artwork.

    The judges liked the exposed ‘turasto’ feature study nook.

    Shaynna didn’t like the colour of the wardrobe. Should have been darker. Darren disagrees and believes the consistency of the palette is their strength.

    9.5,8.5,8.5=26.5

    • Not a fan of this room. It looks closed in to me probably because of the placement of the wardrobe and how the bed is pushed forward. The feature wall makes it look even more claustrophobic. The side tables are horrible and, although the rug matches the room concept it looks to small to me. JMHO.

      • We thought this was the most unattractive room. The placement of the bedhead and the wardrobe as you rightly observed makes it claustrophobic.

        The side table screams KMart more than lux.

  16. The perfect score?

    The judges were impressed by the ensuite, the choice of quilt cover, the map of Melbourne and the triangle glass.

    10+10+10=30

    • I agree Maz. A perfect score?? Side tables terrible…surprised Shana didn’t comment that they don’t offer any storage. They look so small and out of place. The pendants are ugly and have been seen multiple times. The reason for the 10 was probably because of the ensuite.

  17. Where are the sconces? Where are the sconces? Where are the sconces? seemed to be the refrain for this room.

    ‘It is an improvement on their last room,’ observes Shaynna but according to Neale it still lacks a sense of luxury.

    The bedhead is the feature. It is a colour that could have gone horribly wrong but the judges concede it was a popular colour in the 20s and 30s and they were smart enough to pair it with fifty shades of grey linen.

    Shaynna thinks they got the wrong sized mattress,

    9,8.5,8.5=26

  18. That bedhead is ugly although it does look like it could be part of a 20s diner booth. The pendants are terrible. That shaggy pillow doesn’t fit and the brass side tables don’t go well with the black pendants and the ugly bedhead.

    I guess I wasn’t impressed with any of the rooms this week. 🙂

  19. Is it just me , I was underwhelmed by all the bedrooms. For function alone, the boys bedroom/ensuite was the most practical. But not a perfect score IMO.

    • Hi Lola,

      You are not alone. There was nothing standout with the bedrooms. The boys had the best wardrobe as you could hide the mess!!!!

  20. Hahhahahahaha…ha! The great faux wall of Symex worked like clockwork in manufacturing this week’s storyline.

    The girls sought Keith out to ask whether it really was necessary. Keith returned with his side kick to tell the girls that they could remove 1.3m. Nova seeing the over ecstatic reaction were curious. Could they remove the wall?
    No said Keith. You need to ask the girls.

    Nova promptly do, fully confident that the 1.3m would be split evenly.

    Two days later the girls get back to Nova with a decision they made moments after the initial request.

    “Yeah, later then,” is Chris’s parting words as he lists everything he has done for them, assembling beds, carrying mattresses up and PAINTING (Julia really is useless).

    It then dawns on the Girls that Nova may actually be pissed off and won’t help them anymore. They start sobbing. It is a competition after all.

    The Girls are rewarded for their sobbing with the McCafe Cleanliness Reward. Want to share it with Nova? asks Scotty. Too soon? Too soon?

  21. Wallgate – surely this is an issue for the boys and Dan and Carlene as well?

    I watched the extra on the website of (Fore)Dan and Dani going through each room and saying what they think… i had to laugh when Dan was all about the details and finishes and all Dani was worried about what the colour of the cushions on the bed! Dan kept saying, if you didn’t like the cushions etc that was easy to change, but if you mucked up the details, like cornices and such, thats not so easy. They highlighted alot of issues in the boys room, definitely not a perfect 10 for workman ship, which just highlights the issues with judging.

  22. Wednesday Night is Challenge Night or Destroy the Planet (seriously fly to Daylesford then back to Melbourne to shop and return to Daylesford).

    The brief is to furnish a room in a Stayz house to be judged by Shannon and Simon from Glasshouse Block and Amy from Stayz. Just to add angst the winner gets to decide how much of the $10k second and third place get.

    1. Karlie & Will $9000
    2.Sasha and Julia $600
    3.Kim & Chris (we think Nova should have won) $400

    Karlie thought they were fairly generous (no seriously, she really did).

    Producers should have split the cash $5k/$3k/$2k.

    Rest of the episode summed up by Colonel Kickhead https://twitter.com/colonelkickhead/status/778180379953995776

  23. Hi Maz, thanks for all the updates.
    Sunday night reveal is all I can take.
    You take the bullet for all of us who only watch once a week.

  24. Tonight’s episode:
    1. Confirmed how smug and entitled Will and Karlie are. It’s not fair, they whine copping a $500 fine so when Dan’s plasters work way past 6.00pm Will is going to dibber dob with video evidence. End result for 5.5hr extra hours on the tools is a $1000. Will is so not happy.
    2. Big plug for Cryopep Australia (lead paint removalist). X-Files theme included.
    3.Julia has left Sasha to fend for herself on the Block for a few days. (Remember when Steve and Chantelle were hassled for going home for a couple of hours??? Now, that is unfair).
    4.Kim plugs Darren Palmer’s new book (so not going to help them win this week’s room).

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