Take a tour of Ricky and Haydn’s house on The Block

The bright pop of pink on the garage door clues you into the playful house you’re about to step into. Upon seeing House 3’s facade, Shaynna commented: “The boys are not about subtly, because not only do they have the biggest palm tree on The Block, they’ve got the boat that they won and the brightest, pinkest garage door we have ever seen.”

Ricky and Haydn’s living and dining rooms were a massive undertaking for the plucky duo, with the expansive room this week proving to be no match for their styling prowess. Likened to a rainbow Paddle Pop, and based around their $20,000 art piece from the Cungelella Art Collective, they managed to make a cosy space of it.

The low ceiling in Ricky and Haydn’s living room was a winner in the judges’ eyes: “It’s quite amazing to have such an intimate feeling in such a vast amount of space”, while the bang for buck was deemed “incredible”. What let them down, though, was their level of sophistication for the multimillion dollar home, and the lighting that “missed the mark”.

While the boys copped some harsh feedback on their dining room’s layout and lack of details, they still managed to create a light and spacious family-friendly holiday house. Not a bad effort, boys!

The stakes were high for the boys on kitchen week, who were starting to make a name for themselves in the competition – and it certainly wasn’t for finishing their rooms on time. Nevertheless, the underdogs managed to kick it into high gear, presenting a kitchen that initially impressed the judges. Loving their choice in cabinetry, but admonishing their placement of appliances in the passageway and the lacklustre styling (“It looks like they’ve come out of the bin!”), the judges were left wanting.

Plagued with miscommunication and encountering the ol’ carpet/hard flooring mix-up (happens to the best of us!), Ricky and Haydn’s main bedroom barely managed to crawl over the finish line. Despite the fact that the boys impressed the judges with their consistent holiday resort styling, graphic palm tree wallpaper and pill-shaped, LED-lit coffered ceiling, the lack of styling saw this room receive the lowest score of the week. By the looks of these real estate images, though, the boys have managed to up their interior prowess in the weeks following. We love to see it.

Initially describing it as a “grand” and “glorious” walk-in robe, the judges’ comments soon morphed into complaints of an “unfinished symphony” when they noticed the proximity of the carpet and clothing to the steamy ensuite, the lack of styling, and the general “panic” they felt in the room.

While the officials pics aren’t yet released, we managed to sneak a peek at the main ensuite in the video home tour released by their real estate. Complementing the other bathrooms in the home nicely, with dual sinks and shower heads the perfect addition to this main ensuite, it’s certainly looking leagues ahead of the woeful waterproofing Wednesday!

Described as “the first time we’ve seen sophistication from the boys,” Ricky and Haydn’s guest bedroom might have marked a turning point in the competition – one that may or may not have been spurred on by the excitement of winning the $120,000 Bar Crusher fishing boat. Appreciating their attention to detail, the curved LED-lit feature wall and tropical-inspired wallpaper, the judges felt like the boys were finally taking on the feedback given to them (something that can’t quite be said for every contestant). A less-than cohesive colour palette aside, the judges declared that the boys have finally found their style in this room: holiday resort.

After officially declaring House 3 as the house of fun, Ricky and Haydn’s overall direction became clear with the completion of their rumpus and games area. It was smiles all round for the laidback room adorned with Grafico wall decals and Gilligan’s Island-inspired holiday decor, and extra points were awarded for the sofa bed and heavy curtains that allow it to be transformed into another guest bedroom as needed. Tick, tick, tick!

Home office? No – games area. Sending the clear message that Phillip Island should be a place of fun, Ricky and Haydn oversaw the installation of not only a pool table, but a Pac-Man machine, Street Fighter II game and a bar cart on their mezzanine level, much to the delight of the judges. “This is the one that I believe people will come and visit, and it will be their kids that say, ‘Mum, Dad, you need to get this one’,” Marty said. And with that, the boys had finally secured their first win of the season. Booyah!

A sea of mustard and custard awaited the judges in Ricky and Haydn’s mezzanine level ensuite, where the boys’ playful nature continued. Noticing a marketable motif in circles, from the round basin to the curved mirror and vanity cabinet, Marty said it plainly: “Does it get the senses going? No. But is it marketable? Yes, it is.”

Ricky and Haydn certainly made sure that no kid would be left without a place to sleep with, yes, even more bunk beds in their mezzanine level guest bedroom. “You’ve got two adult sleeping bedrooms, and 10 kids,” Marty pointed out, worried that they’d soon be outnumbered. Overall, they loved how this section of the house can be sectioned off, meaning the kids can have their own space and “stay totally away from the parents downstairs”.

A tumultuous room to say the least, this week saw Ricky miraculously taking on (and finishing!) the main bathroom all by himself while Haydn jetted off for the birth of his first child. Water-breaking Wednesday, anyone? Commended for the execution, tile choice and vanity, but facing criticism for clashing colours and “impact for impact’s sake”, this bathroom was felt by the judges to be a great start, but they wanted to see more.

Measuring at eight metres, the longest hallway in the season, the boys had a lot of ground to cover for hallway week. They were also the only team to include a walk-in linen cupboard, a unique use of the generously-sized space. The VJ panelling was popular with the judges, while the yellow door was not. “That’s the one thing I’d be changing.”

“Now this is a laundry!” Marty sang walking into the Ricky and Haydn’s bright, inviting space. Sitting neatly behind the entertainer’s kitchen, the laundry, or should we say kitchen overflow, was felt by the judges to be so beautifully appointed and functionally considered that it fulfils every need of the home. From servicing a 12-person laundry and the extra counters that double as a butler’s pantry to the additional powder room and access to the deck, the judges considered this a top contender for laundry of the week. What a workhorse.

In their classic coastal holiday aesthetic, the boys’ third guest bedroom manages to squeeze in another bunk that can sleep two extra children. Playfully designed with a world map decal and gaming area, Ricky and Haydn wanted to make this space the perfect room for the home’s younger guests. While the judges felt the room was claustrophobic and the craftsmanship “rough”, the main takeaway was that it lacked emotional connection.

Tackling a massive area without a landscaper, major delays and some large costs coming their way, the boys wouldn’t let that get them down. One dramatic sculpture, generous lawn, tropical mural and spotted gum swing set later, they managed to create a family backyard worthy of a fun factory. “It’s consistent with the inside of the house in that it’s fun, it’s planned really beautifully for holiday living,” said the judges.

Out the front, the pool was another holiday home essential, and one that ticked a lot of boxes for the judges. With the striped cushions tying in perfectly with their holiday theme inside, it seemed R&H Landscaping – yes the “very good looking” amateur landscapers Ricky and Haydn – had done enough to impress the judges.