The Block 2020 Guest Ensuites: Style Wins and Major Sins

The Block 2020 guest ensuites have been unveiled. And you guys… this was not a good week. I’m honestly concerned for the future of the season if they’re trying to convince us that some of these unsuccessful spaces are phenomenal. Someone has to speak up and make this right, and it may as well be me.

Out of the five bathrooms this week, two were lovely, one was alright, and two were absolutely wrong.com/makeitstop. Shall we deep dive into this reveal and go through which guest ensuites had me shocked and appalled?

I’d love for you to leave a comment at the end of this post and let me know if you agree with me or not. I could be wrong. Look, it’s happened maybe once before. So perhaps I need to workshop these issues with my therapist, or maybe I’m actually dropping accurate truth bombs. You tell me. I’m all ears.

Have you entered this month’s giveaway to win a $500 Block Shop Voucher? Do that here.

Jimmy and Tam Won. The World has Gone Mad

I always like getting the photos of the reveals come through and making my own mind up before I see what the judges on the show say. I don’t want to be swayed by anyone else’s opinion.

I saw Jimmy and Tam’s guest ensuite photos and thought… What in God’s name has happened here? This is honestly one of the worst bathrooms I’ve seen in years on a reno show – and I recapped this brothel-inspired enquite reveal on House Rules!

You’ll imagine my shock when I watched the episode and discovered that all three judges raved about this ensuite and scored it first place. I need a bex and a good lie down immediately.

The Tiles from Hell

The bright turquoise tiles paired with the gold accents (of which there were way too many) hit me like a hangover: painful, intense, and no amount of Nurofen is going to make it go away.

The gold trim around the door, window and shower recess was overkill, and I just can’t get my head around the layout of the tiles themselves. They don’t even line up with the top of the shower screen. There’s simply no method to this madness.

I also completely disagree that this ensuite perfectly matches the vibe of the guest bedroom. For me there is no connection at all. Not in style, not in colour.

The one thing I did like was the Terrazzo flooring and the Terrazzo stool in the shower. That is it.

Sarah and George Came Second. I’m OK with it.

One of the biggest gifts Sarah and George got in this house was a huge guest ensuite footprint. There was so much room to play with. Did they use it wisely though? That would be a ‘computer says no’ from me.

It’s very easy to get caught up in the rules, the eras, the brief, and all the other things that get thrown at you as a contestant on The Block. But for me, it always comes back to the buyer. What would a buyer want?

In a bathroom of this size, a buyer would appreciate a bath. And Lord knows one would fit. George got very wrapped up in the dream of having a somewhat separate poop zone, but why? There was room for a vanity, toilet, shower and bath in this space, and yet they didn’t include them all.

Visually, I Don’t Mind it.

I did appreciate the period references in the vanity and the black tapware. The door handle was also nice. Overall, it’s a cute space, so I don’t have huge issues with it outside of layout. Do I think those pink tiles will date? Yes. Do I think they could turn off a potential buyer? Yes. But let’s see how this plays out.

The styling was a bit much. So many things thrown in there. Bath towels, hand towels, robes on hooks, slippers. And the champers in the shower? I know we’re in lockdown here in Melbourne but the moment I start drinking in the shower is the moment I need to get onto a helpline of some sort.

The whole setup of that stool with accessories on it in the shower zone is nice, but nice beside a bath! Why why why is there not a bath here?

Luke and Jasmine Came Third, but Deserved First

Luke and Jasmine were robbed. There, I said it. Out of all The Block 2020 guest enquites, this was a clear standout for me. And it’s something a potential buyer will walk into and fall in love with. It’s functional, it’s beautiful, and it feels like a modern interpretation of a vintage scheme.

I know they had some trouble finding the right vanity, but the one they finally landed on was a nice choice. I agree with Neale that some eye-level storage would have been preferred over the arched mirror, but there are two rather large drawers in the vanity and space for towels underneath.

The shower screen is just beyond. I’m obsessed. I never want to see a transparent shower screen ever again. From here on in its reeded screens all the way. On everything. What a genius choice. These guys are back in my good books.

I Guess There Were Some Issues

I consider the issues small, but I guess the judges are going over some things with a fine tooth comb. No towel rail? Sure, it’s an issue. An issue you can fix pretty easily, but I can understand why some marks were taken off there.

They also had issues with the shower screen installation. Something about the way it sat. It was crooked or something, right? Again, this is an easy fix. And not something a potential buyer is going to consider a deal breaker. You know, like everything in Jimmy and Tam’s turquoise ensuite.

Daniel and Jade Came Fourth. Not Happy Jan.

I looked at the images of Daniel and Jade’s ensuite and wanted to immediately call Richard Mercer to play a love song dedication to it. This is my vibe all over from a visual perspective.

Gorgeous white marble tiles with visible veins. Black tapware. An unexpected but stunning mirror moment. I want it all and I want it now. I’ll even take those mahogany towels. There was so much to love here.

The only thing I would change about this bathroom is the lighting (the brass was an odd inclusion), and I’d have two basins in a vanity of that size. But other than that, yum!

The Great Era Debate

I can understand where the judges were coming from when they discussed this ensuite not meeting the brief. Neale felt especially annoyed, suggesting that this was a somewhat cookie-cutter luxe bathroom for a 2020 market. The judges are playing by the rules, and it’s their job to enforce them.

Here’s the thing though. I don’t believe the potential buyer cares about the era of the house to that extent, or ensuring each room has a modern interpretation of a particular decade.

If I were a contestant, I would make the bathroom, laundry and kitchen the most mass-appeal spaces I could to rake in the cash on auction day. I would never risk turning off a buyer by making a permanent feature a divisive one.

I would by all means hark back to the period of the house in decorative ways (cushions, decor, art, coffee table etc) but not permanent elements in kitchens and bathrooms.

I guess what I’m saying is… I’m fine with the fact that the bathroom was modern and luxe.

Harry and Tash Came Last, and Deserved it

We’re up to the last room in The Block 2020 guest enquites critique. And sheesh. I don’t know which space is worse. Harry and Tash’s ensuite or Jimmy and Tam’s. Both were plagued by terrible colour combinations and both will surely turn off potential buyers. I find it so interesting that one team landed in first place and the other team landed in the bottom.

I was so into Harry and Tash’s guest bedroom last week. I wanted them to win. I had them picked as the dark horses of the competition, but they really let me down here.

There’s just so much going on in this bathroom. They really needed to pick one feature and let that be the star of the show. The floor tiles could have been it. But then they added loud blue tiles on the wall. And then introduced another tile on the wall. It was so overwhelming, especially with the red decorative accents thrown on top.

All Was Not Lost Though

I will concede that the vanity is delicious. I quite like it and feel it brings a bit of charm and interest to the room. But it really does get lost in all of the chaos. The black basin was a bit of a miss for me (just too much black in one zone), but that would be an easy fix.

I hope Harry and Tash bounce back next week. I’m really rooting for them. The poor things, like many contestants, are confused by the eras. It’s messing with their heads. Just create a nice home that a luxury Melbourne buyer will love and you’ll be fine.

What did you make of The Block 2020 Guest Ensuites?

Now, I’ve really laid it all out here. Left no stone unturned. So now it’s over to you. What did you make of The Block 2020 guest ensuites? What did you love, what did you loathe? And was I being too hard on Jimmy and Tam?

I’d love to get your take on how the series is travelling so far for you. Drop a comment below and let me know.

Stay up to date with all things The Block via The Block Shop and Nine Now.

Have you entered this month’s giveaway to win a $500 Block Shop Voucher? Do that here.