House Rules kicks off with biggest design challenge ever

For the first time ever, the teams must band together in the first House Rules challenge – all working towards a common goal of the best possible auction price for a complete makeover of a house in the Sydney suburb of Rosebery - the profits of which will become the competition prize money.

The rules they are to cut their teeth on will hopefully set the design bar high as they’ve been set by judges Wendy Moore, Laurence Llewelyn Bowen and Drew Heath.

1. Create Contemporary luxury in a “café cool” home

2. Let the Australian Impressionists inspire your colour palette

3. Pay homage to Florence Broadhurst in the master suite

4. Use art to add colour and urban edginess

5. Play with spaces

We’re looking forward to seeing how the teams execute these rules – there is plenty of decorating and renovating inspiration to play with here.

Adding to the drama was the unfortunate incident where design expert Carolyn Burns-McCrave suffered injuries from an accident on site, which took her away from the troubled teams – leaving them alone with their design dilemmas.

The auction house has been divided up between the 7 teams with each one being given a zone to work with and execute the House Rules as best they can – the key to scoring well with the judges at the end of the challenge.

LEIGH & KRISTIE: VIC (Zone: Front exterior and Nursery)

The competitive couple wasted no time putting Leigh’s chippie skills to use on the front façade with Leigh building the pergola entirely by himself.

"We're in this competition to win that money and we're going to do everything that we have to, to do it."

Leigh & Kristie Team VIC

KIM & MICHELLE: NSW (Zone: Entry, Ensuite and Loungeroom)

The mother and daughter team have the specific rule to ‘Pay homage to Florence Broadhurst in the master suite’, so are working on a full feature wall in the ensuite using the iconic designer’s wallpaper.

HB Inspiration: 

Marcel Aucar

TOAD & MANDY: NSW (Zone: Kitchen and Master bedroom)

The dairy farmers were a long way from home in Sydney’s inner-city streets. Cleverly planning a window seat in the master bedroom to answer the rule “Play with spaces”, Mandy has chosen Florence Broadhurst wallpaper for the upstairs. 

HB Inspiration: 

Prue Ruscoe

JESS & JARED: SA (Zone: Dining room, Laundry, and First floor hallway)

The couple worked well as a team with Jess confident in her design and styling skills.

JOSH & BRANDON: QLD (Zone: Staircase and Bedroom)

Luckily Carolyn was back on site in time to let the brothers know they’d affixed their show-stopper concrete wall panels in the stairwell the wrong way around!

MEL AND DAVE: QLD (Zone: Bedroom and Backyard)

Loads of lush plantings going into their half of the backyard.

CHIARA AND DAVID: WA (Zone: Bathroom and Backyard)

Sharing the backyard with Team QLD, David is working to get a water feature working.

House Rules continues tonight on Channel 7 at 7:30pm.