What The Block contestants got wrong in the style-to-sell challenge

It was the first Block team challenge of the season and it was bound to cause quite a frenzy.

Given little more than  six hours and some inspiration from The Block judges, the contestants were asked to style a St Kilda home for sale.

How did they go?

If you asked the contestants themselves, a quiet shake of their heads will tell you not well. But according to the judges, there were some positives to be taken from the challenge.

For one, Jess and Norm understood scale and colour in a way the other contestants didn’t. Courtney and Hans‘ strength came in finding an appropriate style for a period home, and regardless of their room’s divisive reception from the judges, Hayden and Sara hit the glamour brief.

According to Sara Chamberlain, of the Real Estate Stylist, there were many techniques the contestants understood when it cames to styling for the specific purpose of selling a property.

Jess and Norm’s commitment to filling their room with flowers and soft touches was a clever way to make the house feel more like a home. It was a vision the judges say gave them the win.

“In an older home, we would encourage real flowers for a more authentic touch. Modern builds and clean lines are more sympathetic to fake greenery but older homes need real life added to them,” Chamberlain says.

But she notes it’s important to not go “too traditional”, defaulting to styling with roses – as Jess and Norm did – rather than something a little more “classic and on trend” such as tulips.

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While Bianca and Carla struggled to fill their space, Chamberlain says it’s a surprisingly common mistake many make when styling a home for sale.

“Often people run into a space looking too staged when they underestimate the amount of furniture, art and accessories it takes to fill up a space. A couch and a small chair is not how people live and it’s often too cold for older-styled homes. Rugs, layers and playing with height makes a space feel warmer and requires a lot of elements to make it look full,” she says.

Likewise, Chamberlain argues while working with the architecture and bones of the home is important in styling, emulating the era too much can make a property appear dated.

“Trying to match the decor can be a safer bet than ignoring it,” she says, suggesting heritage-style homes need softer touches with styling – something the contestants did their best to consider.

“However, using elements from [the] era will date the home – a heavy chesterfield sofa in a heritage home will look too dated. Instead, try to update with linen sofas and a neutral palette but add a touch of gold, floral and bright mirrors to make it feel more modern.”