After spending all night redoing their screed beds, the last thing the contestants wanted was a text from Scotty, “Meet and The Block HQ at 7:30am … it’s CHALLENGE TIME!”
Second challenge of the season and since the Blockheads are constantly making the most of every millimetre in their apartments, Shelley found it fitting to take them back to the beginning – starting with one square metre.
With the challenge set to build a one square metre house, winners from last week, Kyal and Kara (nicknamed Team Super K) got to choose from four themes, and then divide the rest amongst the other couples. Choosing the Zen Pen theme for themselves, Team Super K gave:
– Chantelle and Steve with the Library
– Alisa and Lysandra with the Office
– Brad and Dale with the Hotel
Constructing their buildings with the materials supplied, the interior and façade were left completely to the contestants’ creativity and imagination. As Melbourne locals, Chantelle and Steve were inspired by the State Library and fit their building out with roman-style pillars, bookcase wallpaper and an antique velvet chair. The twins went for a practical and motivating blue office space, complemented by a mini packet of Tim Tam’s, minus one – “I couldn’t help myself!” says Lysandra. And Brad and Dale renamed their “boutique” hotel a B&D, furnished with all the essentials you expect from a typical dwelling of this standard – a bed, toilet, shower, tacky carpet and a Bible.
As good as their ideas were however, the Melbourne public voted and Team Super K maintained their winning streak with a very zen, Zen Pen. Painted in a Stone colour – “What is this? … just don’t paint our apartment in it,” says Kyal – the reigning champs decorating their Zen Pen in neutral tones and finished it with a cosy knitted throw and flaming scented candle – zzzzz… sorry!
Where were we … ? So that’s about it for week two of The Block. Tomorrow night we will see contestants continue to struggle through their renovations, and with three rooms to put up for Shaynna, Neale and Darren this week – the terrace, laundry and bathroom (which are turning out awesome by the way with help from The Block veteran landscaper Dave from Franklin Landscape & Design) – it is bound to be a race to the finish line.
I look forward to speaking with you Blockheads on Sunday night for room reveal number two!
In the meantime …
What do you think of the contestants’ ideas for their outdoor terraces? Would you prefer a water feature or an outdoor shower?
Background info on the one square metre house:
Berlin-based architect and founder of Hartz IV Mobel, Van Bo Le-Mentzel has designed and built the smallest house in the world. Calling it the ‘One-Sqm-House’, the DIY wooden home measures only one square meter but incorporates a flipping mechanism that provides an upright house structure during the day, and a cozy place to sleep at night.
Le-Mentzel’s idea was inspired from spending much of his life as a refugee, moving around, dependent on social subsidies and social housing. He decided to build a house that didn’t need to be big but one he could bring with him, that he could put anywhere he wanted, anytime he wanted, and call it home.
Information courtesy of designtaxi.com
