The first challenge of the season and I think the contestants got it pretty easy. Making a light (or two) would be so much fun! And in Christopher Boots’ personal studio … sorry, just about died from a heart attack!
I will be slightly sympathetic for one moment and say that during this challenge they were in the middle of renovating their first room and required to deliver the floor plan, including plumbing and electrical, of their entire apartment to Keith the foreman by lunchtime, but what else do you expect … it’s The Block!
Demonstrating how excited the Blockheads were about the challenge is summed up by a priceless quote from Brad, “challenge day is like that creepy uncle you’ve got. You know he’s going to come around but you really don’t want him to”.
Gob-smacked by Christopher Boots’ impressive beard, the contestants faces stayed just as astonished as Shelley told them they will need to make a table and floor lamp, which Christopher adds would take him about “four to eight weeks”, as well as purchase complementing bedside tables, all in seven hours. A slight relief is felt when the prizes are revealed – all contestants got $2500 in vouchers for laundry appliances from The Good Guys, with the winner receiving and extra $2500 worth of vouchers plus $5000 cash.
After some sisterly bickering, trouble in paradise between the re-established bromance, and more trouble with Chantelle and Steve’s reno onsite, four sets of lighting designs stood proudly presented in front of each couple.
Chantelle and Steve went for a petrol station-inspired look using coiled copper piping and an old bowser. Brad and Dale created spiral sensations also using coiled copper and Alisa and Lysandra outsourced most of the work (much the producers dislikes) to create some quite stunning contemporary lamps. With cylindrical timber stems, exposed black electrical cord and spray painted metal bases, I do hope the girls add their lighting designs to their online collection as I personally think they should have won. Instead, Kyal and Kara’s ‘unfinished’ diamond timber design took first place. Originally a 3D model, the young Central Coast couple ran out of time and put up a diamond-shaped pendant and floor lamp of which Kyal completed all the timber work himself, the fact of which I believe, impressed Christopher the most and made Kyal and Kara well-deserved winners.
Completely off topic, nevertheless to conclude, I just have to say one thing … Christopher Boots is strangely attractive. What do you guys think? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
