Image: The Block/Channel 9
Some might think the notion of a rumpus room is outdated, but they’re still going strong on The Block. As we entered Week 8, tensions were high between contestants (apparently this is the norm for this stage of the game, according to Scotty Cam), and room designs varied dramatically.
It was rumpus and laundry week, and having visited The Block site myself, I recall some were certainly more cosy than others. This came across in the reveals, with the likes of Chantel and Wyatt’s room giving ‘do not touch’, as judge Shaynna Blaze pointed out, while others were welcoming and well suited to lazing around, as was the case with Lisa and Rosco’s space.
Yet the rumpus that really impressed the judges (and took out the win) was by Courtney and Sev, who somehow managed to make the room elevated and inviting. It had somewhat of a wabi sabi feel, with a custom timber cabinet cleverly designed by Sev to hide the TV. Their furniture was perfectly proportioned to suit the space and they even included a mini dishwasher for glasses so you could entertain without having to trek back and forth to the kitchen upstairs.
The layout of House 4 also lends itself to a cocooning rumpus feel. Not that this helped Tayla and Rick with House 5, which is also on the low side of The Block site. Their rumpus was a miss, with the furniture being awkwardly placed and ill-fitting in the large space. Points for including colour, though.
As for the laundries, Courtney and Sev impressed in this room too, apart from the minor detail of a missing skirting board in one corner. Adam and Jolene had high hopes for this week, but were distracted by contestant dynamics and didn’t manage to impress as much as they may have liked.
All the laundries were pretty on par, but one detail did stand out when the Home Beautiful team visited in person – Adam and Jolene were the only duo to install heated floors in their laundry. It was a detail that seemed to be swept under the rug, but is incredibly impactful in person. So, while Adam and Jolene didn’t come out on top this week, they can hold their heads high as it’s details like this which will stand out come auction time.
But the biggest surprise came in the last-minute reveal that judge Darren Palmer had called Courtney and Sev’s rumpus his favourite room of The Block. Did he mean of this season or any season of The Block ever? It was unclear, but either way, it’s high praise.
Host Scott Cam also shared that next week the Block contestants will receive $10,000 to redo any previously completed room, on top of completing their kids bedrooms. The rooms will be re-judged and the winners will receive a further $10,000, so the stakes are high – and workload is even higher. Will Tayla survive? Who knows.
In case you missed it…
Week 3: Main bedroom & walk-in wardrobe
Week 5: Living,dining & alfresco terrace
Week 6: Guest suite (bedroom & ensuite)
Week 7: Kitchen, pantry, WC & lift
Week 8: Rumpus & laundry
Week 9: Kids’ bedrooms
Week 10: Outdoor terrace & pool
Week 11: Backyard & garage
Week 12: Front yard & facade
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