The Block 2025: Every room reveal from The Block Daylesford

20 hours ago 4

The Block is back for 2025, taking contestants to the picturesque tree-change town of Daylesford, Victoria. And there are some big changes for the 21st season.

This year the hit reality renovation program will see five Blockhead teams tasked with brand new builds, identical floorplans, midnight curfews and the opportunity to snag a new weekly $10,000 budgeting prize.

The new cast of Blockheads are creating five homes spanning 346sqm of living space that form a new neighbourhood within the new Middleton Field housing estate, located at the regional town’s eastern entry point.

Host Scott Cam has returned for his 19th season, and judges Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox are back to share their feedback, advice and critiques.

Jump to each week's room reveal

Week 10: Alfresco and shed week reveals

Alfresco and shed week saw the winners awarded three perfect scores after a much talked about gamble paid off.

Al Fresco Room Reveals	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	26	4
House 2: Han and Can	21	5
House 3: Britt and Taz	27	3
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	29	2
House 5: Robby and Mat	30	1

Here’s a look at the al fresco and shed reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben's al fresco and shed (and golf simulator) reveal

Score: 22

Shaynna felt the alfresco area was a “little bit heavy” with the furnishings and finishes and needed more “light relief.”

“There is a softness that's lacking. It could use an outdoor rug,” Darren agreed.

However Marty said if he were the sales agent, he would have a lot to sell.

“And I really, truly believe that the buyers have a lot to buy. So from a marketing perspective, it's pretty hard to fault,” he said.

The tool shed was exactly what you needed with the spaces for a lawnmower and other equipment, Marty believed, while a golf simulator was impressive but Shaynna identified one fault – masculine styling.

“I just worked out why I felt a bit uncomfortable in the deck area, how dark it was, I didn't feel invited. I walked in here, I see a beer fridge.

“It's very blokey. That whole deck barbecue area is blokey.”

House 2: Han and Can’s alfresco and shed reveal

Score: 21

While the Japanese garden in the alfresco won Shaynna over, Marty felt it was a blunder.

“They put in a little Japanese garden, which is just to look at. You can't sit in there,” he said.

“So when I look at this being a really big selling amenity for buyers, to take away decking and seating opportunity to then put more garden when we've got all of that garden, I think that that is a big miss.”

Overall, Shaynna said the girls “can't sell the dream” pointing out the drink cabinet under a TV, a table to one side and unfinished grouting to tiles as examples.

A shed turned artist studio was commended as taking a lot of effort but Darren couldn’t understand that after all the work it took, that it was incomplete.

The other half of the unfinished shed was also a miss with Marty noting there were “a lot of different things happening” such as the skylights, lighting and dark bricks,

“I'm pretty keen to get out of here,” he said.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s alfresco and shed reveal

Score: 27

The alfresco area, which offered all types of cooking including a Teppanyaki plate, pizza oven and a barbecue impressed the judges but all the kitchen space took away from a lounge area, the judges noted.

But it was Britt and Taz’s shed reveal that really garnered plenty of feedback.

A mini version of the garage was described by Shaynna as “serious tool shed stuff.”

But Marty’s hope that they moved the Pilates rumpus room from Week 6 into the shed wasn’t realised, and they walked into a speakeasy.

“This is such a gamble, even if this was to get stripped, I can live with that, because it's a shed, but you've got a second living space in the house that still has two Pilates beds and a commercial grade fridge,” he said.

“From a real estate perspective, they have a fundamental flaw within their floor plan, which can deem it unsaleable.”

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s alfresco and shed reveal

Score: 29

Just one point separated the married Queensland couple from this week’s winners, with Marty hailing the alfresco as the most connected outdoor area he had seen all day.

“This actually makes me love the inside more because it feels like one, one, big space,” he said.

“They've really, really done the exterior of this house proud. It works so beautifully with the palette, and it still feels soft and inviting and functional,” Darren added.

The “sheddy-ist shed” was how Marty dubbed the shed, who thought the pool table looking like a workbench was clever.

“It's a good old, functional Australian Stratco shed, and I am here for it,” Darren added.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s winning alfresco and shed (and wine cellar) reveal

Score: 30

Winning the week with three perfect scores, Robby and Mat’s highly anticipated wine cellar left the judges in awe.

“What's nerding me out is the decision making processes,” Darren said.

“They made one decision, put a hole in the ground, then the knock on effect, the staircase in the window, and then, and then, and then, and then joinery, and then styling it like this, and then presenting it this way.

“They swung hard, but this is a home run.”

Marty said the cellar put the house in a league of its own.

“They now don't have the same houses. They're in a competition, and they have now taken themselves out of the competition and put themselves in a totally new bracket because of what they've added,” he said.

The shed with a fully equipped gym’ shed was also a hit, as was the alfresco area.

Week 9: Laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage room reveals

Completing the very last of the internal spaces was the task for the Blockheads this week which included five areas – the laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	22	5
House 2: Han and Can	27.5	2
House 3: Britt and Taz	28	1
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	26.5	3
House 5: Robby and Mat	25.5	4

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage reveal

Score: 22

While elevating the laundry appliances off the ground was hailed as genius, the functionality of the design puzzled Shaynna saying the butler’s pantry was more of a laundry and was unworkable.

“There's a lot of real estate here. I'm trying to work out, like straight away I’ve got coffee and tea, but we've got a fridge that's right around the other end near the master bedroom door.

“So where do you get your meal?”

Marty added that it was a waste of square meters.

The powder room and WC were better received, with Darren likening it to “stepping into a jewellery box.”

Once again, functionality issues were identified in the mudroom by Shaynna who said it lacked any hanging space.

The garage’s black flooring was likely to show up a lot of dirt, and Marty said it was a missed opportunity with styling and lighting to provide a story in “touring country” – a town where many people drive to visit wineries and restaurants.

House 2: Han and Can’s laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage reveal

Score: 27.5

Great planning was noted by the judges with Marty praising the delineation between the laundry and the butler’s pantry by a simple arch and cabinetry.

The laundry’s colour palette felt expensive according to Darren, who said it was exactly what you want for a working laundry in the family home.

The mud room was successful, and the WC’s basin was quirky according to Shaynna, with the quality of finishing incredible.

“This is the fun house that has this elegance and luxury, and it's got the shiny, you know, glossy things, but it actually works. This is so marketable,” Marty said.

He was also impressed with the garage’s amenity, describing it as a “car enthusiast and home improvement DIY’s” dream space.

“This is showroom quality, in a residential setting,” he said.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s winning laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage reveal

Score: 28

Stepping foot into the galley style pantry, Darren said it was “bang for your buck” with the best inclusion being the shallow shelving.

Marty described it as “very classy, sophisticated” and “timeless.”

A sexy looking laundry was Darren’s take on the space, and said aesthetically, it was gorgeous.

“Everything that they've done feels like a home, but a highly functional home, which is incredible considering they're two cops up in the Pilbara,” Shaynna said.

“Blows my mind the quality and energy and love that they've put into this, and I feel the love that they've put in all these walls.”

The mud room will shoot beautifully for the sales campaign, Marty noted.

The powder room was heaven according to Darren with Marty summing up the finished house as “a true one off.”

“From a real estate perspective, it really just stands out. Its cosy, it’s warm. It just gives you a big hug. I love it. I really do,” he said.

The garage did not disappoint, with the strip lighting, chequered flooring and its gallery style being a lovely “little invitation into the home,” setting the scene for a really special residence, Darren said.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage reveal

Score: 26.5

A drying cabinet set the laundry apart from all the other homes, as well as a fridge in the pantry, though judges thought they missed on the layout. The mud room with the addition of a dog area, was well received and Marty said it worked well.

The WC left Darren utterly speechless and Shaynna said: “That is just something you'd see in a high-end house, or a high-end boutique hotel. That is hot.”

“They've delivered far more than I would expect is appropriate,” Darren said.

“We're judging them on the five different spaces this week, and that is carrying what we've just seen - because this is unfaultable,” Marty added.

The photograph used across the garage wall and door was the area’s hero, the judges believed.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage reveal

Score: 25.5

Incorporating a compact Euro Laundry where all the features were hidden behind doors didn’t make sense for the judges.

“It is a form before function, and when you've got this much square meterage in a home, having somewhere to put your dirty clothes, or put your clean clothes and be able to fold at the same time - that doesn't work,” Darren said.

The pantry’s French pattern tiles were a hit, as were a fridge and a north facing window that will bring in beautiful morning sun.

Tiles to the mud room were an odd choice, and Shaynna said it lacked hanging space.

The garage’s cleaning kit was a valuable addition, but Shaynna said it was just a blank space with a clever ceiling, whereas the other homes “tried to sell the dream of being in Daylesford.”

Week 8: Guest suite

Guest suite week, comprising of two rooms - a bedroom and bathroom – proved to be a brutal challenge for the Blockheads with just two of the teams finishing their spaces.

That left House 1 and House 4 as the only contenders vying for a win.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	29.5	1
House 2: Han and Can	23.5	3
House 3: Britt and Taz	19	5
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	28	2
House 5: Robby and Mat	20.5	4

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s winning guest suite reveal

Score: 29.5

Incorporating a kitchenette into the suite was well-received with Darren proclaiming it would be hard for him to leave the space.

“This is so so much amenity, so much inclusion and drama. It is a really beautiful welcome to the space,” he said.

A consistency with the rest of the home was Shaynna’s take on the suite, and she loved the chair and a lamp stating it felt like a boutique hotel suite without feeling “untangled”.

The ensuite bathroom was a “little gem” Darren said, while Marty added they have “literally thrown the Emma and Ben sprinkles all over - I love it”.

“It's a beautifully laid out, great space with lots of amenity, and it looks stunning,” Darren said.

“It's so close to perfect, that it is perfect,” Shaynna added despite noticing some bad paintwork and the shower glass screen not matching up.

House 2: Han and Can’s guest suite reveal

Score: 23.5

Opting not to include a kitchenette in the suite was set to impact House 2’s value Marty said, as buyers will be going from house to house and comparing them.

However, Darren loved the colours used in the space describing them as “punchy and bold”.

A study nook had Shaynna perplexed: “It's a holiday environment. Do you want to sit in the corner, in a little pokey area and do your office work?”

They all loved the incomplete ensuite bathroom, and Darren summed it up as “balanced and nuanced and still really punchy and bold, everything that's good about this house”.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s guest suite reveal

Score: 19

A fully-equipped kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster was an instant hit with the judges, as well as their cabinetry choice.

Moving further into the bedroom, Marty found the choice of rustic look wall panelling as odd.

“I feel like it's not as it's not as polished as the rest of the other rooms. I mean, is that meant to be painted?” he said.

The size of the rug and bedside tables worked perfectly in Shaynna’s eyes who said: “The colour palette, the texture, the way this is laid out as though you're a guest, you've been invited. It does have that beautiful invitation to it.”

A sign on the bathroom door stating ‘Room under construction, do not enter’ left the judges puzzled as to what had happened.

“Whatever happened in here, whether it was an ordering issue, or it was a trade’s issue, I don't get the sense that it was their time management,” Darren said.

If it were finished Marty said the suite would been a contender to win.

“You can feel it, you can see it. You can sense it. It's quite heartbreaking for them,” he said.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s guest suite reveal

Score: 28

Wallpaper designed by Alicia was highly praised by Shaynna who said it was something she would buy as a designer.

Marty said the suite evoked a lot of emotions from the carpet, the cabinetry, to the beautiful bedside lights.

“There's a lot happening in here, but it works,” he said.

While there was no kitchenette, there were amenities such as a bar and coffee area in a corner, which Marty approved of.

“They've really picked up this week,” he said.

“It's a really hard one to beat because of just this size. It feels big.”

Minimal styling in the ensuite worked, and Shaynna said the duo had “really stepped up” this week.

“I finally feel Sonny and Alicia have got their groove,” she said.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s guest suite reveal

Score: 20.5

While the suite was sans a kitchenette, Darren didn’t think it needed one.

“Personally, if I was designing this house, I don't know if I would have put a kitchenette in either,” he said.

“It definitely is a great value add, but day to day this does everything that I would want it to do. I think this is a very big bang for buck, saleable, well presented, beautiful, consistent room that works with the rest for the rest of the house.”

Another unfinished bathroom left the judges disappointed but they loved their tiling choice.

“Wow, this could have been a really hot contender,” Shaynna said.

Week 7: Kitchen week

Kitchen week saw the first joint win of the season with Marty Fox now confident all homes will sell.

“This is the first time I'm going to leave The Block and go, ‘Wow. Everyone's going to do well because they have a style’,” he said.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	26	5
House 2: Han and Can	26.5	4
House 3: Britt and Taz	28.5	1
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	27	3
House 5: Robby and Mat	28.5	1

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s kitchen reveal

Score: 26

After rectifying the layout of the adjacent living and dining space, the judges were all proud of Emma and Ben’s efforts.

“I love everything I see. I think it's a huge improvement. It's a really nice course correction,” Darren said.

The kitchen’s colours were divine, according to Shaynna.

“Everything they've selected is off the charts amazing,” she said.

Marty said the whole space would photograph beautifully, and would get buyers excited.

“It feels like you are in Daylesford, but it has that modern twist,” he said.

However, all judges agreed the fridge being in front of the main bedroom was in the wrong spot.

House 2: Han and Can’s kitchen reveal

Score: 26.5

The space was too white for Shaynna who said she felt like she had to be careful where she stood.

“The kitchen is the heart of the home. This has no heart,” she said.

“The more I stand here, the more I go, I can't wait to get out.”

Marty disagreed and said the more he stood in it, the more he liked it.

“But one third of us doesn't like it. This is the thing. It's not just nice or good or okay, it's divisive, and that can be problematic,” Darren argued.

The depth and height of the range hood was also criticised.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s winning kitchen reveal

Score: 28.5

Putting to use their appliance package win from in week two, everything in the kitchen felt expensive Darren said.

“And this island is continental. It is absolutely immense,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marty said the kitchen’s orientation was the pick of the bunch for him if he were buying any of The Block homes.

Darren could not contain his praise: “It's so beautiful. It's so impactful,” he said.

“This is such a gorgeous, considered result, and it elevates this room - just the stratosphere, its next level.”

Marty had no doubt people would be “throwing” themselves at the house.

“This is my front runner,” Shaynna said, noting the whole room said country without being “hokey country”.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s kitchen reveal

Score: 27

As bland as a piece of bread was how Marty summed up the blue kitchen.

“I really like the layout, but from a marketing perspective, there's nothing that stands out,” he said.

“It's not evoking a massive emotion. It's a very basic feeling space.”

Darren disagreed with Marty that it did not feel Daylesford and said: “I think what is missing is a layer of drama and a layer of impact.”

“What is important is that they have got the spatial planning and built environment so very right,” he said.

Shaynna said in order to sell “the dream” the kitchen needed to get to that “next level”.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s winning kitchen reveal

Score: 28.5

The “most Daylesford kitchen” seen today was Marty’s first impression.

“This relationship between the kitchen and the lounge room feels like its spacious enough to move,” Darren noted.

“Visually, it's separate, so you have this lovely spatial and physical flow through this area, which just couldn't be better.”

However, a secret door of shelving to the bedroom was divisive, and deemed unpractical.

The styling won Shaynna over who loved the little egg beater, a rainbow rolling pin and the quirkiness.

Overall, Marty said the kitchen was luxurious, but not pretentious and appealed to all buyers.

“It has that level of sophistication that I know the buyers are going to love and it's not going to date, it's timeless,” he said.

“To me, this week, this one is really hard to fault.”

Week 6: Rumpus room week

Rumpus room week was a mixed bag for the Blockheads, with two teams back on track while another had a huge fall from grace.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	28	2
House 2: Han and Can	29.25	1
House 3: Britt and Taz	20.5	4
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	27.5	3
House 5: Robby and Mat	18	5

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s rumpus room reveal

Score: 28

Likening the space to being hugged, Shaynna loved the room, particularly the green ceiling which she hailed as “phenomenal”.

Marty wished the look of the room was applied to the rest of home.

“This is so marketable,” he said.

However, Shaynna said the rumpus room was part of wing with two kids’ bedrooms and felt it could have been more “kid friendly”.

But she was full of praise for their styling, and there was nothing she could fault.

“This is the room to nail and they’ve nailed it,” Marty added.

House 2: Han and Can’s winning rumpus room reveal

Score: 29 ¼

A space that the entire family could enjoy was how Marty summed up Han and Can’s winning room.

“So from a marketing perspective, this really hits every single person that will enjoy coming to stay at this house,” he said.

The space’s sense of calmness impressed Shaynna, who noted the hard work they had carried out to implement three arches and a coffered ceiling.

“It is so marketable. And personally, I love nearly everything in here,” Marty said, but did note a wallpaper join behind the TV irked him.

Darren loved the art: “I actually really love the whimsy and playfulness of these artworks. This is beautiful style.”

House 3: Britt and Taz’s rumpus room reveal

Score: 20 ½

All judges were united in that using the space as a gym/yoga studio was a big mistake, leaving the house with just one living area.

Shaynna said a room with a fridge and reformers was too “niche” for the market.

“I think they've gone a long way towards making this the lifestyle house, but they've used valuable real estate to do it, so that's damaged their value,” Darren said, who recommended all the room’s inclusions should be moved to the shed.

“This is a non-negotiable. They really need to listen to us three in the fact that this application is fundamentally incorrect for a campaign in Daylesford on a home of this size, but they now know what to do to get it back on track,” Marty said

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s rumpus room reveal

Score 27 ½

The couple’s decision to colour drench the room was a hit with Darren.

“This is what I've been looking to see this entire season,” he said. “It’s so on trend, and it's so perfect for Daylesford, and it's so perfect for a private space, especially a living space. I am besotted.”

Shaynna said it was perfect: “This is where you call it a nook room.

“I love these second rooms, where they're not vast, but they want to envelop you, that's what the colour does, because we don't have any breaks in the ceiling, the walls. So it feels like one big space. It feels larger.”

Keeping the light switches, air vents and speakers white was a mistake, and should have also been painted in the same drench of colour, the judges noted.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s rumpus room reveal

Score: 18

After reading a note about some unfinished floorboards being out of the boys’ control, Darren stated: “I'm just going say this, on the week where things don't go your way, at least you weren't going to win anyway.”

Marty slammed the space as uninviting and not warm.

“But how do you go from having one of the best weeks in Block history, everything that they touched, they won, and then you've delivered a room like this?” he said.

Shaynna said the styling and the colour scheme was wrong, making it one of their worst rooms.

“They have dropped the ball because they were winning, and they possibly got a little bit cocky,” Marty said.

“They haven't understood the value of a second living space.

“They've gone from being a couple roosters, and this week, they're little feather dusters.”

Week 5: Robby and Mat’s winning living and dining rooms

Upon setting his sight on the space, Marty said he was speechless which was not common.

“Look at that beautiful sun coming through these skylights, and that light just dappling through is absolutely perfection, I'm blown away,” he said.

Spacious, functional and inviting and the right allocation of space was how Darren summed it up.

“This is a big communal home, and so you need to have this allocation of seating. You need to be able to have a conversation pit, so that people could sit and interact with each other and then also interact with the outdoors and interact with the view and interact with the backyard,” he said.

“This layout is perfect.”

Score: 28.5 + 1 (gnome bonus point)

Week 5: Living and dining room week

One of the most important spaces of the homes, living and dining room week was a disaster for one team, while another played their extra gnome point to take out the win.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	22	4
House 2: Han and Can	27.5	3
House 3: Britt and Taz	28.5	2
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	20.5	5
House 5: Robby and Mat	29.5	1

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s living and dining reveal

Score: 22

While the grandeur of the celling was an instant hit, most of the other elements of the spaces left the judges puzzled.

“I am struggling in here. This dining table is the most underwhelming dining table I've seen in a long time,” Shaynna said.

Marty agreed and said the room lacked the “richness” of the couple’s previous efforts, while Darren said differing heights of chairs, the sofa and spaces between furniture was driving him “absolutely up the wall.”

“The styling, the furniture, there's nothing that's making you go, ‘I really remember the lounge room of House 1,’” Marty added.

Shaynna said the spaces lacked sophistication: “We're at Daylesford. We're not in an apartment block.”

House 2: Han and Can’s living and dining reveal

Score: 27.5

So impressed with the pair’s efforts this week, Shaynna and Marty hailed them as the competition’s dark horse.

A fireplace with a striking pearlescent effect, the couch positioning, the artwork and the styling were hits, with Shaynna noting Han and Can had “grown up.”

“It has a broad appeal, but it's not boring,” Marty said.

‘It's got a really nice, safe, predictable palette, but there's something in there that has a big punch, and for me, it's that dining table,” Darren added.

The wine cabinet was a hit but Shaynna said they missed the mark by not filling it with local Daylesford wine.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s living and dining reveal

Score: 28.5

If the couch was positioned better, it would have been a perfect score from Shaynna.

However, she loved the use of timber in the roof and its connection to the landscape.

“I just I feel like I'm home,” she said.

Darren applauded the attention to detail, the palette and the craftsmanship.

“This house is starting to feel really beautifully meshed together. You’ve got all the elements that worked in the main bedroom for me but they've applied it in big, dramatic strokes in this communal space,” he said.

The dining area’s custom made Christian Cole table was a hit, as was a bench seat that looked like an “oversized” paddle pop, Shaynna said.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s living and dining reveal

Score: 20.5

The brick feature fireplace was an instant hit with the judges, with Darren loving its link to the exterior façade.

But their pair’s spatial planning once again let them down, with the living area space measuring just three metres wide.

“A small apartment has the exact same space as this. That is tiny, tiny. It's fascinating that they've got the exact square meterage, and yet we feel like we're in a smaller space,” Marty said.

“They have really, really stuffed this room up.”

Shaynna said the space was the “most confused room” Sonny and Alicia had done, with the styling all wrong.

“I'm really concerned of their design direction, because at the moment I don't see one room connecting with the next,” she said.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s winning living and dining reveal

Score: 28.5 + 1 (gnome bonus point)

Upon setting his sight on the space, Marty said he was speechless which was not common.

“Look at that beautiful sun coming through these skylights, and that light just dappling through is absolutely perfection, I'm blown away,” he said.

Spacious, functional and inviting and the right allocation of space was how Darren summed it up.

“This layout is perfect.”

Week 4: Main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe week

It was a week of highs and lows for main bedroom and walk in wardrobe week where one team was awarded the first ten out of ten score for the season, and others received some savage feedback.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	28	2
House 2: Han and Can	20	5
House 3: Britt and Taz	29	1
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	21.5	4
House 5: Robby and Mat	25	3

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reveal

Score: 28

Very close to perfection was how Shaynna summed up the couple’s efforts.

“I love their energy. I love their eye for detail and they've done everything for purpose,” she said.

Marty noted the bedroom was bigger than most hotel suites and the Velux lighting was a hit with Darren.

“That's just unbelievable. I love the pitch of the roof. I love that you can see so beautifully up to the sky and it lets so much light in,” he said.

The pair’s commitment to the use of a rich burgundy hue in their colour scheme was also applauded.

The “luxurious” wardrobe was a hit, with Marty stating it could be the “room of the day.”

House 2: Han and Can’s main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reveal

Score: 20

Marty didn’t mince his words upon setting sight on the bedroom stating: “I absolutely hate it. I actually want to vomit.”

The judging trio all agreed the blue paint colour scheme was wrong.

“It's so abrasive, it's so intense, and it actually is really throwing off everything else that we see in here,” Darren said.

He said elegant inclusions in the room were “overwhelmed by this punch in the face.”

However, there were smiles when they approached the walk-in wardrobe, but Shaynna said the ensuite, walk-in robe and main bedroom were having an “identity crisis in this one space.”

House 3: Britt and Taz’s winning main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reveal

Score: 29

Not only did the pair receive a perfect 10 from Darren, but Shaynna said Britt and Taz might be the second Block cop team to make a career out of renovations and interior design, just like twin sisters and former police officers, Alisa and Lysandra have, who won in 2013.

The judges noted how they all “glided” into the main bedroom: “I’ve just travelled in on a cloud. It’s so serene,” Darren said.

The detailing via the use of grass cloth paper, reeded panelling, combined with a neutral palette with gold amongst it was “really beautiful, elevated, refined, sophisticated,” Darren said.

The walk-in wardrobe was also a hit and aside from some badly executed ceiling paintwork, Marty said the space was “the most marketable, the most luxurious, the easiest sell that we've seen.”

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reveal

Score: 21.5

While Darren hailed their lighting plan as the best seen so far, he particularly liked how the spotlights were aimed at artworks.

Marty described the room as “calming” and homely and different from the other rooms.

All judges noted that while the timber veneer wall was beautiful, one part of the staining showed roller marks, while the grain on one side was upside down.

The walk-in wardrobe also drew criticism, with the spatial planning seen as a failure.

“I don’t feel like I am in Daylesford at all,” Shaynna said.

Marty agreed: “You're standing 17 floors up in a Southbank two bedroom apartment that sold 15 years ago to someone overseas that's never visiting it – ever,” Marty said.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe reveal

Score: 25

Darren and Shaynna were in awe of the double skylights, in addition to the wall finish, which Darren described as “masterful.”

“It would have taken time to do, and it was absolutely well worth the effort,” he said.

“The fact that they painted that finish onto walls and still painted the ceilings better than most of the other houses shows that they have attention to detail and planning up their sleeves.”

Shaynna said there were too many David Bromley artworks in the room, and questioned why the room was the only one sans a fireplace.

The walk-in wardrobe was mostly well received aside from the fact it did not have an island.

Week 3: Main Bathrooms

From feedback ranging from “an upmarket abattoir’ to a “real estate agent’s dream,” it was a mixed bag of judges feedback for bathroom week.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	28	2
House 2: Han and Can	29	1
House 3: Britt and Taz	21.5	5
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	26.5	4
House 5: Robby and Mat	27.5	3

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s bathroom reveal

Score: 28

Shaynna hailed the stunning space as her “number one,” and said it was near perfect if it were not for the crumpled bathrobes.

“They have nailed the look, the brief of high-end Daylesford,” she said.

“I think they're really the ones to watch in terms of building a really completed home,” Marty said.

Darren applauded the space as much more “considered” than the team’s previous bathroom.

“This tile palette is really sophisticated. This gorgeous timber, that bench top, and then the three tiles and the wallpaper and the metallic tapware - that is hot,” he said.

House 2: Han and Can’s winning bathroom reveal

Score: 28 + 1 (gnome bonus point) = 29

A see though bath was deemed a success by the judges, with Marty likening the overall space to a Daylesford day spa.

“It has that day spa feel with the candles, the bath, the softer tones. It's this balance of just punch in the face, but then this really beautiful calmness throughout,” he said.

“It's a punch in the face with a velvet glove,” Darren added.

Shaynna praised their efforts after a week of Han being sick: “They've delivered a bathroom with punch, with fun, with drama, and finished it. God, I hope they're proud.”

House 3: Britt and Taz’s bathroom reveal

Score: 21.5

A separate shower area – of which Marty had issue with the archway - was described as an “upmarket abattoir,” where he said he felt like “you needed to hose all the blood out of this room.”

“Literally, it’s cold, it’s scary,” he said.

“It's got a bad feeling in here. I don't like it at all.”

Darren on the other hand said he loved it, and said the space felt calm and serene.

“I just feel like the styling just lets them down because it doesn't feel high-end,” Shaynna said.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s bathroom reveal

Score: 26.5

Deeming the bathroom as home to the best styling she had seen all day, Shaynna said the space was relaxing, calming and beautiful.

She loved the green poured concrete solid bath, but the room layout was a letdown, she said.

“This should be bathroom of the day if you look around,” Marty said, noting their change of layout left a massive wall wasted.

But Marty said if Sonny and Alicia chose not to act on their recommendations to remedy the layout, buyers will still like it.

“If we were to bring 10 buyers through all four houses that we've seen, there will be a very large proportion of those buyers that will say that this is their favourite bathroom because of the palette, because of the quality and because of their choices that they've made,” he said.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s bathroom reveal

Score: 27.5

Likened to a “high-end hotel” by Marty, he said buyers will love it.

“From a marketing and a buyer perspective, the buyers will come in here, and it's, I think it's very hard to knock, it feels very luxurious,” he said.

While Shaynna loved the textures, the layout and functionality, she said the styling was cliché.

However, Darren said “quiet luxury” spoke to the market, and it was a chic approach.

“I think quiet luxury is something that people really gravitate to, especially when it functions properly,” he said.

Week 2: Kids’ bedrooms

Tasked with overhauling not one but two kids bedrooms this week saw one Blockhead pair experience a massive fall from grace, while another took out their first win for the series.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	25.5	2
House 2: Han and Can	24	4
House 3: Britt and Taz	28	1
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	24.5	3
House 5: Robby and Mat	20.5	5

It was a week of highs and lows, with one team’s room hailed as hard to beat, earning comparisons to The Block 2023 winners, Steph and Gian.

House 1: Emma and Ben’s kids’ rooms reveal

Score: 25.5

The depth of colour in the pair’s first room was a hit, but Marty did not like the light pendants which he said were “really throwing the room”.

However, Shaynna said whether the colour scheme appealed to you or not, the richness and the texture was enveloping and was very Daylesford.

The pair’s second room won Marty over who said: “This feels great. This is a lot softer.”

The little bed seat and the use of timber was in keeping with Daylesford, he added.

“It has something really special this room, and very marketable,” he said.

After all judges made note of some functional issues, Darren said the space was “high level,” with beautiful proportions and gorgeous architectural details.

House 2: Han and Can’s kids’ rooms reveal

Score: 24

While Shaynna loved the cloud bedhead, the arch, the style of furniture and artwork, she said together they were “too much” and were not functional.

Marty said choosing to style the room as a nursery was a mistake as he believed the buyer market would be people with children, not babies.

“It's too niche. This room is going to jar the market,” he said.

The next room drew better comments from Shaynna who said: “It's different. It's igniting. These girls have creativity, and they've gone out on a limb,” she said.

Meanwhile, Darren applauded the girls for their commitment to “biting off a lot and chewing like hell”.

“They actually are really pushing the boundaries in terms of what they can achieve in time and they have delivered two beautifully finished rooms that have loads of interest, loads of architectural detail, and that that I commend,” he said.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s winning kids’ rooms reveal

Score: 28

Darren walked into the pair’s first room stating he loved the bed, everything on it and all that was around it.

The room’s modern country look drew high praise from Shaynna.

“The curves that we've got in the terracotta and salmon is like undulating hills,” she said.

“And then, we have that beautiful pastel Aboriginal artwork, which is the same running theme of modern country, even though you've got thousands of years of tradition in there.”

The second kids’ room was also an instant hit.

“They really have class. And we've got two police officers up in the dusty bowl of Northam, Western Australia. And look at this. It's beautiful,” Shaynna said.

Britt’s styling and attention to detail was applauded, with Marty describing the room as “extremely luxurious”.

“It'll shoot beautifully. I truly believe that this has been hit out of the ballpark,” he said.

“This is by far my most favourite room of the day, and we've got another two houses to see. I think this one's hard to beat.”

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s kids’ rooms reveal

Score: 24.5

The wallpaper and gallery wall had Darren enamoured, while Shaynna adored the stuffed toy terrier dogs sitting on the beds.

“I just stand here and I just think this is the most beautiful picture, the equestrian, modern sort of country feel. It's absolutely gorgeous,” Shaynna said.

However, the other wall with a TV on it was like being in a “really bad motel.”

The second room did not feel like a kid’s room Marty noted, to which Shaynna agreed but said she liked the colour palette.

“The use of colour is divine in both rooms, and I think that's worth really mentioning for them, because it's something we’ve asked for and they're delivered,” she said.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s kids’ rooms reveal

Score: 20.5

From first place in week one to last place this week, Robby and Mat’s rooms did not win the judges over, with Marty likening the second space to an “upmarket nursing home”.

The first room was applauded for its vibrancy and sense of fun but the wardrobes were too close to the bed, with some paintwork not done in the timeframe.

The second room drew a slew of criticism from the judging trio.

“Oh, boys, what have you done?” Shaynna said. “It's gone to a very old styling aesthetic.”

Both Marty and Darren said the room lacked any mood.

“The mood is, I need to have a little lie down for five years,” Darren said.

“And I may not wake back up!” Marty added.

Week One: Bathroom

For their first room reveal, contestants were tasked with creating a bathroom which saw one team fail to finish the job, and the winning team taking out the week by one point.

Team	Score	Place
House 1: Emma and Ben	24/30	3
House 2: Han and Can	19.5/30	5
House 3: Britt and Taz	24/30	3
House 4: Sonny and Alicia	25.5/30	2
House 5: Robby and Mat	26.5/30	1

Here’s a look at the room reveals and what the judges had to say:

House 1: Emma and Ben’s bathroom reveal

Score: 24

The pair’s texture choices were an immediate hit with Shaynna who noted the room has been inspired by Daylesford’s “undulating hills and dirt and mud.”

Describing it as a “cracker of a room,” Darren loved the natural light through the Velux, as well as the greens and the tiling.

“This couple, Emma and Ben, have lots of experience, and clearly they know how to deliver so I have really high hopes,” he said.

However, all judges did make note of the rough tiling on their curve nib wall.

House 2: Han and Can’s bathroom reveal

Score: 19.5

Calming, soft and balanced were Darren’s initial observations of the incomplete space, which also had a vanity positioned too high.

“If this is an adult, it's already high, but the rooms next door are kids’ rooms. It’s a kids shared bathroom,” he said.

“So this is definitely going to be a challenge for any child that is under 13.”

The industrial style fittings on the shower screen were not a hit with Marty.

Shaynna recommended the girls look to the exterior of the home to guide the interior, and said she did not want them to feel defeated as it was only week one.

“Doing a bathroom on your very first week is overwhelming, exhausting, and that's okay, but I want to point out to them that you never fully tile a bathroom in a cold environment,” she said.

House 3: Britt and Taz’s bathroom reveal

Score: 24

While the vanity height was wrong, the judges loved the team’s use of wallpaper that showed floor-to-ceiling tiling was not always necessary for a successful bathroom.

The nickel tapware hue and the vertical handrails did not win Shaynna over, while Marty did not like the shower screen size.

“I think it's a good bathroom, but it's not great. And from a marketing perspective, where's the Daylesford in it?” he said.

House 4: Sonny and Alicia’s bathroom reveal

Score: 25.5

“Besotted” was Darren’s reaction to the design which was heading in the “right direction.”

Shaynna noted once again the vanity was too high but despite that Marty said the space was appropriate for Daylesford.

“The more I'm in here, the more I like it,” he said.

While Shaynna also critiqued some tiling issues, she said the pair’s execution and planning was strong.

The pair took home the $10,000 budget award.

House 5: Robby and Mat’s winning bathroom reveal

Score: 26.5

Winning the week by one point, Darren dubbed the space “the Goldilocks’ room”.

“This is everything we've seen work in other rooms, working extremely well all together. I think the boys have got a really sweet spot,” he said.

The tile layout, and lines were perfect, Darren said.

“This is absolutely the right direction. This is showing that they have an eye for detail and finesse, and they really have a sense of style that I think is really going to fit this house and this market,” he said.