This week on
The Block, the four couples delivered four very individual and inspiring bathrooms. One of the most important rooms in any home is the family bathroom. It will take up a big chunk of your renovation budget, so getting it right is a must! Chances are, you won't be replacing it any time soon. So, what makes a great family bathroom? A functional layout that allows for loads of room to move, good storage for all of your family's daily needs, fittings and fixtures that won't date in a hurry, easy to clean surfaces...and a little bit of style. Here's the main bathrooms revealed on the block...
Sophie and Dale - main bathroom and laundry
Sophie and Dale integrated their laundry into the bathroom, reducing the amount of usable bathroom space considerably. The trade off was a small bath tub with over head shower. The bathroom they delivered though was very stylish. The timber vanity adds some much need warmth, and I love the little vintage touches they've added during styling. Love the frosted windows too! They allow a lot of light to bounce around this bright space.
Here's the side view of the cabinet. I like that the toilet roll dispenser is tucked away out of sight. Whilst I'm not a huge fan of patterned bath towels, I do like the chevron pattern on these ones. Overall, I think they did a great job with this family bathroom.
Mike and Andrew - main bathroom
The judges described this bathroom as having Hollywood appeal, and you can see why thanks to the wall to wall mirrors and lighting. Mike and Andrew chose not to include their laundry in this space, to allow room for a separate shower and bath. The shower itself was lined with marble, giving this room elegance galore. The judges were quite critical of their choice of bath tub though, as it was quite mundane, ie. normal. lol. A lot of homes in Australia would have a very similar bath and be very happy with it.
The judges also criticised the brothers for over styling the space, which I do agree with. Each of the individual items were great...there was just too many of them. There was floor to ceiling mirror along one wall, and I would dread cleaning it! You'd want to have a lifetime supply of Viva Glass and Mirror Wipes!! I can't imagine this bathroom being used by a young family, that's for sure.
Dani and Dan - main bathroom and laundry
aka...the controversial bathroom of the week! Dani and Dan abused the noise restrictions by grinding and cutting tiles until after 1am. The other couples voiced their disappointment, and Scott Cam fined Dani and Dan $1,000. They were still in the running to win, and I was kind of hoping their bathroom would suck...but it didn't! They presented a really sophisticated space with a very dramatic black and white colour scheme. I really like the pendant light hanging above the bath, but I wonder about the safety aspect of it (knowing how much water my children fling around!). The white subway tile and stylish bath tub contrasts beautifully with the oversized black tile.
To be honest, I hadn't noticed the vanity until now...I like how the shape of the basin mimics the bath tub too. Dani and Dan expanded the dimensions of their bathroom, so as not to compromise their design by including a separate shower, and laundry inside the bathroom. I think it works well, I'm still not convinced that laundries in bathrooms work well. Although this is a really nice space, I think it's way too dark and looks like it belongs more in a luxury hotel, rather than a family home.
Brad and Lara - main bathroom
Finally, Brad and Lara win a room reveal! I am loving this bathroom. It's really spacious, with it's wet area comprising bath and separate shower. It'd be a great space to bath the children. The bath looks as though it has a "bed head", with the faucets mounted to a timber frame. The step up to the wet area gives it a little grandeur too. Once again, there's a patterned bath towel, which not only softens the space, but makes it appear a little more casual.
Brad and Lara installed a sliding door into the bathroom, giving the room more usable space. The chunky timber shelving unit adds some much needed warmth to the space, and provides some much needed storage for towels. I like that the toilet is somewhat tucked behind the shelves to give a little privacy too. The basin Brad and Lara selected looks almost identical to the one chosen by Mike and Andrew, however, mounting it to the side gives the vanity ample counter space for the family to use. The judges commented that they needed to add more in the way of styling, perhaps a print, but I think they've nailed the brief on this one. It's spacious, stylish, functional and has loads of storage. Well done Brad and Lara!
In the reveal episode, they neglected to tell us what the couples will be working on next! Will it be another bedroom, the kitchen, or perhaps upstairs? Only time will tell...
Catch up on my weekly round up of The Block:
Week 1 -
Free choice
Week 2 -
Master bedroom and ensuite
Week 3 -
Second bedroom
