The Block 2024 episode 51 recap: Alisa and Lysandra help Mimi and Kristian win this season’s final room reveal

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It pays to have Alisa and Lysandra on your side.

Mimi and Kristian took out the win – shedding $50,000 off their reserve price – with a perfect score for their cinema room (that was designed and styled by the visiting All Star twins).

It was the first time that Mimi and Kristian scored a 10 in the competition for one of their rooms, wowing judges Marty Fox, Shaynna Blaze and Darren Palmer with a home cinema that made Gold Class look low key.

Reason why Block flirter finally reached breaking point

“This is the best way to end the most incredible experience of our lives,” Mimi said through tears of joy as she and Kristian celebrated the potentially game-changing win.

Walking through a secret doorway into the luxurious cinema room, the three judges were rendered momentarily speechless.

Copying the twins’ design for the cinema room paid off for Kristian and Mimi.

Marty said it was one of the best rooms he had ever seen.

“This is the most appealing room by a country mile,” he sighed.

Shaynna added: “They’ve worked hard together to create this wow factor with a Zen-like feel.”

You’d think those three 10s and effusive praise from Marty, Shaynna and Darren would have felt like a somewhat hollow victory for Mimi and Kristian, given so much of the room was Alisa and Lysandra’s handywork.

Kristian and Mimi win $50,000 off their reserve price.

The sisters had designed the entire room, led all the shopping for fittings and fixtures and even cracked the whip over Mimi to get her to contribute something other than finding new and creative ways to avoid any form of physical exertion (apart from drunken dance routines).

The twins’ creative direction gave Mimi and Kristian a much bigger advantage than having a fun-loving duo like Eliza and Liberty (hilarious though they are) or even uber competitive players like Georgia and Ronnie on the team.

No fuss hard workers Jimmy and Tam delivered the clubhouse games room.

Despite having handed over a lot of the creative control to Alisa and Lysandra, Kristian said the cinema room was his proudest achievement on The Block.

In fairness, it was a great room. And working with the girls had certainly brought out the best in Mimi who even helped to insulate this week.

Acknowledging that labour hadn’t been a priority, Mimi said: “I have pushed myself mentally and I have also found passion in creating relationships and making friends.”

An interesting take given what went down with Brad and Kylie, who were still AWOL.

With Kylie and Brad out of the picture it fell to Jimmy and Tam to take Kylie’s moody blueprint for the games room and make it sing.

They weren’t in the running for a prize, they simply renovated Kylie and Brad’s abandoned games room for the good of the show (and their reputation as nice, hardworking folk).

Darren ate up their styling, singing the praises of a recent brown renaissance that made chocolate and caramel tones trendy as opposed to old hat.

Ricky and Haydn’s outdoor lounging area delivered with no help from their teammates Liberty and Eliza.

Looking at the Pac-Man arcade game and car simulator, Marty said the games room was a “fun factory for adults”.

“It’s sad this isn’t in the race because I feel like this could have been a winner,” Marty added.

It was clear from the get-go; the judges were in a playful mood as they reacted warmly to Maddy and Charlotte’s potentially tacky Block walk of fame and that giant fibreglass tortoise (revealed to be a practical joke and not Eliza and Liberty’s idea of a hot fireside accessory after all)

Ricky and Haydn, bless them, were prepared to include the eyesore on their terrace saying: “Even if that’s going to risk our $50k, friendship is more important than money.”

“Eliza and Liberty have only chosen one thing for the space and I am not going to lie, it doesn’t belong here,” Ricky said diplomatically (yep, it appeared that even a man with a penchant for fluorescent budgie smugglers and tie-dye caps has a line when it comes to styling).

“Look I am not a stylist. I am not a decorator. But I am a team player. They are our new best friends and if they want a turtle in then they can have a turtle.”

Further proving they were team players, Ricky and Haydn agreed to christen the communal pool cheerily catapulting themselves into the icy water.

Courtney and Grant’s day spa with the $7000 plaster.

Despite a few last-minute hiccups – including some tiles that went MIA – the boys’ terrace was a hit with the judges.

Darren couldn’t see anything on the terrace that wasn’t perfect (though he stopped half a point short of giving them a 10).

“It’s a lifestyle bonanza,” he said. Shaynna felt the styling let them down but conceded that finishing touches had never been the strong suits of either team.

All three loved Maddy and Charlotte’s “balanced, beautiful, neutral, nautical barbecue area”.

“It’s destination design and I love it!” Darren said.

While Marty added: “They have been able to come in, adapt, make the house their own and they’ve hit it out of the park.”

Maddy and Charlotte’s barbecue rotunda and private dining room.

Also giving Maddy and Charlotte’s efforts the seal of approval were the property’s original renovators Jesse and Paige, who returned to Phillip Island for the first time since fleeing the worksite four weeks into the competition.

Looking far more refreshed than the day they left; the couple were eager to see what Maddy and Charlotte had done with the place.

Jesse and Paige return to the site to see what the girls have done with their house.

“It must have been so hard for them to see what could have been,” Ricky reflected after a long embrace with Paige.

“But it’s so good to see them smiling again and seeing them still together.”

There were more smiles on the judges’ faces when they saw Courtney and Grant’s efforts (with some helpful and pricey beige additions from Steph).

“The Block has a day spa!” Shaynna exclaimed.

Mimi and Kristian celebrate their win.

“It’s chic as F!” Darren agreed as he luxuriated on the heated stone seat.

Marty was most impressed by the two saunas. “This isn’t just a gimmick. It’s bang for buck,” he said, sounding every bit, the salesman gearing up for auction day on Sunday.

Now let’s see if he’s right.