Image: The Block/Channel 9
When it comes to winning The Block, few know the game better than Steph and Gian. With a clear design vision, clever strategy and unwavering teamwork, they didn’t just survive the 2023 season – they dominated it. So, we were all ears when the record-breaking duo shared their secrets that helped them come out on top.
The 2023 winners returned to The Block in 2024, making a special guest appearance on the milestone 20th season set in Phillip Island. As a reward for winning the first main bathroom reveal, contestants Mimi and Kristian were invited to visit Steph and Gian at the house they transformed the year before. Known for their Japandi style and tactical thinking, the All Stars made history with a $1.75 million profit – the biggest win the show has ever seen.
Seeing Steph and Gian’s winning house and getting their tips and tricks on how to design and style a home for sale was a priceless reward. Mimi and Kristian were already off to a cracking start, but the visit gave them an extra edge that helped keep them on track throughout the season. While it was Maddy and Charlotte who ultimately took out the win on auction day, Mimi and Kristian’s time with the All Stars proved to be a turning point in their journey.
Steph and Gian’s tips for winning The Block
These are the tried-and-tested techniques The Block 2023 winners used on the renovating series.
1. Consistency is key
The whole house should have a cohesive look. “What we tried to do is have recurring motifs throughout the house,” Steph told Mimi and Kristian over dinner. “So the Taj Mahal stone, like you saw in the kitchen, and earthy tones. I think that’s what set us apart.” The judges definitely noticed the consistency. “That was the most recurring feedback, that the house was so consistent,” said Gian. “Like Steph said, the stone was the same everywhere, the same colour palette.”
2. Stick to a strong style
A defining style, such as Steph and Gian’s Japandi interiors on The Block, will set your house apart. The renovating couple have since completed another house in Sydney in their same signature Japandi style, which they sold. “Really embody your style,” said Steph. “We were known as the beige people, and the more people said that, they thought maybe they were saying that to be nasty or something, but I was like, ‘Amazing, we’re building a house that we really embody.'”
3. Plan ahead and flatlay
Thinking ahead will set you up for success. “You can see how much work and planning they put into it,” said Mimi as she and Kristian walked through Steph and Gian’s The Block house. “Forward planning is so important.” One way Steph suggested they do this is to physically bring a tray to appointments, then create a flatlay of materials to see if everything looks good together. “Get small samples of everything, put them on the board. Take it to every single room that you do, layer your concepts – it’s called a flatlay,” said Steph. “Make sure there’s continuity between every single room.”
How do contestants win The Block?
The winner of The Block is the team who sells their house for the highest price. Reserves are set before each auction and the contestants take home whatever amount the houses make above that. The winners also usually get an extra cash prize. If a house doesn’t make reserve, that team walks away empty-handed.
