The Block 2020 Guest Bedroom Reveal: Chris Judges Each Space

The Block 2020 guest bedroom reveal just went down, decorating junkies, and we have so much to talk about!

Before we do, have you entered this month’s giveaway to win a $500 Block Shop voucher? Do that here first.

We need The Block more than ever right now, don’t you think? I’ve watched every episode of every design show on just about every streaming service. I need some new content. You also know how much I love a deep dive into these room reveals to discuss what worked and what didn’t. And you know I’m a truth teller who doesn’t hold back 😉

What I will say though, having worked on Changing Rooms as a designer back in 2018, is that this is a tough gig. It was hard for me and I’m a designer. Having insight into the challenges these guys go up against each week has softened me a little. But only a little. That said, I should point out that I’ve never gone after contestants during these reveal recaps either, and I won’t start now.

It’s always been about the design. So that’s what we’ll examine with each reveal in 2020. If there’s a bad idea, I’ll call it out. If something could be improved, I’ll tell you how. And it there’s an amazing product, I’ll mention that also (and link you to where you can buy it). Because what else is there to do in isolation and lockdown but get a little Block style into your own home if you see something you love?

So let’s not waste another minute getting into The Block 2020 guest bedroom reveal. Because I didn’t agree with the judges.

First Place: Jimmy and Tam

To quote Pauline Hanson, please explain? I’m not saying this is a bad room per se, but I am saying that I don’t see what the judges see here. And I definitely don’t think it should have been the winning space of the five.

The ambience is there. I feel the soft and soothing vibe they were going for. So yes, the room feels nice. I can imagine if you were in it you’d get that ethereal feeling. So I give them points for creating a mood.

But outside of that everything feels pretty basic. It’s a bit retail store 101; shopped straight from the catalogue.

Can we talk about the wallpaper?

The wallpaper just doesn’t feel right for the space. It’s very literal. We’re a few blocks from Brah-ton beach and so we’ve decked the wall out with palm tree wallpaper. There’s something a bit on-the-nose about it. I see this wallpaper working wonderfully in a Brighton cafe or surf shop, where the literal beach reference works. I do not see it working on the bedroom walls of a luxury home. Nothing about it screams high-end.

We also have to address the layout

It’s bad you guys, it’s just bad. Doesn’t everything feel squished into the corner? There’s a lot of dead space in the zone at the end of the bed toward the mirror that sits across from it. The crumpled sheers in the corner of the room also make that entire portion of the space feel quite cluttered and shoved together. I don’t know how much scope there is to move walls and doors, but I do know that this bedroom layout needs a rework.

Why no lamps?

I also feel a bit let down by the lack of grandeur with the bedside table styling and the lamp on top. The bed, lamp, and bedside tables are all the one colour. We needed some variance in tone and texture here. You know that matching your bed and bedside table is one of my major bedroom design no-no’s. And why is there a lamp on one side of the bed and a collection of feather dusters on the other? It feels 80% there.

Second Place: Daniel and Jade

This is another space that nails the colour palette and mood. It gives you that serene feeling when you look at it, no doubt about that. The soft greys and greens playing together with white accents is quite lovely. And it does feel quite plush and inviting with the carpet and bed layering.

But this room, I hate to say it, is pretty stock standard. I’ve seen it a million times, and at least a dozen times on The Block. So, as much as I was hungry for a wow moment, we didn’t get it in this guest bedroom.

The lack of bedside is unforgivable

I need an explanation for why you’d put the bed where you put it with a fiddle leaf fig on the left-hand side. We all know how hard figs are to keep alive. Not that the plant species is the issue. I need to know why they decided not to give the person on the left of the bed a bedside table at all. They get nothing. Not only is it completely impractical but it also throws the balance of the room off visually. I get this is more a ‘staging for sale’ approach, but even for selling purposes you’d stage it with two bedsides.

And the one they did use was inappropriate

That side table is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong. I see it in a luxe living room with other brass accents in the space and a great big lamp on it with a soft round shade. I’m not angry at the table, it just has no place in this bedroom pretending to be a bedside. It’s an imposter! No storage for guests at all and the lamp on it is rather unattractive.

So many easy fixes though

It won’t take much to salvage this bedroom, because they really were onto a good thing. Simply move out the armchair first. Then shift the bed to the right of the room so it’s closer to the window. Flank the bed with two ample bedside tables and then place large lamps on them. Move the fig to the corner between the wall-heater and the plantation shutters and voila – a fully resolved space.

Third Place: Harry and Tash

I’m going to come right out and say it: this room should have won. And this is coming from someone who feels a deep dislike for red and orange tones in a home.

This father and daughter duo may have some initial setbacks during the home decider round, but in The Block’s guest bedroom reveal I’ve gotta admit that I’m super impressed.

This room feels like a guest bedroom in a luxury home, in Brighton, that’s been staged for sale by a professional. It’s the most resolved and genuinely the only one of all five that looks considered, chic and complete.

The colour palette is delicious

As I said, I’m not into red or orange tones. Not for my home, not for the home of my design clients. But Harry and Tash are converting me. Who knew?! The pale greys punctuated with the burnt oranges is a winning combination, and I love the pops of black in the art, curtain rods and wardrobe door handles. I’m honestly struggling to find something that stands out as a miss on the colour-front. Even the blue moments work.

The bedsides could use a little work

Look, they’re not the bedsides I would have chosen for this space, nor are the lamps. The bedside tables would have been better had they been a little higher and a little wider. They just feel a little dwarfed in the room. You also barely notice the lamps. Something with more impact would have been appreciated.

I agree the carpet could have been darker

The carpet and the bedsides/lamps are the only tweaks I would make. Because the sheers are a soft grey, they blend a little too much into the carpet. Darker charcoal flooring would not only make the space feel more luxurious, but it would give some tonal contrast between curtain and carpet. The curtains do indeed match the carpet here lol – I cannot believe I just made that lame joke!

Fourth Place: Sarah and George

We’re definitely getting to the worst two rooms of The Block 2020 guest bedroom reveals. I shall try my best to be constructive here, but there were numerous issues we need to address. And sadly a lot of them are not easy tweaks like simply moving some furniture around. It’s a shame really, because portions of the room are OK, but so much of it needs an overhaul.

Let’s discuss the guest bed and study combo

Not a bad idea to put a study zone in a guest bedroom. The reality is, whoever buys this home might have young kids or a teen. So sure, a study zone isn’t crazy. I agree with Shaynna that a walk in robe would have been better, but a study is fine. The issue is they took too much room out of the bedroom footprint, and then didn’t make the desk usable for more than one person. If you’re going to do it, at least have two chairs at the desk so more than one person can use the zone.

Visually the study is delicious

I really enjoy it from a purely looks perspective. The colour palette is chic and moody. The dark brown tones on the desk work beautifully with the grey desktop. And I enjoy the pops of black in the door handles and the power points. Even the shelf above the desk is absolute design goals. I adore it. It just really fails on a usability front. Such a long desk, with power points for two computers, but then one chair. Very baffling.

The bedroom has numerous issues

Where do I start? The colour palette is nice but that’s where it ends. The bedding is so flat and lifeless. The matching pendant and sconces are really unattractive. That headboard has been done to death. The bedside tables barely suffice as bedside tables. And lastly, the sheers over plantation shutters just don’t work. Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just living my truth!

Fifth Place: Luke and Jasmin

We’ve come to last place in The Block 2020 guest bedroom reveal. And I have to admit, the judges scored this one right. This was the worst room of the lot. I would say there were a few issues here, but really, there were loads. And again, I’m not hating on any one product because the individual elements are all gorgeous. They just weren’t put together well.

Let’s start with the colour palette

It’s overwhelming and extremely high-contrast. It’s actually quite interesting to compare this room to Harry and Tash’s, because both used red and blue against a neutral backdrop. But where Harry and Tash employed restraint and a medley of neutral tones, Luke and Jasmin didn’t quite get there. The jump between the stark white walls and the brights on the bed is too big a colour jump. It doesn’t feel relaxing at all. It’s all rather jarring and uneasy on the eye.

The bed zone in general is messy

I’m not mad at a curved headboard. I’ve seen them in rooms and thought they looked delicious. Mostly kids spaces though, to be fair. In this space it made the bed feel quite small and not grand enough. It almost looks like a king single bed. If the blue headboard was the star moment, they needed to turn down the colour in the bedding and get rid of the rectangle art above the bed. It’s all just too much competing for your attention.

The one killer moment to rival them all

I am dying (absolutely dying) over the artwork that sits on the wall beside the bed. My eye went straight to it. And that’s surprising considering how bright the rest of the room is. The colours in it are divine and I wish they had of pulled tones from it and put those into the bedding. That was the winning moment overall this week – forget everything else. But sadly it wasn’t enough to save the rest of this room for Luke and Jasmine.

What was your fave moment from The Block 2020 guest bedroom reveal? Drop me a comment below and let me know!

For more info on all things The Block in 2020, check out The Block Shop and Nine Now.