The Block has set up in the popular tree-change town of Daylesford for its 21st season, with contestants taking on five brand new homes in the town’s new Middleton Field housing estate.
The Blockheads have their work cut out for them, with each of the five homes seeking at least four times the town’s median house price.
And with each house having the exact same floor plan – it will be up to the contestants to make their home stand apart come auction day.
Jump to each week's winners
- Week 11: Backyard and pool
- Week 10: Alfresco, shed and wine cellar
- Week 9: Laundry, pantry, mudroom, water closet and garage
- Week 8: Guest suite
- Week 7: Kitchen
- Week 6: Rumpus room
- Week 5: Living and dining rooms
- Week 4: Main bedroom
- Week 3: Main bathroom
- Week 2: Kids’ bedrooms
- Week 1: Bathroom
Week 11: Emma and Ben's winning backyard and pool reveal
Score: 37.5 + 1 (gnome bonus point)
One of the hardest houses to beat in terms of how relative it was to the natural environment was Marty’s take on Emma and Ben’s efforts.
Reminiscent of the rolling hills of Daylesford, Dave said one vantage point was “basically designed as an amphitheatre to look out at Daylesford.”
Emma and Ben's winning backyard. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
He loved that 80% of the garden was native plants, which were very sustainable and said the Sheoak trees would be an extra metre tall come auction day.
The fruit orchard, pool, fire pit and its seating were big hits, with Marty noting it was the listing’s backyard hero shot.
The cellar impressed all judges, with Darren praising the stonework and colour palette which related to the outside, and the landscaping.
House 1 spent $19,375 on their backyard. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“We are in a real estate competition. This is adding value to the buyers, and after seeing house five celler, this is the perfect chess move,” Marty said.
“I just love how luxury it feels and there's so many layers of luxury here. That is what will capture the buyers, and when they see this online, this will jump through the screen,” he added.
Week 10: Robby and Mat’s winning alfresco and shed (and wine cellar) reveal
Score: 30, first place
Winning the week with three perfect scores, Robby and Mat’s highly anticipated wine cellar left the judges in awe.
Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“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 and workshop was also a hit, as was the alfresco area.
Week 9: 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.
Taz and Britt took out yet another win this week. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
Plenty of praise for the layout and plenty of storage space. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“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 power room was described as "heaven". Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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 showstopping garage. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
The garage did not disappoint, with the strip lighting, chequered flooring and its gallery style being a lovely “little invitation in
Week 8: 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.
Emma and Ben's winning guest suite. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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 inclusion of a kitchenette in the suite was well-received. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
Emma and Ben spent $35,399 on their guest suite, with bedroom, ensuite and kitchenette. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“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.
Week 7: Britt and Taz / Robby and Mat's winning kitchen reveals
Kitchen week saw the first joint win of the season with House 3 and House 5 both taking out first place.
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.
Britt and Taz spent $17,968 on their winning kitchen. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.”
The judges were big fans of Britt and Taz's kitchen, living and dining space. Picture: Channel9/9Now
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 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.
Robby and Mat spent $19,413 on their winning kitchen. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“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.
It's the first tie with Robby and Mat and Britt and Taz taking out the win. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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: Han and Can’s winning rumpus room
Score: 29 ¼
A space that the entire family could enjoy was how Marty summed up Han and Can’s winning room.
Han and Can in their winning rumpus room. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“So from a marketing perspective, this really hits every single person that will enjoy coming to stay at this house,” he said.
Han and Can spent $11,570 on their winning rumpus room. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
The judges loved the layout of the cinema room. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
Darren loved the art: “I actually really love the whimsy and playfulness of these artworks. This is beautiful style.”
Week 4: Britt and Taz’s winning main bedroom and walk-in wardrobe
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.
Britt and Taz have now taken out the win twice. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
Britt and Taz's winning main bedroom. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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 couple spent $15,074. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.”
Score: 29
Week 3: Han and Can’s winning main bathroom
A see though bath was deemed a success by the judges, with Marty likening the overall space to a Daylesford day spa.
Han and Can's winning bathroom. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
“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.
Han and Can from House 2. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.”
Score: 28 + 1 (after playing their gnome for a bonus point)
Week 2: Britt and Taz’s winning kids’ rooms
Darren walked into the pair’s first room stating he loved the bed, everything on it and all that was around it.
Britt and Taz from House 3. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.”
Britt and Taz's winning kids bedroom. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
The couple spent $16,970 on the two rooms. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.”
Score: 28
Week 1: Robby and Mat’s winning bathroom
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.
Winners of bathroom week, Robby and Mat. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
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.
The 'Goldilocks bathroom'. Picture: Channel 9/9Now
Score: 26.5
These images were originally published on nine.com.au/TheBlock.
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