The Block 2018: Week 7, kitchen room reveal

KITCHEN week in The Block is always impressive but throw in thousands of dollars worth of appliances and it steps up to a another level.

Shireen Khalil

6 min read

September 17, 2018 - 6:59AM

YES, this week’s room reveal on The Block was all about the massive, fabulous kitchens,

but did anyone happen to notice the $46,000 fridge and wine rack?

Pretty sure that’s a new car, deposit for a house, or better yet, it can buy you a house in Broken Hill with money still left over.

South Australian couple Kerrie and Spence not only had the biggest kitchen ever seen on The Block, but also the most expensive.

In their safe was a bunch of vouchers from Sub-Zero and Gaggenau appliances and, as host Scott Cam pointed out, “you can sell all these appliances and buy another house”.

The Sub-Zero fridge-freezer and wine rack were an absolute winner with the judges. No surprises why, it cost a whopping $46,000.

The 122cm built-in, side-by-side refrigerator/freezer is worth $26,995 (an average fridge costs about $2000), while the wine compartment, which stores up to 147 bottles, costs $18,995.

Kerrie and Spence were commended on their overall styling and orientation of the kitchen, earning them an impressive 30 out of 30 points.

What’s so special about these units?

THE FRIDGE: (RRP $26,995)

An air purification system based on NASA technology which fights spoilage
Hand-finished wrapped stainless steel doors and distinctive louvred grille
LED lighting
Dual refrigeration
Odour crispers
Magnetic door seal system which locks in cold air and adjustable shelves for maximum convenience
Digital control maintains consistent temperature within 1 degree of the set temperature you set
The freezer and refrigerator do not share the same air cooling system (most other fridges do)
Interior air is refreshed every 20 minutes to preserve food for longer and reduce food waste

WINE STORAGE: (RRP $18,995)

The 76cm wine rack holds147 bottles
It not only acts as a cooler but as guardian against heat, humidity, vibration and light — the four enemies that can rob wine of its complexity and character
Two independent preservation zones (one for red, one for white)
Full-extension wine shelves cradle bottles safely
Bronze-tinted UV-resistant glass, soft LED lighting and a darkened interior which protects against the light exposure that can affect ageing and cause unpleasant aromas
Dual-evaporators maintain the appropriate level of humidity, ensuring corks don’t dry out

A very expensive wall of Sub-Zero and Gaggenau appliances. Source: The Block

Inside the $26,995 fridge. Source: The Block

… and the $18,995 wine storage that can fit up to 147 bottles. Source: The Block

They also won Gaggenau appliances which included a combi-oven, coffee machine and a stainless steel combi-steam oven. Source: The Block

KERRIE AND SPENCE, SA, APARTMENT 1, SCORE: 30 (Winners)

Kerrie and Spence delivered a flawless kitchen — after all it helped having won a bunch of expensive appliances to complete their overall look.

They placed a wall of appliances in the centre of their kitchen, a huge island bench with ample seating and a butler’s pantry that would be the envy of any decent home cook, as the judges said.

Darren Palmer was immediately impressed with the monolith of an island bench and bench top. “If this was my home I would be pretty damn happy with my kitchen,” he said.

Neale Whitaker pointed out, it’s not only the biggest kitchen they’d ever seen ever seen, but also the most expensive. They also loved the bells and whistles in all of the Gaggenau appliances they had won in the safe.

“They look spectacular,” Shaynna Blaze said, adding the way the island bench has been styled with the fresh ingredients is “perfect”.

“Execution throughout the kitchen is superb and the lighting is perfect too,” Darren said.

Neale Whitaker described it as heaven for anyone who loves cooking and entertaining.

“It’s a bit hard to fault anything,” Shaynna said.

Which is why they scored a perfect 30 points.

Kerrie and Spence winning kitchen. Source: The Block

This is what 30 out of 30 looks like. Source: The Block

Can never have too many wine bottles.

The rangehood. Source: The Block

BIANCA AND CARLA, VIC, APARTMENT 5 (PENTHOUSE), SCORE: 26.5

After weeks of consistently high scores, the netballers got a taste of what it’s like at the bottom of the leaderboard with a score of 26.5, sharing equal second last with their new besties, Norm and Jess.

But they still nailed their styling, something they have done since the beginning of the competition.

They had a concrete finished island bench, charcoal coloured cabinetry, a study nook with oak laminate and an oversized butler’s pantry.

Upon entry, the judges loved it, with Neale calling it “sexy and sophisticated.”

Darren loved their cloudburst concrete on the bench top (because he has one too).

The first thing Shaynna did when she walked in was ask Alexa to turn the blinds up, lighting the room.

“This kitchen really looks the part,” she said, adding, “they have been consistent and nailed their market.”

But, there was no bin and no dishwasher, something the judges weren’t impressed about, along with the execution of the paintwork in the butler’s pantry.

“We have a wine fridge and no dishwasher, that’s weird, that’s a strange choice” Darren said.

Although they found the bin and dishwasher in the massive butler’s pantry, it wasn’t fitted in the right area, Shaynna said.

Despite a couple of functionality issues, the judges believed the girls delivered a kitchen that matches the living and dining room.

The look of a “sexy and sophisticated” kitchen with charcoal coloured cabinetry. Source: The Block

The girls always nail the style brief. Source: The Block

The judges said the execution of the paintwork in the butler’s pantry could use some more attention. Source: The Block

They had a wine fridge but no bins or dishwasher which Darren thought was weird.

The concrete finished island bench was a winner.

NORM AND JESS, QLD, APARTMENT 4 (PENTHOUSE), SCORE: 26.5

Norm and Jess almost didn’t finish their kitchen but they managed to pull off one of the best the judges have ever seen on the show. But of course, it came with a "but”.

Darren couldn’t go past the sense of luxury of the full marble island bench, Neale was loving the shaker profile of the doors in the stone grey, while Shaynna thought the leather stools were “just gorgeous” and was very impressed to see peonies on display.

But they spotted some functionality issues; “It would have been better to have more bench space beside the sink,” Darren said. “While the stools look great, there’s no space to sit at them — they are bar stools, not kitchen bench stools.”

Like Bianca and Carla, they didn’t have a bin in the kitchen, just in the butler’s pantry.

But they redeemed themselves with their impressive voice automated plumbing which powered the taps.

Darren loved everything he was looking at and Neale added “aesthetically it is a very, very sophisticated kitchen. It looks stunning.”

In fact they think it’s one of the best kitchens they have ever seen on the Block.

“But the functionality issues, they’re the kind of things that pull a great kitchen undone,” Darren said.

They did however agree this is a kitchen that a lot of people are going to fall in love with.

Norm and Jess designed one the best kitchen on show, but functionality let them down. Source: The Block

Darren loved the full marble island bench and the voice automated taps. Source: The Block

Inside their butler’s pantry. Source: The Block

The leather stools were too “bar looking” for Neale.

Shaynna didn’t like the positioning of the coffee machine.

HAYDEN AND SARA, NSW, APARTMENT 3, SCORE: 28.5

Hayden and Sara managed to halt their run of negative feedback with this week’s kitchen reveal.

They got the “wow” factor they were after with a score of 28.5, closely behind winners Kerrie and Spence.

There were minimal “buts” from the judges who loved nearly everything about their design.

They were particularly impressed with the different orientation of the kitchen bench, which was at a right angle to the big sculptural range hood at the end.

“This really brings it all together,” Neale said, now understanding why they had structured their living and dining room in a specific way.

Shaynna loved the idea of the bench seat with the added storage underneath the window. “Quaint” and “functional” is how she described it.

“I love the cushions, that little bit of blush pops and adds something to this space.”

Darren thought the lighting schedule was terrific, saying it was a very good combination of functional task lighting and clever mood lighting.

The only thing that was missing for Shaynna was a power point on the Island bench.

They all agreed it was an amazing kitchen with a genuine “wow factor”.

“It’s so beautiful and so sophisticated and if it had sophisticated styling, oh my God,” Shaynna concluded.

Hayden and Sara kitchen room reveal. Source: The Block

Shaynna love the brass handles throughout the kitchen and butler’s pantry. Source: The Block

They were also commended on having extra storage and seating space. Source: The Block

The judges loved the positioning of the island bench.

… and their hanging globe lights. Source: The Block

COURTNEY AND HANS, WA, APARTMENT 2: SCORE 24

The WA couple weren’t feeling too confident with their kitchen reveal, questioning whether they should have a butler’s pantry like the other contestants — and they were right.

Neale described the kitchen as being “disconnected” from the rest of the living and dining room, while Shaynna had issues with the island bench not going all the way down the centre of the kitchen and not having enough stools.

Neale acknowledged they had no choice in the structure of the room but Shaynna argued it could still have worked.

But it wasn’t all bad news. Darren said the thing that struck him most were the finishes … “the White Attica Caeserstone paired with the Batillion Cabinets and especially the Champagne overhead cabinets are all very good choices in my opinion and very trendy right now.”

Shaynna thought the overall styling was “gorgeous.”

Neale couldn’t fault the pantry stylistically — he thought it was very well presented and very functional too.

“There are some amazing things, it’s going to photograph well but the only problem is they’re going to be up against four other bedrooms in the building that integrate better and that will be their biggest problem,” Shaynna concluded.