Inside The Block 2020 Hallway and Laundry Reveals

I’m told some sporting event delayed The Block 2020 hallway and laundry reveals this week. I don’t know what event it was, but I’m not happy about. it. Did the Mermaids play the Cougars? Did the Buffalos take on the Stallions? Either way, judging The Block of a Sunday is my sport and I demand that Channel Nine to never do this to me again.

The extra day did give me the opportunity to consider another issue I have with The Block this season. Apart from the eras brief and the tiny living and dining rooms, I’ve decided that the miniature laundries this series are just not cricket (did you like that sporting analogy? It’s the only one I know). If I was buying a luxury Melbourne home, I’d not be keen with a laundry the size of a Maccas bathroom.

This is a problem that’s not the contestants fault. Well, not unless they had the opportunity to change plans but didn’t. I’m not sure how that part of the process works, but I can’t really hold them accountable. Someone let this slip through to the wicket keeper (is that two sporting analogies?) and it’s resulted in an LBW (laundries be woeful). Let’s explore all of the spaces and discuss what worked and what didn’t. See you in the comments section at the end!

Jimmy and Tam Came First

It must be pointed out that first place was awarded to Jimmy and Tam thanks to the gnome, which grants them an extra point they can use at time of judging. I have to say though, I don’t think second place was an accurate position for them to be in either. Out of the three spaces, only one was good, but it wasn’t enough to have them land toward the top of the scoreboard. 

Let’s Start with the Entryway

There’s something extremely empty and cold about this zone. Given that the entry is your first impression of a property, nothing about it says ‘welcome home’ to me. It’s almost too large, and yet completely under-styled. It feels like the foyer area of an old apartment building. Those doors just need numbers on them and a bulletin board hung nearby. 

The timber wall treatment is a nice idea, I don’t take that away from them. But then they installed a really retro-luxe pendant light that completely fought against the contemporary feel of everything else in the space. It’s one confused area, and certainly not top-scoring. Why art above the console table and not a mirror? An entry needs a mirror, I won’t hear otherwise.

The Laundry was Better

Visually it works if you remove the mushy pea cabinets. But that’s what they have going on in the kitchen so I understand their desire for cohesion throughout the home. The other elements of the space are nice, although it still feels incredibly small and quite claustrophobic. 

The other huge issue I have is the laundry door coming right off the entry. Disguised in timber cladding or not, what’s with that? Who wants to walk in the front door and immediately think of the pile of smalls they need to put in the washing machine? That is some bad spatial planning on someone’s part!

The Powder Room Was Actually Stunning

Well look what’s happened near the end of the competition; Jimmy and Tam delivered a space that was retro enough to reflect their individual style, but still palatable to a luxury Melbourne buyer. I feel like Cher right now: if I could turrrrrrn back tiiimmme! This is the feel they needed to execute across the entire home from the get-go; fifties vibes in small doses, but ultimately keeping the buyer in mind.

The flooring works in here. The kit kat tiles are great. I really love the mirror. And the tapware is beautiful. All in all, I can’t fault it. Even that pink bar of soap is delicious. 

Luke and Jasmin Came Second

So my faves Luke and Jasmin would have come first if Jimmy and Tam didn’t have the gnome to get them ahead. And I feel their pain because they did deliver the best spaces of the week. And I know Jasmin was upset, and the tears were flowing. But Jasmin, let me just tell you this: you gonna be crying tears of joy come auction day girl, so don’t sweat it.

The Entry & Hall Were Delicious

This zone is a really successful one. It’s a great illustration of how you can create a space that feels rather simple but still packed with character. It’s something Daniel and Jade got horribly wrong (we’ll explore that soon), but L&J knocked it out of the park (another sports reference – I’m getting butcher by the minute!).

The wall treatment was divine, the flooring was gorgeous, the pendant light worked, and the black metal frame glass door at the end of the hallway was everything. The only think I would tweak is removing the console table altogether. Let it be a gorgeous long corridor without interruption.

The Laundry Was the Best of the Lot

So much space in here. So much room to move. So much countertop to play with. This was hands-down the only laundry of the lot that felt roomy enough for the size of the home (though I still say I’d want larger if it were my house). It was very well laid-out and all of the functionality boxes were ticked (including a drying cupboard, which just screams ‘I have money’).

The look and feel of the laundry was also consistent with the Luke and Jasmin vibe. It matches in perfectly with the other rooms they’ve created, and it reads as light, bright and ethereal. Who knew a laundry could feel welcoming. It’s almost enough to make me want to spend time with a washing machine.

The Powder Room Was Good, Not Great

The main issue I have here is that it’s a little off-brand for Luke and Jasmin. The wallpaper is the main thing throwing me here. It reads as a Jimmy and Tam wallpaper, not a Luke and Jasmin. It’s just a bit tropical and a bit loud. And then the mirror on top of it tips me over the edge. I don’t get that sense of calm I normally would from one of their zones. 

That said, at least it’s a contained space that you can close off. I always say if you’re going to experiment somewhere with dramatic design, a powder room is a good space to do it.

Harry and Tash Tied for Third Place

It was an average week for Harry and Tash, so in all honesty third place feels right. It’s not that any of the spaces were bad, per se, but they just didn’t deliver the wow or really up the ante. I actually don’t feel much for them at all, which is probably quite a bad sign.

The Entry Was Disappointing

I’ll go on the record as saying that I loathe all of these old front doors. They really bring down the luxurious vibe, and I don’t think they increase value or feel charming in the slightest.

You know what else doesn’t bring charm? That truly heinous artwork they hung in the entry. Firstly, as we already discussed, an entry needs a mirror. But secondly, it’s truly quite ugly. I know it’s the work of former Blockheads, so it feels (a tiny bit) wrong to bag out their creative attempts, but I have to be honest; it’s a ‘no deal’ from me, and it’s bound to scare children.

The Hallway Was a Non Event

I believe Neale pointed out how flat the space feels, and I have to agree. The runner is boring, the large artwork is boring. The pendant is beautiful but it’s still not enough to save this zone. I do love the skylights; they’re a clever design feature. I guess in summing it all up, the shell of the zone is nice, it’s everything they put on top that let them down.

The Laundry Was Fine

It was small, but it was fine. I don’t feel an emotional pull, but I’m also not repelled by it. It’s just a nice stock-standard laundry in a modern home. I feel like there could have been a wow moment here though. How about a dazzling tile, or a gorgeous light? It’ll function just fine but I’m not dying to spend time in there.

Sarah and George Tied for Third

I still stand by my comments from weeks ago that Sarah and George are going to rake in a good profit come auction day. For the most part, there is a wonderfully luxe sense of cohesion going on. I suspect when they get a chance to re-style the spaces they’ll ramp up the sophistication in some rooms. But overall, I like their vibe. And this week, they gave us more of it. Well, in some spaces anyway.

The Curved Door is Absolute Design Goals

I mean, seriously, I would have awarded them the win based on that hallway door alone. It’s a true gift from the design gods and I’d like to bask in its glory for all eternity. It’s one of the most magical moments I’ve seen on The Block in a long time, and it made an otherwise ordinary week of reveals feel a lot more special.

That said, not everything in the entry and hall was good. I totally agree with Neale that one major moment of large retro art would be good. Those two big pieces side-by-side feel a bit squished into the space.

On the opposite wall, everything needs to come down. I loathe (looooooooathe) artworks of old movie stars. It’s tack-o-rama at the best of times, but even worse in a luxury Melbourne home you want people to fork out millions for. This is not the Hard Rock Cafe (remember cafes, Melbourne?), so let’s do away with those immediately if not sooner.

The entry furniture also needs to go. Most of the hallways this week were too narrow for furniture. Let’s let them be hallways. The pendant lights were stunners though. Loved those.

The Laundry (Or Dog Prison) Was Odd

Thankfully this wasn’t as small as some of the other laundries this week, so points to them for trying to zone it to show how multi-purpose it could be. That said, what’s with the dog jail? I’m coming to rescue the pooch who gets thrown into the slot to live out their days alone, when there’s an entire house for them to enjoy. That was a really odd design decision and clearly indicates that Sarah and George do not own pets.

The mud room idea was also a nice thought, but I feel the laundry footprint really isn’t large enough to accommodate it fully and have it be a moment. It all felt a bit cramped and hodge-podge.

From a visual perspective it worked and it definitely speaks to the other zones in the home, so it’s not all bad. 

The Powder Room Threw Me

It’s really just the wallpaper that felt like a misplaced Anne Geddes gumnut baby throwback. I don’t mind the print itself, but it’s certainly in the wrong home. This wallpaper would look divine in a country property. Imagine it paired with rustic timbers and vintage furniture. That’s where it needs to be, not in a modern Melbourne home.

It’s also the fact that the vibe of the print doesn’t work with anything (and I mean anything) Sarah and George have done on The Block this season. Everything else in her is nice though (the basin is especially cute).

Daniel and Jade Tied for Third

I’m a bit baffled by Daniel and Jade tying with other teams this week when they clearly delivered spaces that were less impressive.  I keep saying it every week: they just throw something new at the wall to see if it sticks. And they’re still doing it. They did it literally this week by throwing wallpaper at a wall that bears no resemblance to anything else in the home. 

The Entry and Hall Were Basic

Where Luke and Jasmin achieved simplicity but with character and charm, Daniel and Jade’s hallway was the opposite. It was so simple and void of character that it read as quite flat. No wow-factor, no real focal point. It’s just a hallway with a pendant in it. I will admit that the runner was a nice choice, and way more impactful than Harry and Tash’s, but it didn’t safe the zone by any means.

As already mentioned, the wallpaper was so bizarre. Just because it’s Florence Broadhurst and just because it’s from the era, doesn’t make it appropriate for your home. The scale of the print is also way too jumbo. It would make you stop and think… WTF is that? And that’s really not what you want people to stop in this zone to ponder.

The Powder Room and Laundry were the Same

Both space are fine, I think that’s really all I can say about them. Both work nicely, both won’t offend a buyer, but neither are giving me an OMG moments or heart palpitations.

The laundry feels a bit tight on space and there’s no window treatment on the back door, which is a bit of an issue. 

In the powder room, it was a nice palette but felt at odds with Daniel and Jade’s home. It feels more aligned to Sarah and George’s kitchen vibe.

What did you Make of The Block reveals this week? Drop me a comment below and share.