It’s the first week of renovations for the 2022 Blockheads, and what better way to amp up the pressure than with a walk-around by Scott Cam and Shelley Craft?
The two renovating powerhouses headed over to the Macedon Ranges houses to share their thoughts on the teams’ design choices for Main Bathroom Week.
This week is more important than ever, as Scotty recently revealed that the winning team will receive $250,000 worth of kitchen appliances for Kitchen Week, in what is the biggest prize in block history.
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While the duo were pleasantly surprised with some of the bathrooms, Ankur and Sharon over in House 3 – the biggest house on The Block – received some savage feedback about their “luxe and sexy” dark bathroom.
The married couple had opted to line the floor and walls with a dark tile, while separating the wet area with a wall. They were also the only team not to put in skylights.
“Have you got a bit of a nod to the old house?” Scotty asked Sharon, who had a sore throat and had lost her voice.
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She tried to explain: “The tile that we chose has got little bits of stone, so a big concept of ours is to bring the outside in wherever we can, but luxe mode. Hence the marble feature wall there. That hexagonal shape is a nod to the era which is the 1890s…”
But Scotty cut in: “No wonder she’s lost her voice. I’m actually asleep with my eyes open…”
Shelley advised that the bathroom was small, and said the couple should “save some budget” and not tile all the way.
“Do you think it’s too dark? This wall, this wall and this wall…” Sharon asked, with Scotty responding: “To me, that seems quite dark.
“The judges have referred to bathrooms in the past as prison cells…”
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Shelley also agreed that it would be “too much”, and said: “It’s scary that one of the most expensive rooms in your home is the first room that you’re producing. You don’t want to be doing your bathroom in the re-do room.”
Meanwhile, things weren’t too much better in Rachel and Ryan’s bathroom in House 2.
The pair had decided on a huge walk-in shower with two shower heads, VELUX skylights and a double timber vanity.
But both Scott and Shelley thought the same thing as they entered the room – it didn’t offer much of a nod to the classic country features of the historic home.
“Have you got a little bit of a nod to the old house because remember, we are in the old house and this sort of stuff is going to be in the new extension too,” Scotty said.
Rachel replied: “So we are going contemporary, but contemporary lodge. So when you see our soft furnishings, I want it to feel very natural and very country.”
But Scott remained unimpressed, replying: “Just keep going with this, because you can’t change it now.
“It’s fine, and the judges may love it! I’m very rarely right about what the judges say…”
After they left, Ryan told the camera: “I feel like the feedback was a little bit negative.”
“If we get feedback that it’s not country enough, I’m not going to kick us for it. We’re doing the best we can on what we’ve been given,” Rachel added.
Tom and Sarah-Jane, who won the House Decider challenge, received a sprinkling of positive feedback during their walk-around over in House 1.
After Tom explained the pair were putting in a dado rail and matching picture frames, Shelley responded: “Is this week one or is this week five for these guys?
“This is your main bathroom in your house and you are setting the scene for the rest of the home here too.”
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It was a similar story for Dylan and Jenny in House 4, who impressed the duo with their subtle nods to the heritage of their home.
Scotty said: “The key to this is to have a modern bathroom because it’s 2022, but you’ve got to have a little nod to this house. All it takes is a given rail. This is really good guys, well done.”
The host did say there was one thing that worried him about the pair’s renovations.
“The thing that concerned me when I walked in is that you’ve got a lot to do still. You’ve only got tomorrow,” he warned.
Meanwhile, best pals Omar and Oz over in House 5 received some mixed feedback from the duo during their walk-around.
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The pair had opted for VJ paneling, herringbone tile walls and a patterned floor tile.
“That’s busy hey? It’s a busy tile,” Shelley said upon entering the room.
“You’ve really chosen some tough tiles to lay as well, haven’t you?” Scotty said, before bringing in Ben the tiler to ask him how he felt that the pair were doing herringbone tile walls.
“I kind of had a mini heart attack!” I replied.
Scott later told Shelley in private: “But… they’ve cut it in half, where half is tiles and half is VJ? I don’t understand? I’m not looking forward to that feedback!”
Time will tell which team will come out victorious in Main Bathroom Week and bag the massive $250,000 prize on offer.
In Pictures
Scotty’s house renovation so far
Sneak peek at the first three rooms.
ViewGallery
The Block airs Sunday at 7.00pm and Monday to Wednesday at 7.30pm on Nine. Catch up on all the latest episodes on 9Now.