I have to say, I am super impressed with this season's teams. Bathroom week is often one of the toughest weeks on The Block. You need every tradie available - builder, plumber, waterproofer, tiler, electrician, plasterer (have I forgotten any?) - and because of the tight deadline, they're often working on top of each other in a small space. So completing the room in a week is a huge undertaking, and one that everyone achieved to pretty high standards. Well done guys.
Niki and Tiff: 1st place - 16.5 points (8.5 from Fiona and 8 from Paul)
Another win for these girls, and it was well deserved. They stuck with their clean aesthetic with an earthy palette and a global influence. I LOVE their tiles, and their matt black fittings. The square lines found in their bath and toilet were a deliberate choice to be different, which I applaud, but I would've loved to have seen a simple round mirror to soften those lines. I find the one they chose quite heavy, and although round in the centre, the frame adds more angles.
In saying that, I'm a big fan of these girls, and I really look forward to seeing their room each week. And, did I mention they installed a sound system in their bathroom so they can relax with some tunes when they're in the bath?! Noice :)
Emma and Courtney: 2nd place - 15 points (8 from Fiona and 7 from Paul)
Emma and Courtney also did a fantastic job with their bathroom. I love the juxtaposition of the large concrete tiles and the tiny hexagon ones. The foot niche for shaving your legs is brilliant, I wish I had one (Niki and Tiff also have one), although the girls did get called up for the untidy finish on this. Something I'm sure they'll fix.
The floating vanity and wall hung toilet create a sense of space. I do wonder if the bath could've been pulled out slightly though, as it seems a bit jammed up in the corner. A little bit of air around it would've been nice, that would've required a tap that came out further, so perhaps placement was dictated by that. But the accessories were great and I love the led lighting under the vanity.
Sam and Emmett: 3rd place - 14.5 points (6.5 from Fiona and 7 from Paul and the +1 point)
Only one point behind Niki and Tiff after Paul's scores were revealed, Sam and Emmett gambled the +1 point they'd won at the challenge earlier. But it wasn't enough to push them to the front, and they finished in third place behind both girls teams.
They made some nice choices, I like their bath and their grey subway tiles, but I have to agree with the judges that the amount of grey was overwhelming creating a slightly cold feel. A break in the tiles would've added some relief, or some warm touches - light wood, or Emma and Courtney's pink towels. Their little rustic stool is my favourite thing, and once again, led lighting under the floating vanity is awesome.
Dyls and Dylz: Last place - 11 points (6 from Fiona and 5 from Paul)
These low scores, of course, caused some upset with Dyls and Dylz. The boys worked really hard and had high hopes for their room. They created their dream bathroom, and it certainly had a masculine vibe. But the judges slammed them for having too much going on. I have to agree with Fiona and Paul. It was really hard to watch the judges results being read out, as the boys had put their heart and soul into it, but there were too many things competing for your attention.
I loved the rustic wood in the vanity top, but the open shelving, the double sinks, and then the reflection of the double shower heads in the mirror, takes away from that. Shelley was right when she quoted Coco Chanel... "before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off". Choose what you want your "hero" to be, and then let that shine. Everything else should complement it, not compete with it for your attention. But the standard of finish looks really high, and there are definitely some great ideas in this bathroom, they just need to pull back a little bit.
Tell me your thoughts, and what you loved, it's always great hearing from you. Keep watching this week as the teams produce their guest bedroom, as well as take part in Dinner Wars, which is always interesting. And head over to the TV3 website to see more pics and all the latest content.