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Hot on the heels of last week’s living and dining room reveal, tackling the heart of the home is one of the most important and challenging rooms to renovate, so this year’s contestants on The Block are in for their biggest challenge yet at The Gatwick. Shannon Vos, the winner of The Block’s Glasshouse season shares the highs and lows of this week’s kitchen reveals.
Kitchens sell homes; we’ve all heard it a thousand times but get this: kitchens win The Block. From Josh and Elyse to Will and Karlie, as well as a pair of devilishly handsome brothers a few years back, all won their respective kitchen weeks and then all went on to win at auction. So, it’s imperative that these new Blockheads get their kitchens millimetre perfect, because these spaces will have the biggest bearing on any potential buyer at sale time.
Norm and Jess The shaker-style cabinet fronts add an elegant touch to the kitchen.
The high
After Norm and Jess’s ode to Scandi chic in their stunning lounge and dining last week, I was expecting a sleek kitchen with timber and stone accents. But what we got was a mid-century setting with a luxurious and contemporary touch that sits perfectly with their previous spaces.
Norm and Jess Tan barstools make the kitchen seamlessly fit into the open-plan living space.
The soft ‘Stone Grey’ shaker style cabinetry gives the kitchen a calm setting and the Calacatta Marble island benchtop drips a luxury that sets Norm and Jess apart from the others this week. The voice activated taps literally blew my mind (though I’m still a bit dubious), the tan leather stools tie in well with the aesthetic of the lounge area, and I”ve got a soft spot for Neff’s ‘Hide & Slide’ ovens.
Norm and Jess The butler’s pantry features hand pressed chevron tiles and a subtle warmth due to the floating timber shelves.
The walkaround butler’s pantry is a modern take on a traditional space and was just as stunning. The ‘Nood Co‘ hand pressed chevron tiles are gorgeous and the timber shelves are warm but a few small functionality issues prevent them from a perfect score.
Courtney and Hans An unfortunately placed beam and apartment layout had the reno rookies scratching their head during this week’s challenge.
The low
Courtney and Hans had all the hallmarks of a great and functional kitchen: a huge amount of space, plenty of natural light, and a point of difference with their kitchen being separated from their living. But, they went and stuck a great big stinkin’ wall right in the middle of their kitchen, killing any remnants of natural light and cutting their space in two.
Courtney and Hans Champagne cabinets above add a pop of personality to the kitchen.
Every kitchen had an expansive butler’s pantry this week, and I would have loved to see Courtney and Hans buck the trend and do away with one. Their floor plan lent the possibility of a huge galley kitchen with a giant island bench, and a few clever tweaks with the cabinetry could have hidden sinks, benches and all the appliances you wouldn’t want the Joneses to see.
Courtney and Hans The butler’s pantry was described by the judges as perfectly functional and well-styled.
Though their kitchen is nice with a few pops of wow in their champagne cabinetry and ‘White Attica’ stone, it was never going to compete with the bigger spaces in this state.
Hayden and Sara A trio of delicate glass pendants add a softness to the kitchen space.
Surprise
I held my breath for this one – I didn’t want to see any Art Deco in the kitchen, nor did I want to see another verbal smackdown. But, what a surprise and what a gorgeous kitchen!
Hayden and Sara The bulkhead around the rangehood transforms it into a feature, rather than an eyesore.
Hayden and Sara created a delicate and soft space, perfect for the family unit but with enough grunt to cook for the footy team. Flipping the orientation, the feisty couple made the most of the natural light and utilised the space well, placing a bench seat below the window and creating a soft and inviting setting.
Hayden and Sara Designing their butler’s pantry to be completely hidden, the judges loved the overall design, but felt that there needed to be small functional tweaks before the space was perfect.
Making a feature of the rangehood was a nice touch and the hidden butler’s pantry is practical but also streamlined. What I love about this kitchen is the softness and delicacy of the brass and white palette – it’s the perfect balance to the bank of black cabinets. Overall, this kitchen feels like a welcoming family space, but the bones are there for a real entertainer’s hub.
Bianca and Carla The sophisticated style of the kitchen works consistently and perfectly with the aesthetic Bianca and Carla have created in the rest of their apartment.
Oops
Bianca and Carla created an aesthetically perfect kitchen this week. The two-toned cabinetry was on point, the ‘Cloudburst Concrete’ island bench was dreamy and the four tube pendants are oh so stunning.
Bianca and Carla The striking pendant lights above the island bench had judge Darren Palmer gushing.
But two fundamental mistakes prevented them from winning this week: the absence of a dishwasher and bin from the kitchen area is what tripped them up. It’s a bit of a functionality failure for the girls, and the kitchen is one of the spaces where function must come before form.
Bianca and Carla Despite it’s ample storage, Shelley Craft felt that the butler’s pantry was a “monumental waste of space”.
I love the ‘Zip Hydrotap‘ and the self-extracting induction cooktop, but it’s the little things that make a kitchen, and the girls will have to remedy these small mistakes come auction time.
Kerrie and Spence Sophisticated and high quality, Kerrie and Spence won with the first perfect score of the season.
Winner, winner
With a win in their sights from week one, Kerrie and Spence loaded their bigger-than-colossal kitchen chock full of top-shelf appliances. Gaggenau ovens lined up like toy soldiers compliment the matching induction cooktop, which all sit against a massive SubZero double fridge and wine chiller (let’s be honest and just call it a cellar).
Kerrie and Spence The wall of appliances behind the island bench make an impressive statement.
Seriously, the amount of money in these appliances is beyond ridiculous. Kerrie and Spence’s kitchen is phenomenally huge and beyond what kitchens need to be – it’s a monumental space that could cater to literally any type of function.
Kerrie and Spence The butler’s pantry is free flowing with ample storage.
The butler’s pantry is bigger than most of the other kitchens, delicately styled and opened at both ends, making traffic flow a breeze for the umpteen butlers fussing and fixing over your next meal. The beautiful Caesarstone island is more than ample for most family dinners, and though it could have easily been a cold and imposing space, the delicate styling and honed finishes bring a dreamy and subtle softness to the room.
With their kitchens under their belts, our teams are now past the halfway mark and the apartments are truly coming together. Next stop? Hallway week. We’ll see you then!
See more from Shannon at Vos Creative.
