THE BLOCK: LIVING ZONES
As the renovating reality show wraps up for another year, our Block expert, former co-winner Shannon Vos, runs the rule over the contestants’ achievements
Shannon Vos offers his expert opinion on the glamour spaces delivered by this year’s teams
The kitchen may be the engine room of the home, but the lounge and dining areas are the driving seat, those comfy spaces from where we control the home, entertain, watch the world go by (I’m talking to you, Netflix!), and relax. As a place to spend time together, these spaces also need to be multifunctional and cater to everyone in the family, including the screaming toddler, pre-teen drama queen, monosyllabic teenager, exhausted mum and dad, and everyone in between. The living rooms on this year’s Block are certainly big enough (the largest in Block history!), but do they use the zones wisely, to cater to everyone? Let’s have a closer look.
WINNERS COURTNEY & HANS Apartment 2
Tackling The Block’s biggest living space to date, Courtney and Hans took on what looked like an impossible task, but what they delivered was out of this world. Three distinct zones all sit cohesively side by side. A bespoke Christian Cole dining table in walnut has hints of Art Deco, and accompanied by emerald velvet chairs, it makes a stunning starting point. The pairing also works perfectly with an original Jessie Breakwell artwork that is full of playfulness. Flowing on is a formal lounge area, again teamed with mischievous artworks and a hint of colour, delivering a sense of relaxed luxury and a layout that encourages connection. A state-of-the-art pop-up bar is a fun feature, but this zone could do with another layer of personality. The endpoint sees a second, relaxed lounge area, perfect for zoning out in at the end of the day. The warm textures create an inviting space, and the light tones keep the room from feeling closed in. What works: The three distinctly different spaces, all with their own purpose and aesthetic, relate to each other through tone, texture and colour. The tribal pieces on the deep window reveals call to the boho styling in the relaxed lounge area; the walnut table and cabinetry in the dining area complement the tan leather sofa at the far end; and pops of colour throughout all take reference from the hero art piece at the end of the room. My hero: The combination of Jessie Breakwell’s Raj Scarab and the Christian Cole dining table and console, which balances the refined aesthetic of the timber pieces with the colourful artwork. This vignette is nothing short of a professionally curated space.