Who do you think had the best bathroom?
I’ll share with you my thoughts about their designs, as well as the real cost to deliver these bathroom designs in the real world!
Omar & Oz’s Bathroom
Pros
⟡ Rustic / Eclectic vibes.
The boys took risks and they paid off!
⟡ Fantastic layout and use of the space.
⟡ Love the 90-degree herringbone subway tile and pattern laid.
√ Texture of tile.
√ Size of tile
⟡ Heat / Exhaust lamp. I’m surprised that some of the contestants didn’t incorporate this.
A must have in every bathroom renovation project.
⟡ Great use of neutrals as they were teamed with the use of line and shape.
The contrast with use of copper tapware. The copper finish delivers those rustic, warm, country vibes.
⟡ VJ panelling the top section of the room.
Most people VJ panel the lower half, but this decision made the room feel spacious.
⟡ Choice of less decorative mirrors. This meant the mirror design wouldn’t clash with the tiling being the room’s feature piece.
Focusing on the fact that the mirror cabinets are just for storage.
Cons
⟡ Not removing stickers. Simple mistake boys.
⟡ Only 1 basin not 2, like the other bathrooms.
My thoughts
I agree with the judges, that this is the best bathroom design.
The black and white colour palette delivers. I do love a black vanity. The decorative floor tile is sophisticated and they somehow team nicely with the rustic subway tile selection. The large shower is fantastic and overall, a fantastic layout with good use of space.
But this is not a $20,000 bathroom as The Block lets viewers believe. The vaulted ceiling and skylights alone would be at a cost of approximately $4,000. And, the window and plantation shutters would be approximately $3,000. They custom size shower would be approximately $2,500. Viewers might not also realise that it costs a lot more in labour for tiling, to layout herringbone patterns compared to laying 600mx600mm tiles. Pricing this bathroom with all products and labour Omar and Oz’s bathroom is more like a $35,000 space. It would take a Bathroom renovation specialist 4 weeks to deliver. Because, in the real word you can’t click your fingers a contractor appears in 30 minutes.
Rachel & Ryan’s Bathroom
Pros
⟡ The use of arches. With so many straight lines the inclusion of curves, as seen in the mirror cabinets, shower screens and the bathtub, softens the room. Makes it feel inviting.
⟡ Gorgeous colour palette.
⟡ Brushed Nickel – My favourite tapware and fixtures finish.
Brushed nickel feels warm and contemporary. It complements the tile selections beautifully.
√ Flooring to ceiling tiling.
⟡ The tiles – yes yes yes. Gorgeous colour and fantastic size.
Large 600mm2 tiles on walls look fantastic.
⟡ Vertical subway tile feature wall.
Elongates the height of the room and teamed with the vaulted ceiling and skylights, it makes this room feel grand.
⟡ Loads of natural light – a huge fan of skylights in bathrooms.
⟡ LED lighting in recesses. Ambient lighting in bathrooms is a huge trend now.
⟡ Misty grey grout – my go to grout colour!
Cons
⟡ Double showers. Not needed in a main bathroom!
⟡ Doesn’t have any country vibes to compliment the heritage of the home.
⟡ Large recesses. Aesthetically these look great, but let’s be real.
These might look good when they are styled, but they are going to fill up with loads of products. I think the size of these are OTT.
⟡ I don’t like how many times Rachel needs to remind everyone they her and Ryan have a successful Renovation company. Why did they not realise the importance of having fall on if floor, for drainage, if having open-shower concept?
My thoughts
This bathroom is beautiful! Absolutely stunning! In fact, I’m in the process of helping a client couple deliver a bathroom renovation that is extremely like this (minus the inclusion of a bath). If it was the ensuite reveal and had a little nod to country, then it would have been my favourite! But I agree, it doesn’t quite have enough connection to the heritage of the home nor the geographical location. It is very urban and modern.
As soon as I knew their layout I thought to myself ‘why does a main bathroom need double showers?’ Double showers are best in an Ensuite. Some people could argue you can shower children together. Sorry, but I’m still not a fan. I don’t like the idea of showering my 7 year old son with my 2 year old daughter. When I think of double showers I think straight of romance and ‘sexy-time’. Not siblings showering with each other.
As much as it’s an urban design, I love the warmth of the real-timber vanity from Reece. A lot of people like to inject warmth with the inclusion of timber, but budget means most clients opt for a timber-look laminate vanity using a product like Polytec. This vanity is the real deal. Looks fabulous √ and plenty of storage √ . Not to mention the mirror cabinet storage. Storage in bathrooms is imperative!
The Block tells us this is a $33,000 bathroom. I strongly disagree. This bathroom is easily a $45,000 renovation. It’s a large space! The vanity alone is approximately $7,000 with the inclusion of stone benchtop and counter-top basins. The arch shower screens would have cost around $1,500, plus install cost. The vaulted ceiling and skylights would have been easily $6,000. Not to forget all the building works to actually create the room. Or, do they not factor those costs in?
Sarah Jane & Tom’s Bathroom
Pros
⟡ Use of bold colour – I love it!
I like it when people are not afraid to be different.
⟡ Gorgeous colour palette. The brushed brass works beautifully with the green VJ panelling.
⟡ Restored chandelier – a focal point.
These contestants had a great lighting plan. Wall lighting with fantastic character and the inclusion of down lights for task lighting.
⟡ Art in the bathroom! Fantastic idea.
Many people don’t think art belongs in a bathroom. It does!
⟡ Patterns and shapes. The floor tile is an engaging, encaustic tile.
A great colour selection so it doesn’t compete with the bold wall colour.
⟡ Curves of vanity.
⟡ Placement of towel rails.
Shaynna is right – most people are scared of positioning the end of the shower, but with the right size shower this is fantastic location to position.
Cons
⟡ Height of shower screen. It didn’t align with the tile height or shower head height.
But this team knew they got it wrong. They were up against the clock and couldn’t get custom glass.
⟡ Vanity is too small.
Given no mirror cabinets a larger vanity (in terms of depth) would have been a better choice.
⟡ Door on Shower.
If only they realised the importance of fall on floor so they could have delivered an open shower concept.
⟡ Not using ultra-clear glass shower screen. Would have been the better choice so everyone could see how beautiful the tiled, shower feature wall is.
My thoughts
Sarah Jane, She’s Got Style! She is creative and brave with her design choices. She has confidence and I love this about her. Reminds me of me – a little quirky, but fun and creative. She has made a point of understanding how to design a modern room that also compliments the home’s heritage and style. The dado rail, the wainscoting, use of VJ panelling, and the chandelier all get big ticks from me. It may feel like there is a lot going on in this room, but each design choice compliments the others perfectly.
Is this a $22,000 bathroom? Heck no! More like a $35,000 bathroom project. The bath alone is $5,000.
Jenny & Dylan’s Bathroom
Pros
⟡ Grand entrance. The arch entry is divine.
⟡ Nice basins.
√ Character. √ Different.
These basins are a statement piece.
⟡ Exquisite claw foot bath.
⟡ Nailed contemporary meets country with their design choices.
⟡ Beautiful floor tile choice. The palm springs from Beaumonts. This tile throws a green colour, when viewed in person.
The use of greens in bathrooms makes the room feel calming.
⟡ Fantastic cornice design and the use of dado rail.
Cons
⟡ This team had a big space to work with, but I feel the bathroom is not well laid out.
⟡ Shower should have been larger.
My thoughts
I like this bathroom. But I don’t love it. A lot of nice design pieces, but the layout is the most important element when designing your bathroom! You could argue that the design pays respect to the home. But, a simple swap to a more modern freestanding bath and the design could easily have also been a modern coastal design. Let me explain. The pattern and colour of the floor tile does suit a country design style, but it also suits a Hamptons or coastal design style. Same theory with the shaker profile vanity.
It’s a light, airy room, which I like. Again, the inclusion of skylights is fantastic. High ceilings, VJ panelling, and that claw feet bath are diving, but I can’t see past the wasted space.
What would this room cost in the real world? I would say $38,000. The basins alone were approximately $1,500 each. The bath costs $2,800. The shower rail is $1,800. The closed-in, frameless shower would have been approximately $2,200. The shaker vanity from Reece with stone benchtop is approximately $4,500. Are the builders and tradies on The Block working for peanuts?
Sharon & Ankur’s Bathroom
Pros
⟡ Colour of their tapware and fixtures. It’s provincial.
I disagree with the judges that it was theatrical.
⟡ Beautiful (and functional) recessed mirrors.
⟡ The bath is sublime.
⟡ I like wrapping a floor tile up a feature wall.
In this instance the room the choice of tile was wrong. Too dark. And they wrapped up 2 walls. Too much!
⟡ Beautiful ceiling rose restored.
⟡ Marble herringbone mosaic feature wall.
This could have worked beautifully if the adjacent tiles complimented them better.
⟡ Moody, sultry vibes, as Darren Palmer says.
Cons
⟡ I hate that nib wall! It’s dated and not necessary.
⟡ The room is just way too small.
If any bathroom needed a skylight it was this room.
⟡ Too dark.
⟡ The tiled feature wall didn’t compliment the large blue/grey stone look tiles.
⟡ Cornice did not match a Victorian, heritage home.
⟡ Art deco vibes.
My thoughts
Sharon definitely confused Country/Victorian heritage and art deco design styles. She got quite a few things right, but they were overshadowed with what she got wrong. I feel that she is thinking too literally about trying to connect the outdoors with the indoors. This was evident when we saw her talking about why she selected the grey/blue tiles…because they emulate stone.
There is too much happening in this room, and nothing is speaking to each other. A great effort for first time renovators. I’m confident that Sharon and Ankur are the kind of people who listen and will apply what the judges have told them. Keep your heads up! The price of this bathroom renovation is approximately $29,000.
In conclusion
Overall, The Block contestants delivered some beautiful bathrooms. I agree with the judges that Oz and Omar’s bathroom was the winning design.
But I hate how The Block sets everyday people, looking to renovate, up to fail. By giving them unrealistic expectations of what can be delivered for a certain price. By not putting a true value to the services given by the builders and contractors. Did you realise the cork stool in Dylan and Jen’s Bathroom, next to their bath is $500. WOW!
I enjoy watching The Block. I enjoy seeing the contestants take risks and grow in confidence. I wish more clients took more risks, leaving them with a bathroom design and space they truly love.
I can’t wait to see how The Block Ensuites turn out.
