The Block 2018: Episode 29 recap and the first back-to-back winners

Neale and Shaynna had plenty to say at judging.

IT’S a bumper night of judging on The Block, with one team scoring big for the second week in a row and their upstairs neighbours getting schooled for dirty and unfinished rooms.

Shaynna, Neale and Darren are judging the teams on three rooms this week — a laundry, hallway and powder room.

And we learn plenty about artwork, toilet placement and storage — while being reminded that cleanliness is everything.

And as Scotty tells the contestants: “Some of you are really getting the hang of this reno caper”.

KERRIE AND SPENCE

More of a gallery than a hallway.

Point of Difference: Toilet that washes “front and back”

Confidence level: ‘I’m not feeling very comfortable in the eclectic St Kilda zone.

What the judges said: When the judges arrived into Kerrie and Spence’s hallway today they oohed and aahed a lot. Neale said “there is nothing I like more than a hallway that feels like a gallery.” And Shaynna quickly agreed. “It feels so grand as soon as you walk in,” she said. “The scale (of the artwork) is just beautiful.” Neale loved the simplicity of the design statement — declaring it’s all about the art and the lighting for him. Darren was gushing over the laundry. “Is this what laundries have become that there are the glamorous almost kitchen like finesse … it’s just beautiful.” After slaying Kerrie’s styling for weeks, Shaynna finally threw her a bone. “I’m incredibly proud of Kerrie’s styling.” Neale, always looking to one-up Shaynna said “This is Kerrie and Spence’s finest hour.”

Final score: 29

Place: First

COURTNEY AND HANS

Museum proportions.

Point of Difference: Biggest hallway on The Block.

Confidence level: ‘It’s different, it’s eclectic’

What the judges said: On entering, Neale says that if Kerrie and Spence’s hallway downstairs was ‘like a gallery’ then Courtney and Hans’ hallway is ‘like a museum’. Shaynna was loving the quirky and fun artwork but Darren seemed a bit doubtful. Neale has drunk some happy juice though before the show because he is loving life and loving the duo’s ‘kooky’ hallway. Shaynna sat on the fence during laundry inspection, saying it wouldn’t lose them any buyers. There was then a longwinded discussion about the orientation of the toilet in the powder room, where the judges got excited about agreeing on something — even if it was just the toilet.

Final score: 24

Place: Fourth

HAYDEN AND SARA

Last, again.

Point of Difference: Unfinished

Confidence level: ‘Mate, we got this’

What the judges said: The judges have had some not-so-nice things to say about Sara and Hayden’s rooms in the past few weeks, but this week they took things to a whole new level. Shaynna described the hallway in one word: “dirty”. Neale said: “they’re a team who get some things so right, and others so wrong. The left-hand side of the hallway is very beautiful and inviting with the rich warm glow of the artworks in particular, but on the right side the styling on the shelf looks like a garage sale.” Darren was about the only one with anything nice to say, describing the lighting as “quite classy”. Shaynna delivered a killer blow saying the styling on the shelf was “up there with the worst styling I’ve seen on the Block”. Neale took it one further, “overall it’s a disaster”.

Final score: 18

Place: Last, again

NORM AND JESS

Narrow, but at least clean and finished.

Point of Difference: Offset skylights.

Confidence level: ‘Proud’ to be ‘basically finished’

What the judges said: Darren continued his love affair with Jess and Norm’s apartment, exclaiming “this marble is exquisite” on arrival. Neale liked the artwork choice and Darren pointed out it was the same artist who painted the picture in Courtney & Han’s bedroom (that Neale hated). The judges declared the hero to be the ceiling heights and choice of pendants. Shaynna described the offset skylights as “really quite gorgeous”. Neale described the laundry as “compact” and the powder room as “beautifully done”. Shaynna again started a conversation around toilet orientation, saying there’s no luxury in pointing your toilet directly at the people in the dining room.

Final score: 25

Place: Third

CARLA AND BIANCA

Inviting.

Point of Difference: ‘Edgy’ artwork

Confidence level: The ‘hiccups’ haven’t ‘derailed us’

What the judges said: Shaynna was an immediate fan, announcing, upon entry into Bianca and Carla’s Hallway, “Oh that’s sexy.” Neale agreed: “And so is that carpet runner”. They all loved the skylights and how the art lights were in the well. Shaynna also thought that the cabinet by the front door was really beautiful — and so consistent with the apartment. And Darren said he thought that the simple restrained styling on the cabinet also really worked. The ladies lost some points for poor paintwork, again. Darren loved the laundry and said, “Lots of pizzazz and great tiles”. And the judges described the powder room as “glamorous and luxurious”. Neale said: “It’s a brilliant powder room.”

Final score: 27.5

Place: Second

MISSED AN EPISODE? HERE’S ALL THE RECAPS

●EPISODE 28 — ‘EVERYTHING THEY DO IS DODGY’

● EPISODE 27 — ‘WE’VE BEEN WAITING ALL BLOCK FOR THIS WEEK, NOT’

● EPISODE 26 — ‘MY CLIENTS WILL BE GAGGING FOR GAGGENAU’

WEEK SIX

●EPISODE 25 — PERFECT SCORE FOR ‘MOST EXPENSIVE KITCHEN’

●
EPISODE 24 — ‘THIS IS A MONUMENTAL WASTE OF SPACE’

● EPISODE 23 — ‘UNAUTHORISED’ ELECTRICAL WORK SHOCKS THE BLOCK

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EPISODE 22 — ‘N-O SPELLS NO’ TO FAUX #POOLGATE

WEEK FIVE