The Block 2024 Ensuite Reveals: The Bold and the Barren

The Block 2024 ensuite reveals had me underwhelmed overall, it must be said.

My approach when it comes to bathroom design in a home is that the ensuite and main bathroom should have a relationship, stylistically. Think sisters, but not twins.

The ensuite needs to pack more wow-factor though. It’s the jewel in the crown, the Nick of the Jonas Brothers or the Britney of the Spears’. It has to be better than the other bathrooms overall.

This week, some of the ensuites were definitely less impressive than the mains. Perhaps some of the teams played their strongest hand week one and didn’t quite know where to go with their design this time around?

Scroll on as we delve into The Block ensuite reveals, drop all the truth bombs, and discover what went wrong and what felt right.

Courtney and Grant Came First

I loved Courtney and Grant’s first bathroom this season, but sadly this one isn’t filling me with joy. It’s missing that sense of restraint that the first bathroom contained, which allowed a few feature elements to take centre stage, with everything else a supporting player.

Here, there’s too much going on. Every element wants to be the Marcia, but we need a Jan. Actually, we need a Cindy and a Greg. Even an Alice and Tiger would help (if you’re too young to understand those references we cannot be friends). We need to remove a few layers. All that bling can go first.

This bathroom is sporting too much brass. Please, I beg of you, do not install brass trim around your shower. It cheapens the vibe as it has done here. It’s not just the brass though; there are other elements that need to be removed.

There Is One Major Positive In This Ensuite

I do want to put it on record that the checkered tile layout on the wall is everything. I can’t cope with how good they look. This was a killer idea. But then they went and ruined it with the feature niche in the shower. That grey stone is already present on the vanity. It’s way too excessive to repeat it in the niche.

Then we have the vanity handles, the tapware, the second feature tile, the coloured basins. Nothing has the opportunity to shine. It’s like being in the audience at Magic Mike Live; there are so many things to look at that you can’t appreciate the beauty in any singular element. 

There were so many ideas here, and it seems they got lost trying to figure out which ones to run with and which to edit away. One idea they completely abandoned: towel rails near the shower!

Jessie and Paige Came Second

There’s a lot to love about Jessie and Paige’s ensuite. It’s head and shoulders above the first unfinished bathroom they presented week one, and they seemed to have learnt from their mistakes.

The tile distribution is much better here. The feature tile that covers the entire shower zone is a gorgeous choice and in the right application. It and the other tile, plus the continuation of brushed chrome hardware, makes for a very calming oasis. 

The curved edge of the vanity top is sublime too, as is the material. Upper shaving cabinets get a tick, toilet placement gets a tick, the feature lighting gets a tick. However, there are some design blunders to address.

What Didn’t Work in This Ensuite

The double shower head placement doesn’t work for me. The area isn’t wide enough to carry them both. Or, more accurately, they’re placed too close to the outer walls. You’ll be rubbing shoulders with cold tile every time you wash.

I would have gone for one shower head on the wall across from the window and installed a bench seat under the window. It would have created a grander feel. Make it a fully enclosed zen zone with floor to ceiling shower screens so you can steam up inside it like Kate and Leo in that scene from Titanic. 

I also can’t cope with the omission of drawers in the vanity. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again; if I’m dropping that much money on a home, I refuse to bend. I aint dropping down to a low kitchen oven, and I aint dropping down to get a hair dryer from a vanity shelf. Wealthy people don’t bend, it’s a fact.

Kylie and Brad Came Third

The taste level issue continues for Kylie and Brad in their ensuite. Shaynna rightfully pointed out that they need to stop running with an art deco theme. But that’s the issue; I don’t believe they get what art deco is, or that they’re selecting that style.

This bathroom is so old fashioned and out of touch that it prefers to go into the bank to withdraw money and doesn’t remember its Netflix password. I’m sorry to say it, but this is another disappointment. It’s not current, inspirational or aspirational.

The glossy, reflective surfaces feel cheap. The colour palette is rather dated. And the use of that timber in the vanity is overdone (and something this series has produced a million times over with better results).

All Is Not Lost In This Ensuite

I want to give some positive feedback. So let me say, the skylight is nice. The black timber paneling is nice (albeit not quite at home in this space), and the layout isn’t terrible. It’s functionally way better than their last bathroom too in terms of offering a double vanity/basin, a bath tub etc.

But let’s be honest, the bath and shower are closer than Angeline Jolie and her brother. 

This ensuite would have really benefited from some earthier, matte materials. On the colour front, it needs some gritty grey in there to bridge the gap between the black and white. There’s too much contrast between those two tones, and the timber is not enough to create harmony.

There’s also no towel rail for hand towels that I can see by the vanity, and the one place for towels by the bath seems a not-so-convenient spot to access them after you shower.

It is another bad week for Kylie and Brad.

Kristian and Mimi Came Fourth

Kristian and Mimi made some baffling choices in their bathroom, mostly from a layout perspective because the finishes aren’t too bad.

The shower screen so close to the entry to the room was confusing. Why make that area so cramped, and yet there’s a dancefloor of nothingness inside the shower area. It’s a really proportionally-poor ensuite laid out like this.

There comes a moment where a shower is so open that it feels like you’re washing in the middle of a barren wasteland. You are no longer in a shower. It’s not cosy and it’s not cute. You do want some walls nearby you to evoke a sense of cocooning and warmth.

Don’t get me wrong, I adore the bench seat in the shower zone. It’s one of my must have’s for future proofing your bathroom. It’s a great idea, but it’s in such a large expanse that it loses its luxury. 

There Were Some Issues with the Finishes

When it comes to finishes, not all of them are delivering. The big one for me is the timber slat feature moment on the wall. It makes no sense and feels forced. It’s just sitting there trying to pretend it belongs like me at a football game. There’s no harmony and ease between it and the grey tiles.

There’s also too much blue around the vanity. Something has to give. The blue gloss tiles feel a little jarring in this room. Perhaps matte would be better? But then the basins, as lovely as they are, feel like overkill too. And then to have the vanity in blue… it’s pushing me over the edge.

I want it to be calm in here, but it’s not.

Ricky and Haydn Came Last

OK, so we can’t judge Ricky and Haydn’s ensuite as something happened throughout the week. 

What did you make of The Block 2024 ensuite reveals? I’d love to get your take in the comments below? Drop me your thoughts on this week’s spaces.

Images by David Cook Photography, courtesy of The Block Shop. For more info on The Block 2024 ensuite reveals, check out NineNow.