The Block 2020 Master Bedrooms Reveal: Best & Worst Moments

Seeing The Block 2020 master bedrooms revealed this week had me going through more emotions than a contestant on The Bachelor. I was shocked, I was surprised, I got angry, I got sad, I was elated, I felt crushed. I didn’t take a mud bath, throw a tantrum or try to register expression through a frozen face. But outside of those three things I feel the experience was quite similar.

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There’s so much to say about these master bedrooms, you guys. And as I’m sure you won’t be at all surprised to discover, it was another week where I didn’t agree with the judges. Well, in some rooms I did. But the scoreboard at the end certainly didn’t reflect what I wanted it to. So why don’t we just dive right in and talk though all of the style wins and sins from this week’s The Block 2020 master bedrooms reveal.

As always, I’d be very keen to hear your thoughts on the reveal. Have a scroll through the imagery below and read my critiques then drop a comment at the end of the post. I often wonder if I’m alone in these opinions of mine, so don’t be afraid to let me know if you agree or not. I love the input!

Harry and Tash Came First

OK, so I’m legitimately shocked that Harry and Tash came first. I may have enjoyed their guest bedroom at the start of the series, but this master is fraught with issues. Did the judges award them the win like teachers do with under-performing students to give them a confidence boost? I really can’t be sure, but I can be sure that this wasn’t winning room material.

The Lack of Balance is the Main Issue

If you take a look at both images above you’ll see the two sides of Harry and Tash’s master bedroom. The main issue I have with it, as I’m sure you’ll agree, is that one side of the room is heavy and dominated with colour, and the other side of the room is stark white with not much going on. The contrast between the two is huge, and it results in a room that feels off-kilter. If they were going to go high-drama on one wall, the rest of the space needed to at least complement it in some way.

The Competing Focal Points is of Concern too

The feature wall behind the bed; sheesh. I don’t know how else to say it other than to declare it completely unappealing. From a design perspective, there are two competing focal points. The wallpaper is so bold and in-you-face, and then they placed an elaborately-shaped bed in a bold colour with tufted buttons in front of it. It’s just way too overbearing. Choose one or the other.

Does a Buyer Want this?

On a personal level I hate both the bed and the wallpaper, but I also feel like they’d turn a buyer off too. You want to walk into a master bedroom and feel it’s either light and ethereal or sophisticated and packed with grandeur. This room is neither of those things. Can someone get an estate agent on the phone ASAP. Is anyone thinking about the potential buyer?

Daniel and Jade Landed Joint Second

Looking over all of the scores from The Block 2020 master bedrooms I’d say that Daniel and Jade should have come second. Which they did. Not joint second (we’ll get to that shortly) but second nonetheless. There were a few things here that bothered me and a few things that worked, so let’s discuss them.

The Overall Vibe is Appealing

What I was just saying about Harry and Tash’s space not being light and ethereal or sophisticated and moody; at least Daniel and Jade ticked the former box. This master bedroom does have that soothing, light and bright feel to it. It’s quite restful and calm, but not boring thanks to the inclusion of a few key details like wallpaper. This is the sort of wallpaper that might be slightly divisive for a buyer, but it doesn’t push it too far.

The Colour was a Bit Much

I applaud their wanting some bold colour in here. But for me, the dark blue and gold against the white backdrop is a bit much. You look at the space and there’s just this gigantic blob of blue in the middle of the room. Again, like with Harry and Tash, choose one moment. If the headboard is dark blue, change the bedding to a soothing soft grey and add in a blue throw to tie it together. It’s a bit overwhelming. I would have taken out the mustard accessories altogether.

WTF Are those Lamps?

I know Shaynna found them kind of endearing, but I just can’t. Not only do they look like something you’d find at junk shop, they don’t work in this space. These are master bedrooms on The Block in 2020. Where are the wall sconces? Where are the pendant lights? So many of the rooms this week has tiny little lamps on bedsides. That doesn’t cut it in a luxury Melbourne market.

Luke and Jasmin Landed Joint Second

Ah, Luke and Jasmin; the couple that’s fast becoming my fave in the competition. What I find so good about their approach (outside of the ghastly guest bedroom they did week one), is that they’re striking the right balance. They’re delivering rooms that will appeal to a buyer. They’re giving a good nod to the era without tacky, over-the-top inclusions. And they’re still delivering decorative moments that impress a furniture and homewares addict like me. They’re ticking all the boxes.

This is a First-Place Master Bedroom

As I’ve mentioned before, when I see the reveal photos I always rank the rooms before I see what the judges say. And out of all The Block 2020 master bedrooms, this one stood out as the winner for me.

It’s light and bright. The shell of the room features period details. The colour palette is soft and soothing. It’s textural and interesting. It feels like a master bedroom. Sure, the queen bed was a mistake. But it’s a glorious four poster bed and can be easily upsized. And those bedside tables are equally impressive.

The Selling Power of a Bay Window

Trust and believe, little things like the inclusion of a bay window make all the difference when it comes time to sell this property. A well planned home, and a well staged one, is all about selling the fantasy to a buyer. You want them to imagine themselves in it living their best life. And that’s what the bay window does.

The Only Master with Sconces

All of the other master bedrooms this week had sad little lamps on bedside tables. These are master bedrooms on The Block, selling in a luxury Melbourne market. A buyer expects a pendant or sconce. So I’m applauding Luke and Jasmin for including these stunning brass ones in their space.

Sarah and George Came in Fourth

Fourth place is probably fair, all things considered. I rank Luke and Jasmin first, then Daniel and Jade second. The rest of the bedrooms were all pretty similar for me in terms of scoring. None gave me anything to write home about. Sarah and George made a lot of blunders here, so I’m really struggling to find nice things to say about the space.

Another Poorly Balanced Room

This master bedroom suffers from exactly the same issue Harry and Tash’s does; it’s so heavy and dominant on one side and so light on the other. The balance is really off. For a master bedroom that doesn’t look incredibly big, that large-scale mural just leaps out at you as soon as you walk into the room and makes it feel smaller. And am I going mad, or was this used in a bedroom last year? It was this exact design or something quite similar.

The red bed against it was a major fail too. Although the bedhead and quilt cover combo is my traditional Christmas theme in bedding form. Not that you want your bed to remind you of Santa’s sleigh.

Where’s the Mood Lighting?

There are some real practicality issues here. I know this show is a reno-for-sale and staging-for-sale show, in essence. And so some comments about smaller decorative moments become irrelevant in the end. But the lack of a lamp, pendant or wall sconce on either side of the bed is a major issue. One that wasn’t even commented on. I guess if you buy the house you have to install these yourself?

That Unforgivable Fireplace Height

It’s going to come back to bite them in the butt, I promise you. Any potential buyer who walks into the room is going to see that, think it looks odd, and be a bit turned off by it. Like Darren said, it’s obvious why they wanted it higher (so you can see it when you’re in bed). But you can’t just break the logical rules of design like this and expect buyers to be OK with it.

Jimmy and Tam Came Last

The last of The Block 2020 master bedrooms is here, and I have to admit, Jimmy and Tam deserved the lowest score. Before we get into this space though, I want to address another issue I have.

If you line up Jimmy and Tam’s master, guest ensuite and guest bedroom side by side, there’s simply no design cohesion. That’s such an issue that nobody seems to be addressing. There’s a green and yellow guest room, a turquoise and gold ensuite, and now a pink and yellow master. It’s a really unsuccessful approach to whole-home design. You want a property to have a consistent colour palette at the very least, and this one doesn’t. I can’t see how it’ll help them come auction day.

There are Moments to Love Here

Before we address functionality, can I just say that from a purely visual perspective there are some wins here. The bed frame and bedside tables are both lovely pieces. The chair in the corner is rather attractive, and I really do like the wallpaper in this space (way better than the other one they used in the guest bedroom). I also really enjoy the bricks as a feature in the room. Visually I’m OK with it.

The Functionality is Terrible Though

The judges accurately read them for filth when it came to the decision to put the ensuite between the bedroom and walk-in-robe. But the other major functionality issue was the fireplace being so close the corner of the bed. There’s absolutely no way you could use it, so it becomes a bit of a redundant feature in the room, which is a real shame. The entire footprint of the master, robe and ensuite needs a major re-work in my humble opinion.

A Little on the Warm Side

While I like a lot of the pieces in this space, it does read as overwhelmingly warm. The bed and bedsides break one of my major bedroom decorating rules, and the yellow quilt cover set on top just pushes it in too-warm a direction. Throw in the warm bricks and the blush chair and this space has me sweating already. Some cooler tones in here would be appreciated.

What was your Fave Space?

Out of all The Block 2020 master bedrooms, which one do you think should have taken out first place this week? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Were there any moments I missed here that were major style wins or sins that you noticed? Let me know!

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For more info on all things The Block 2020, visit The Block Shop and Nine Now.