The Block: Week 5, second guest bedroom reveal

A Block judge shared their very personal response to a design detail in this couple’s bedroom — and now we can’t unsee it.

Shireen Khalil

@Shireenkal

7 min read

September 9, 2019 - 9:53AM

You can thank The Block judge Shaynna Blaze for pointing out a detail during a couple’s guest bedroom reveal that now none of us can unsee.

In Sunday night’s show, Matt and Elise delivered an impressively styled room.

In fact, the judges loved a lot about their choice of colours. But there was piece of artwork that Shaynna decided looked like a girl “vomiting” and even gave her own impromptu re-enactment.

“I can’t unsee it,” she said. And now we all can’t unsee it. Thanks for the visual, Shaynna.

HOUSE 4: Matt and Elise

Despite Shaynna’s strong feelings about the artwork — which was the main feature of Matt and Elise’s guest bedroom — the other judges still loved it.

“I couldn’t love that more,” Darren Palmer said, adding it was a breathtaking image.

Neale Whitaker loved the artwork's colour palette and that’s when Shaynna interjected with her “vomit” assessment.

The colour scheme in Matt and Elise’s guest bedroom was a winner. Picture: The Block

Neale disagreed saying it never would have occurred to him.

“I must admit,” he said while laughing, “I still love it.”

Then they spotted the AM/PM wardrobe. If you’re wondering what on earth that is, apparently all of Australia will have one soon according to Matt and Elise.

It’s two separate wardrobes — one for day clothes and one for evening wear.

Shaynna was more impressed both cupboards had mirrors (the other teams failed on this), but she also loved the concept.

“Oh, oh, oh, look at all this … gowns, gowns, gowns; pants, tops, shirts. I love this as a concept and I love how they have executed it. And I think it works incredibly well.” When you impress Shaynna you know you’re doing something right — she’s a tough woman to impress.

Darren thought their guest bedroom will add a lot of value to their house considering the “party room” (Mitch and Mark’s) is on top.

But let’s just be clear, according to the Bondi boys, it’s not a “party house”. It’s another “living space” just like most houses have in suburban Australia and the difference of opinion caused tension between them and host Scott Cam.

The boys thought it was a personal attack but Scott assured them it wasn’t.

Matt and Elise missed out on the top spot by half a point, so lost out on the $20,000 prize money up for grabs and they were annoyed.

But Shaynna Blaze pointed out the girl in the painting looked like she was ‘vomiting’ and that she couldn’t ‘unsee it’ — and now we can’t. Picture: The Block

However, she loved their wardrobe that was the only one out of the teams’ to have mirrors. Picture: The Block

HOUSE 1: Mitch and Mark

The boys received some solid feedback for their guest bedroom.

But they were super annoyed about the “party room” comment. Last week, they swapped out the master bedroom for an “entertainment space” or “living space”, a move that’s still generating controversy.

Other than that, they seemed pretty content with the judges comments.

The judges said the boys continue to impress with their style.

Darren loved their choice of lighting saying it was like “art” and how blue is their signature colour.

Neale said his only criticism was with the mirrors. He found them a little “heavy” for the room. They were a bit “gothic” for him.

If there’s one colour the Bondi boys know how to do well, it’s definitely blue. Picture: The Block

“I’ll say it … I prefer Mitch and Mark on their own and that’s absolutely not to bag (all-star guests who paired with the boys) Alisa and Lysandra (from the 2014 series), or criticise them in any way but I think the boys have a very strong sense of their own style,” Neale said.

But he did wonder if the girls may have forced them to restrain themselves more than they might have if they’d been on their own.

However, during the feedback, the boys backed the girls saying the four of them made decision together, “good or bad” and they all own it.

Darren noticed there were five different types of metallics in their room.

He said it does miss an opportunity to tie things together.

Even though the boys received a high score of 28, they came last for the first time on the show.

Their lighting choices were described as ‘art’ … Picture: The Block

… but Neale thought the mirrors were a bit ‘heavy’ looking. Picture: The Block

HOUSE 2: Tess and Luke

They took out the win last week for their main bathroom, but unfortunately this week they came equal third with Jesse and Mel.

Walking into their guest bedroom, Shaynna described it as “beautiful”.

She loved the panelling on the wall saying it was a great reference to the tiles from last week’s bathroom

Tess and Luke took a massive risk putting in a horizontal bar across their main feature wall, but lucky for them it paid off.

“It’s all you need to bring a little bit of traditional into this very modern concept,” Shaynna said.

As Darren gently stroked the wooden, panelled wall, he too agreed it was amazing. He actually said he “couldn’t love it more”.

Neale described it as a really accomplished room.

Tess and Luke really impressed the judges with their ‘Scan-deco’ styling (Scandinavian and deco, combined). Picture: The Block

“To me this is a room of very interesting, calculated risks,” he said. “Because to be honest I never would imagine timber panelling would work so beautifully with that shaker profile on the wardrobes.

“It’s a really unusual marriage and if you look at the two in isolation you think, ‘Nah, that’s not going to work’, but it does.”

Shaynna was in love with the room but she did find one negative — the two pendant lamps above the bed.

“I feel they’re too high and not reading lights at all.”

Shaynna was disappointed there ware no mirrors inside the cupboards — this was a running theme with all the rooms expect Matt and Elise’s.

Neale, however, was impressed overall saying they have landed in between deco and Scandinavian, or “Scan-deco” (A word he made up).

If they continue like this, they’ll deliver a “killer room”, according to the judges.

Particularly the timber bar across their feature wall. Picture: The Block

The wardrobe was also a winner, especially against the timbered wall. Picture: The Block

HOUSE 3: Andy and Deb (Winners)

Who would have thought a winning room would resemble a prawn cocktail.

Well, to be specific, it was Andy and Deb’s bed that had Neale reminiscing on all those nights out indulging in the fancy seafood dish.

To him, the green bedhead reminded him of a lettuce and the pale pink cover … a prawn; a reference that left his co-judges confused.

“I have never seen that colour scheme together before other than in a prawn cocktail,” Neale said.

Okay Neale. Thanks for that comparison.

Darren put a quick end to that comparison to say Andy and Deb and Josh and Jenna (former Block contestants from 2011) were a match made in heaven.

He said it feels like they had done it together skipping down the road holding hands.

Wow, the judges are full of creative metaphors.

“It’s a really happy room,” Darren said.

That’s the bed Neale described as a looking like a ‘prawn cocktail’. Picture: The Block

Shaynna loved the wardrobes and the timber internals.

But … no mirrors. Shaynna said it would have been the “icing on the cake”.

Too many food descriptions in this feedback.

Moving on. Darren loved the light choices and brushed brass and the wallpaper reminded Shaynna of a henna tattoo.

She said the only thing to improve was the scale of the bedhead.

“A little bit higher would make it play to the grandeur of this ceiling.”

However, she did give them a tip saying if they put the bed legs back, it would solve the problem.

“This is an incredibly hard room to fault,” she said. “It has a broader appeal even though it’s quite unique.”

Neale concluded by saying, “Well, everyone loves a prawn.”

Andy and Deb’s “prawn” bedroom got them the win with a score of 29.5, but only they used an extra point won in a previous challenge, to boost them above Matt and Elise who also finished on 28.5.

The soft colour choices in the room, paired beautifully. Picture: The Block

Shaynna said the wallpaper reminded her of a henna tattoo. Picture: The Block

HOUSE 5: Jesse and Mel

And now to Jesse and Mel — the fiery two. And for the first time in a while, there’s no drama to report.

If anything, Neale, who’s had a few issues with their styling, said they’re “finally back”.

“This is the first time since week one (guest bedroom reveal) I have been as excited as I was when they won their first room,” Neale said.

“If I had to choose one room today I would want to snuggle in this one … it’s relaxing and so restful.”

Shaynna said it is the colour of the season, as she lifted her purple matching boots to the bed sheets.

“Jesse and Mel are back in the game,” Neale added, while Darren, ever the art lover, took a particular liking to their choice of works.

Jesse and Mel have made a ‘comeback’ with their styling, according to Neale. Picture: The Block

He said the paintings give the right mood and tone and fits the style of the entire room.

“I love this room. It feels like a beautiful, luxurious home and even though they have taken off so much space for what’s going to be the laundry, it still feels sizeable enough to function perfectly well.”

They loved the double hanging wardrobe, but … you guessed it. No mirrors.

Darren also pointed out the lighting installed around the perimeter of the bedhead but because it’s so tight up against the gyprock, you can’t see it.

“That one little detail that they’ve gone to the effort to do hasn’t given them any return,” Darren said.

The judges said if they keep delivering to this level from now on, they’ll be “right up there” on auction day.

Jesse and Mel came equal third with a score of 28.5.