The Block 2023 Studios Reveal: Nice Looking Rooms with Poor Functionality

The Block 2023 studios reveal just went down, and it was a bit of a tough one to judge. This was not a week where one room got it all right. In fact, all of the rooms had problems.

Like the cast of Love Island, most spaces looked gorgeous but don’t function well. Or they weren’t connected to the look and feel of last week’s studio bathrooms. Or the layouts were unsuccessful. It wasn’t all bad though, of course. Some moments felt rather lush.

It’s safe to say there’s a lot to work through. So scroll on as I shot some truth serum and give you the real-world design critique of this week’s Block studios reveal.

Steph and Gian Came First

Visually I’m keen. This studio is calm, it’s inviting, it’s enveloping. It’s also more beige than Gwyneth Paltrow’s sweater collection, but it works from a looks perspective.

The accent tones they sprinkled on top work beautifully too. It’s just the right amount of colour without overwhelming the space.

There’s not a product in here I wouldn’t sell my kidney on the black market for. The bed frame; give it to me. The side tables; I demand them at once. The artwork; express ship it today. Honestly, they’ve done really well in terms of how this room looks.

It also feels quite connected to their studio bathroom. There’s cohesion at play. The two zones are telling a coherent story. You know there’s a but coming though, so let’s rip off the bandaid…

The Layout of The Room Isn’t Successful

Sadly, a room can’t just look good. It needs to be well-appointed, have things in the right place. And this room is not delivering on that front.

Constructing the wall in the centre of the room was a choice; one that’s made a small space feel smaller. The bed and bedsides are unnecessarily cramped. They could have placed a king bed against an outer wall and still fit everything else in.

At the very least, the bed could have sat under the window facing the wall they put in the middle of the room. Then you could have a larger kitchenette installed on that centre wall, mount a TV above, and make it feel like more of a suite (with a wardrobe on the other side nearer the bathroom).

The gas fireplace positioning is also unsuccessful. One person is sweating like a banshee and the other is left cold. It makes no sense there, and I would have foregone it completely.

Kyle and Leslie Came Second

We have to address the elephant in the (very empty) room. This studio from Kyle and Leslie is such a missed opportunity in what could have been The Block’s most epic studio reveal ever. It really did have that amount of potential. And sadly, it was not met.

To not fit this space out with a full kitchenette and living room is more criminal than Ghislaine Maxwell. I can only assume they ran out of time? Please tell me it was a timing issue and not an intentional decision to omit a living space here.

A pilates studio appeals to such a small segment of the market, I’m really surprised they chose to lean into this niche. Even that aside, there are still issues with this room we need to delve into.

Another Gorgeous-Looking Room with Functional Issues

The entrance to this studio feels truly beautiful, as does the colour palette. Much like Steph and Gian’s, I can’t fault the feeling it evokes. It’s calm but luxurious. So we’re onto a win there.

Sadly, the details have not been considered. The arches either side of the bed are design for designs sake and serve absolutely no function. You’d need your shoulders to dislocate in several places just to reach them. So in that respect, they don’t act as bedsides, nor do they serve any other purpose.

The mismatched lights are a bit kooky, and the bed feels a little undercooked on the pillow, cushion and throw-front. I feel they got caught up in elaborate design ideas, rather than thinking about the buyer and how they could use the space.

Eliza and Liberty Came Third

Is it just me, or is the constant marketing of contestants as rookies who don’t know what they’re doing problematic? In the real world, would you ever buy a house from someone who confessed they were clueless throughout the entire build?

I really long for a ‘pro’ season of The Block, where designers transform homes. We desperately need it. Five designers, who each specialise in a particular style, transform a property and share their expertise along the way. Please, God, if you’re listening, make it happen.

Anyway, I digress. This studio was a bit of a shambles, it must be said. It had so many issues that I’m pretty surprised it came third. Let’s talk out where it all went wrong…

Nothing Really Works or Feels Cohesive

There’s no front-running style to speak of in this studio. That’s the first issue. It’s part luxe, part modern, has traditional styling elements, and some rustic touches too.

The colour palette is also quite aggressive; bright blues and oranges do not make for an inviting, sophisticated studio space. The wallpaper is a no-go, and the layout of the furniture is bad as well. The first impression when you walk into this space is not a positive one.

They need to remove the office nook, along with the wallpaper. Rotate the sofa to face where the office nook now is, mount a larger TV there and extend joinery across from the kitchen to run underneath it. Then we’re onto something.

Kristy and Brett Tied for Last Place

At the risk of repeating myself, we have another nice-looking room with poor function. Perhaps the teams got confused as to what they should to with a studio. From my perspective, every single one should be self-contained. There should be no reason to go to the main house.

I love the wallpaper in Kristy and Brett’s studio. I’m using it in one of TLC’s own design projects. It’s divine. I also like the colour palette of the green cabinets. Though I have to agree with Shaynna; it’s a complete style-clash with their bathroom from last week.

We obviously need a rug under the bed, and we also need beside tables either side. The whole thing, like any DIY or craft project I’ve ever attempted at home, is unfinished. We need way more layers to complete the look.

A Layout Change Would Help Greatly

It’s a big job, but I would completely change the layout of this studio. The bed should be on the wall where the kitchen and desk currently are. Then have the wall across from it as a longer kitchen with TV mounted to the side.

You’d then have room for a small armchair zone near the window. That’s my quick take on how it could be improved. Something needs to change, there’s no doubt about it. Because as it stands, there’s just not enough in there. It doesn’t offer much to the buyer.

I’m keen to see if they re-do room this studio when the time comes. A lot of the teams need to do this, actually. Not a good sign for week two room reveals.

Leah and Ash Tied for Last Place

Even though last week’s bathroom from Leah and Ash was so out of place for a modern Melbourne home, I can see that they tried to select finishes for the studio that tied to the two spaces together. But they didn’t take it far enough.

The studio felt a bit safe. If you’re going full throttle with the dark bathroom, you gotta serve up more mood in the living zones. Darker sheers for a start. Darker flooring would also help. It felt quite safe and unresolved.

If you were a buyer walking from the studio into the bathroom, it would come as quite a shock, which it shouldn’t. You should know what to expect from the bathroom based on the design of the room around it. They missed the mark here.

Outside of the Kitchen Zone, It Fell Apart

The kitchen area is rather nice and contains what you need in an off-pool cabana room. The dining table felt a little large for the zone, and might not be required if there’s an outdoor table, but it’s pretty successful overall.

Everything else from there is not. The Murphy bed, I must agree, was an odd choice. They should always be a last resort if a proper bed won’t work, and a comfortable sofa bed won’t work. Here, a sofa makes sense.

Truth be told, the approach to go dark with a bathroom and studio that sits beside a pool is not a wise one. It all feels rather executive, like a city hotel. I’m absolutely willing to be proven wrong, and in fact hope I am. But at the moment I’m not understanding the vision.

What did you make of The Block 2023 studios reveal? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts.

Images by David Cook Photography, courtesy of The Block Shop. For more info on The Block 2023 studios reveal, check out NineNow.