Image: David Cook for The Block/Channel 9
Parents of four children aged from one to nine, Kylie and Brad are The Block 2024 contestants with a distinct design point of view. It’s been a battle for them to unify their personal tastes with what it takes to win The Block. They went too far in one direction with a disastrous all-black bathroom in week one and have steered towards the middle ground as the weeks go on.
The 37-year-old hairdresser and 32-year-old electrician and plumber bring a solid relationship foundation to the series, having been married for seven years. They’ve received criticisms about their Art Deco-style bedroom that judge and interior designer Shaynna Blaze, who has completed a 120-year-old country home renovation, insists isn’t suitable for the Phillip Island location.
Time will tell if they can also come back from interior designer Darren Palmer’s disdain for their dated design choices and real-estate agent Marty Fox’s marketability concerns.
The Block 2024: Kylie and Brad’s house
Watch as the black-and-white oasis in House 4 is built, room by room.
Week 1: Main bathroom
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It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the black bathroom. “I wanted drama and I got drama,” said Shaynna. “I’m loving the subtlety of the Dekton [tiles] on the walls in the shower and also on the floor.” As for Darren, he loved the idea of a dark palette for a holiday home. “If they’re intending to do a black shack, awesome; I think that’s a really appropriate beachside holiday accommodation look.” He would know, having his own holiday accommodation, Akora Cabin. He’s also just finished the renovation of his Bondi home, which he shared with Home Beautiful.
All the judges agreed that the tiles were a great choice, as were the skylights. The neon art and vase were a miss, but a few tweaks to the execution and this team could be on the right track with their black aesthetic. “Take those two elements out and put softness in there, and I think it’s beautiful,” said Shaynna.
Score: 22/30
Week 2: Guest bedroom
After a “disaster” of a black bathroom in the previous week, Kylie and Brad tried to rein in the use of black. Unfortunately, the pivot still wasn’t in the right direction. “It feels like Art Deco, but it’s not working because it’s not an Art Deco place,” said Shaynna. In agreement, Darren felt the style didn’t match the coastal location. On the plus side, Marty thought it wasn’t as “intense” as their bathroom. “This is palatable, this is marketable,” he said. The couple got points for putting in a fan, but the judges still wanted to see if Kylie could stay true to her style in a marketable way.
Score: 22/30
Week 3: Main ensuite
After a couple of weeks struggling to impress the judges, Kylie and Brad decided to persist with their black-and-white aesthetic. “They hate it, but I’m sticking with it,” said Kylie. “Instead of doing black, we’re [going for] white with black accents.” The shou sugi ban on the wall, which is a charred timber cladding, was a hit. “It’s a beautiful contrast [to the blackbutt vanity] – that light timber with the dark timber,” said Shaynna.
Darren liked the pendants, which were a more modern and simple version of the ones that felt “90s night club” in the first week. Shaynna still wanted them to drop the Art Deco details and lean into the beach setting more, but Marty felt good progress was being made. “I think it’s a massive step in the right direction for these guys, because they’re not losing their personality,” he said.
Score: 23/30
Week 4: Kids bedroom
After taking previous feedback on board, Kylie and Brad tweaked the direction they were heading in their black island escape. “I’m compromising. I’m doing a kids room in a slightly more coastal direction,” said Kylie. “This is it, they’ve done it!” said Darren. “It feels soft and light and bright.” Shaynna pointed out the natural timbers and earthy rug and felt they had finally got the balance right between the black and other softer elements.
Real-estate agent Marty felt this was a much more marketable room by Kylie and Brad, with the bunk beds a big selling point. “This is the only bedroom that sleeps seven people so far, so they’re one person ahead of the pack,” he said. “If you’ve got that in a holiday home, you get the highest rent and you build an amazing investment opportunity.”
Score: 27.5/30
Head to the real estate listing for more details on Kylie and Brad’s The Block house.
Tune into The Block 2024 on Sundays at 7pm and Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
