The Block 2022: Room Reveal 1

Room Reveal 1: Bathroom

With a new team in place and the houses chosen, it’s time for the 2022 Block teams to get started!

And what better way to kick off this huge challenge than with one of the toughest areas, a bathroom?

And not just any bathroom, but a bathroom that could win the contestants $10,000 in cash, a fully mature tree for their landscaping and (wait for it) a $250,000 Winning Appliances kitchen upgrade.

Omar & Oz (first place)

“Wow!” said Neale when he walked into Omar and Oz’s bathroom, and the compliments kept coming. “It’s sophisticated!” Shaynna said as she took in the 90-degree Herringbone wall tiles, Hardie Groove panelling and patterned floor tiles. “It’s stunning!” Neale added. “It all works,” Darren summed up. “This feels like a bathroom that belongs in this house – and belongs on this Block.” And it wasn’t just looks, with features like a heated floor and heating above, face-level storage, power points in all the right places and luxurious shower/bath area making this a room to set the standard for this year.

Shop Omar & Oz’s room here.

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Tom & Sarah Jane (equal second place)

With traditional cornicing and ceiling rose, a restored original light fitting and ample use of panelling, this was a bathroom, Darren said, that’s simply: “very impressive!”. And cost effective too, he added, with the panelling not only beautiful, but a budget saver by limiting the space that needed tiles. There were some issues – the open grill over the door, some mis-matched metals, a lack of vanity-storage and a mis-placed shower door, but overall it was a room, the judges agreed, that showed a high level of sophistication and one that got the judges excited to see more!

Shop Tom & Sarah-Jane’s room here.

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Dylan & Jenny (equal second place)

Down a small hallway, through an arch and into what Neal described as a: “fresh, welcoming – and kind of timeless” as he walked into Dylan and Jenny’s light and airy bathroom, made even better, Shaynna added, by the breath-taking view outside. For Darren it was the sense of balance, with curved mirrors playing off the archway entrance, a blind at the exact height of the picture rail and skylights breaking up the ceiling. Not everything worked, they agreed, with a sloped floor just one problem, but overall, Darren continued, to make a bathroom ideal for a marketing brochure.

Shop Dylan & Jenny’s room here.

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Rachel & Ryan (fourth place)

From the second the judges entered this bathroom, one thing stood out for them all – the space! “This is massive!” Shaynna said as she took in the high ceilings incorporating wide skylights, double shower, floor-to ceiling tiles and storage galore. But was it too much? And most importantly, was it country? The square-set features, timber vanity, basin, “artful” lighting plan and curved glass all screamed modern luxury, the judges agreed, possibly too modern for a country home. A few heritage features might have softened the effect, Shaynna said before all asked the question: Is it appropriate in a country setting? “Just” Darren Palmer said.

Shop Ryan & Rachel’s room here.

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Ankur & Sharon (last place)

It’s shiny and brassy, Neale announced, looking over the bluestone tiles, brass fittings and nib wall in Ankur and Sharon’s “theatrical” bathroom, he just didn’t think it felt authentic. And maybe a bit claustrophobic. Darren disagreed, “I like it!” he said, saying the sultry and moody feeling the team had created, the light fittings and the cornice, worked for him. But it was a controversial space, with Shaynna worrying the historic feel of House 3 – The Grand Dame of The Block as she called it – might get lost if the team didn’t pay attention to the existing features and work to incorporate them into their build.