The Block back yard and pool reveals

We’re getting to the end of The Block and on Sunday it’s time for the back gardens and their tiny swimming pools to be revealed.

Who needs a swimming pool in Melbourne? I lived there as a kid and it was hardly ever hot enough to go to the pool.
Although perhaps such a feature will appeal more in a city that has gone through such a tough time with the covid lockdown.

My TV guide at the moment does not have any other episodes listed, but I know the real auctions are November 21.

Of course, no live open inspections this year.

The Block backyard reveals are on Sunday.

What do you think of this season of the Channel 9 so far? Is it better now they are back to doing houses?



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PollyB

Very happy for winners of the car

Fijane

Pity it is actually not a family car, like they wanted. At least they can sell it and buy a more practical option.

PollyB

I’m hoping they actually make money… Vic as a whole, is so ‘isolated’ from ‘Australia’ atm, but huuuge exodus out of Melbs into the regions and interstate over the past couple months.

Maz

Vic

That tree is everything declares Shaynna praising the presence of the oak tree. It is so gnarly against all this architecture. Cue praise for the executive producer.

For Neale, the lack of budget can be interpretated as very simple, pared back minimalism.

Darren likes the change in levels but hates the wall. For Shaynna is beggars belief and is wrong on very level. Tash says they errected it for security reasons.

On to the cabana level and it shows they ran out of money. This area is crying out for an inbuilt sunbed.

Overall, they have created a great saleable home.

Maz

NSW
You kidding me is the cry as the judges all bow down and worship the Japanese Maple in its custom container.
The judges then progress to the backyard. Darren’s mind as usual is blown. Neale just wants to contribute to the swear jar. Behold Dave Franklin’s genius. The backyard makes the house sing. It is a magazine cover that is beyond beautiful. Shaynna even praises the tiles…unusual…different but works.
Honourable mention for the 80 year old olive tree.

Maz

SA
Starting with the side courtyard- The magpie is a great piece of artwork. It is a practical space but not comfortable. They have not addressed the privacy issue of the courtyard. A mature tree was required.

The hardscaping is beautifully done but the shower is impractical.

The inbuilt lounger by the pool is what Darren has wanted to see all day but Neale is left cold by the unadorned black concrete walls. They do structural things well but do not know how to dress the set. It is a cake that needs more icing.

Maz

WA
The curved day bed blows Shaynna’s mind. Darren admires the water feature. However, like SA they have not considered the use of a mature tree (or in this case a palm) to resolve the privacy issue.

The Pizza Party Pit (omg…anyone else expecting the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles?) is next level.

The styling by the pool is excellent and exudes sophistication (never though VB as sophisticated) but anyhoo it is an Instagramable space and that is all that matters.

Maz

QLD
Neale loves the coral painted breeze block and somehow that makes the ugly salmon pink bathroom work…🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 Okay then.

On to the backyard and because it is evocative of the Aaron Slims photography it is a lovely backyard. They have created these gorgeous vignettes (with cactus)..😒

On to the cabana and finally the judges find fault….the bus stop/storage/dressing room does not work. It is a rare misstep for this couple.

Maz

Oops…my taping run out so no scoring….

Bobi

I love a reveal episode.
I prefer houses to apartments.
I don’t like the huge amounts of money being spent.
Remember the good old days when the budget was smaller? And creativity was more apparent? And the contestants did more of the work and less shopping?

Maz

From the Daily Mail:
The winning reveal went to Sarah and George on 30 points, followed by Luke and Jasmin on 29-and-a-half, Jimmy and Tam on 27-and-a-half, Daniel and Jade on 24, and Harry and Tash on 22-and-a-half.

However, it was the ‘Super Power’ leader board that had the most influence, with the winning team not only scoring a Domayne magazine cover but also getting to decide the auction order next week.

Jimmy and Tam placed first on 324 points, followed by Sarah and George on 323.5, Luke and Jasmin on 320, Daniel and Jade on 314, and Harry and Tash on 302.

Juz

Thank you, Maz

Bolders

I enjoyed the Block this year and wish there were a couple of more episodes before the auction on Sunday.
For the next season, I wish they would provide some more information on exactly how the interior design is done – I’m not sure I can believe that the teams don’t get any help with colour and design. If they get a consultant so be it, but without that information on when and how the designs are chose, I feel like we just jump into the show half way: we get the first episode where the new contestants see their house for the first (?) time and then the next episode they’re full into the design, colour, scheme etc
I like information 🙂

Maz

Hahahaha….looks like the new neighbours for Block2021 are not happy little campers. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8959711/The-Block-caught-heritage-issue.html

We had to wipe away the tears of laughter when they quote the executive producer Julian Cress as always *cough* ‘celebrating’ *cough* heritage features. Interesting turn of phrase for stripping out and completely obliterating the heritage features.

The other thing we read is that they intent to do Wipe Swap/MAFS faux drama with swapping couples and their houses after that have commenced and swapping the partners within the couples. Can you imagine Sunday night scoring with MAFS Dr Trish asking her only scripted question…

Fijane

These backyards were a bit of a let down. The huge budgets, preplanned excercise pools and limited suppliers resulted in judging that had to focus on minute details to find half points in the scoring.

I think Tash and Harry were benefitted from their lack of money. As usual, the tree and the aspect were 75% of their score, but I liked the simplicity that allowed the yard to be restful. But how now do they recitfy the undone painting? The judges were right about the wall, but it should have been a gate instead. A black wrought iron would have looked great.

House 2 was nice, and for the third time deserved the winner, just by a greater margin. Enough fancy stuff to impress and be useful, but not over the top. Loved the stonework, and in reality it was the stone planter that made the courtyard – the tree won’t mean anything until (block-time) spring. I can see a big win at auction for this house, and numerous media appearances for Sarah and George, the new Kyal and Kara.

House 3, again, nice but not as flash as house 2. This house will suit a buyer who just wants a simple style to put their own stamp on. I am not sure how they suddenly have colorbond on the porch roof after all the fuss earlier in the week.

House 4, definitely not my second choice, just a cluttered mess. The daybed was awful (it might have passed as a sculpture) – not even made of wood, just plastic, uncomfortable shape and no real cushioning. Cramped back yard with too much built-in features. The buyer will have to spend to remove what they don’t want.

I also wish that the table and chair had been hidden better by “me housemate” so it wasn’t found again. Jasmin really has no shame in asking for what she wants. I would have liked her to confess that her piddly ropes were the reason the furniture fell.

House 5: Well, well, looky-here, we have a dining table. A tiny, round, four-seater. But with no porch roof that table, and the floor will get very wet in Melb rain.

I suppose these guys are consistent. They had a vision at the start (not difficult in the current “mid-century” mania) and followed it through without fear. Not my style, but maybe someone’s. The backyard was okay, but what was with the “storage” area? This was not mentioned at any point during the week, then suddenly it jumps up at judging. It really reduced the lap pool edges. I can see why they thought it was a good idea, but somehow it just didn’t work. I didn’t like the tiled picture wall, and that would be expensive to remove and put something else there.

Finally, a whole reveal with not one reference to having to finish defects. We didn’t see anybody doing them, and there is no evidence that they were done for that reveal. Shonky.

Fijane

So, what are the predictions for winners and losers at auction?

I have two lists, what I would like and what I think will happen:
What I would like:
1. George and Sarah – excellence in general
2. Dan and Jade – safe and practical, and quality work
3. Jimmy and Tam – reward for hard work and great project management
4. Luke and Jasmin – some good ideas but overdressed and possible structural shortcuts.
5. Harry and Tash – shoddy work, too much help from others

What I think might happen:
1. George and Sarah – best allrounder for the buyer
2. Jimmy and Tam – just needs two buyers who are mid-century obsessed.
3. Harry and Tash – forget the house, the buyer wants the north aspect and the tree.
4. Luke and Jasmin – someone will like curves, and won’t care that a 1910’s house has been ruined.
5. Dan and Jade – middle house curse, might be seen by some and not “high-end” enough.

All the houses suffer badly from the lack of communal space, which would turn me off buying any of them, especially at that price point. For that money you would want an extra family room, a media room, a hobby room, and somewhere you could fit more than 20 people for a party.

But I expect big profits this Sunday. There is no hint in the promo that anything doesn’t sell, and I think the location (near the beach) and the separate houses will attract more buyers than usual. I also expect the reserves will have been dropped by covid, to ensure sales in a difficult market.

PollyB

Agree on all points.
I don’t get the lack of decent sized communal space. There’s not a room big enough to comfortably fit the number of peeps the bedrooms cater for. I mean, they could all fit in the kitchen/dining/lounge, but those houses should have a room for at least 8 big lounging seats – a couple of couches & chairs, or a big sectional that fits in lots of combos, with room to easily walk around. Hate a huge house crammed with furniture.

Maz

It will depend on the reserves and auction order.

If George and Sarah are well placed in the auction order they should win.

History has shown over and over again, been the judges’ pets doesn’t necessarily bode well on auction day. They really ought to have been scored lower on some of their spaces…*cough* living sans dining and that oversized landing masquerading as a flex space…and that industrial wasteland homage they deemed to be a front garden. And that peach /public convenience hybrid and who wants a laundry in the entrance?

Tash and Harry should do okay if they are not undermined by the reserve. They had the well proportioned living space out of all the houses. Though any potential buyer will need money for new bathrooms and a roof.

Jade and Daniel should do okay. Not expecting them to win but they will win’ some coin’ (even if Channel Nine needs to intervene) as they have a strong sob story.

Luke and Jasmin…she played the game. Shrug.

It could be argued that all the houses were ruined not just the 1910s house. That is the fundamental problem with the Block. They always make such a fuss that a particular building belongs to a particular era and that the contestants must play homage to it but a) they never elucidate what defines the era or b) play fast and loose with the eras c) forget all about it by week three. J&D were told specifically this season to look at the detailing in the hallway and try to incorporate in the house going forward….what ends up happening?…that god awful curved textural wall becomes that house’s crowning glory.

Though, the absolute worse crimes against period housing committed by the Block was what happened to the Gatwick and Oslo. Unbelievable.

Didn’t particularly care for this season. The houses were trashed and the contestants on the whole were awful.