It’s week one in The Gatwick’s challenge apartment and our teams have hit the ground running in an effort to knock some money off their reserves. Shannon Vos, the winner of The Block’s Glasshouse season shares the highs and lows.
Surprise, surprise: we all saw it coming at the end of terrace week. The contestants certainly knew what was going down but it’s still a dagger to the heart when your entire apartment is in tip-top shape, but you’ve gotta trudge downstairs and slog it out for another two weeks, all while stepping on everyone else’s toes that are covered in dust, sweat and tears.
It was a hard fortnight for me back at The Glasshouse and working in that space with a million (or thereabout) tradies all on top of one another is enough to require months of therapy afterwards. But, the challenge apartment is the perfect opportunity to think, design and build outside the box. It’s a risk-free chance to be super creative, to blow some socks off, and take a punt on something a little bit different.
Biana and Carla The vibrant wallpaper adds a soft touch to the spacious main bathroom.
The high
Despite their history of creating stunning spaces, Bianca and Carla didn’t create a particularly spectacular bathroom this week as their room had a few flaws in its design. But they sure know how to win us over with some really clever choices.
Bianca and Carla With ample bench space and face-level storage, what’s not to love?
They’ve created an edgy room that balances a classic look with a playful aesthetic, and it’s the perfect ensuite for this apartment. The pink jungle print wallpaper is dramatic, fun and fits the brief; the black framed shower glass is classic and refined; and the floor plan is absolutely spot on.
Bianca and Carla The sumptuous bathtub makes the most of its sunny position.
The girls copped a bit of criticism for the lack of lighting at the vanity, and I would have loved to see their twin round mirrors almost double the size, but the impact from the elements they got just right pulls them through for a slice of the prize when the scores drop.
Jess and Norm Tackling the largest space with the smallest budget was no easy task for the Queensland couple.
The low(ish)
Norm and Jess had the biggest space paired with the smallest of budgets, and this week they missed the biggest of marks. Norm(ally) ones to create the most resolved of spaces, they just ran out of time, money and luck.
Norm and Jess The couple struggled with managing the scale of furniture in such a large space.
Small furniture in a big space will create an room that feels empty, and the lack of textural range and colour will add to that sense of vacancy. A tiny green couch, a super small rug, and the world’s smallest print on the wall, all look like they belong in Derek Zoolander’s ‘School for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Want to Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too’. Yeah, the scale is that bad.
Jess and Norm The wardrobe was the hero of their space.
Their walk-in robe, funnily enough is where all the love is, with decent art and a resolved floor plan. I like the chance they took with the ‘Cemintal’ panels, but the electric fireplace, the bland bed and the total lack of life in the room sees the usually savvy couple place dead last.
Hayden and Sara The judges said that this bathroom was Hayden and Sara at their best.
Surprise
Putting their hands up for another crack at a bathroom (aren’t they just crazy), Hayden and Sara aimed to redeem their $75K ensuite mishap. With a considerably lower budget and a lighter, brighter and more natural aesthetic, they do just that. Though I’m perplexed as to how they actually finished (with more mishaps than hours in the day at the start of the week), they pulled through and delivered a balanced, refined and serene space.
Hayden and Sara The Zuster vanity was the highlight of the bathroom.
A light, bright and neutral room is the backdrop to the gorgeous all-black timber Zuster vanity with a cheeky pop of terrazzo in the oversized round handles, as well as on the top. I’m not the biggest fan of a feature tile in a shower recess as it can easily look cheap and flashy, and I would have loved to see a terrazzo or stone instead of the plastic black one they revealed, but with tighter budgets, something had to be compromised.
Hayden and Sara Elegant and refined, the bathroom made the most of its space.
Surprisingly, this bathroom (at a touch over $20,000) is miles ahead of Hayden and Saras $75K monster back in week three and it goes without saying, they smashed it out of the ballpark this week.
Kerrie and Spence Seeking to make the most of their compact space, the couple decided to build in a recessed shelf above the bed.
Oops
Kerrie and Spence overwhelmed the judges (and some of us) with their graffiti laneway wallpaper, and while yes, it does hold a St Kilda vibe, I think such a bold and in-your-face statement like this is best left out of the boudoir.
Kerrie and Spence The small space includes an in-built study desk.
Bedroom’s need to be a haven of peace no matter what the brief, and the harsh aesthetic of the jarring street scene is a step too far. That being said, it’s hard to fault the rest of their space.
Kerrie and Spence The dramatic streetscape wallpaper was a jarring addition to the space for the judges.
The recessed and built-in bedhead is a great solution to the small space the guest bedroom dishes up. It’s an architectural addition to the room, as is the bulkhead ceiling above, and the built-in study desk. And although I would have preferred to see this veneered in a timber instead of painted black, it will add value to the space. Kerrie has styled the room with pops of St Kilda quirk that builds character in the room, but the overwhelming wallpaper is a huge mistake for them this week.
Courtney and Hans The quirky House of Hackney wallpaper is the hero of this room.
Winner, winner
Courtney and Hans jump into the deep end of the wallpaper pool this week, but unlike Kerrie and Spence who drowned in colour and confusion, the WA couple floated to the surface with a whimsical and an on-trend look into cheeky Australiana.
Courtney and Hans The only criticism from judge Darren Palmer was that they should have added sheer curtains to soften up the space.
The bush babies party scene (yeah, it’s a thing) is apparently on trend for the vibrant St. Kilda market, and Courtney and Hans have seamlessly tied it into a simple but fun room that focuses on play and character. The pared-back styling lets the wallpaper shine as a hero, and the strong lines and pops of colour are balanced by Courtney’s creative styling.
Courtney and Hans A small reading nook completes the bedroom.
I’m loving the explosion of colour in the Australian native print but would have loved to see sheer curtains drape the far window-filled wall to create a bit of softness next to the bold dark lines in the wallpaper. This works well as a room because it balances the restraint as well as ‘the crazy’ – sort of like a level-headed Hans with his pedal-to-the-metal girl Courtney.
And with that week one of the challenge apartment is done, and we’re onto the last week of building. Are you ready? See you then!
See more from Shannon Vos at Vos Creative.
