Week 4 on The Block, and the cracks – or should we say, the unfinished wardrobes – are starting to show. With guest bedrooms and prizes worth up to $30,000 on the table this week (we’re eyeing off that Gucci dress), the contestants faced a tidal wave of tantrums, backstabbing, and undelivered decor. Will they survive with their egos – and relationships – intact?
Courtney and Grant decided to shake things up by firing their builder, calling him a “snake.” Because nothing says “we’ve got this” like dropping your only lifeline mid-project. To lighten the mood, Scotty threw Grant a mini-golf birthday bash at Grumpy’s Golf – fitting since Grant recently came out as “Grumpy” to the Australian viewing public. And it turns out mini-golf at 8am really was the party to be at, with Kristian and Mimi joining the fun. Ricky and Haydn also showed up, perhaps thinking early morning putt-putt might be the hair of the dog our fishing-obsessed bros needed, especially after a big night with the love of their life – their recent win: a $100,000 fishing boat aptly named The Bar Crusher (ladies, one at a time, please).
Meanwhile, Kylie and Brad had better things to do, and Jessie and Paige were otherwise occupied with their late-night blame game. The highlight of the day? Mimi, proving she’s not just a design whiz but a mini-golf shark, effortlessly claimed the $1,000 prize and, without missing a beat, handed it over to Grumpy Grant, either as a generous birthday present or as a symptom of her – one guesses – Instagram-diagnosed “attachment disorder”.
But let’s be real: this week’s game was all about guest bedrooms, secret accusations, and decor delays.
Jesse and Paige kicked off the week with yet another dramatic spat, with Paige snapping, “I’m at the end of my tether with you,” which, honestly, might as well be this couple’s catchphrase at this point.
The real drama, however, came when they were caught accusing The Block Shop’s Nadia of lying about an order – an accusation as ill-advised as their DIY kiddie’s desk (to be fair, it was very pretty and functional, as long as you didn’t have knees).
Despite this, their kid’s room managed to impress Shaynna, who coos, “It’s elegant, it’s classy, there’s so much here to connect with little kids.”
Marty’s beaming, “How cute is this? Modern Colonial is working for them!”
Darren praises the “gelato colour palette”, giving the couple a round of applause before saying, “This is what I wanted to see”. However, he does notice the wardrobe is missing plaster and wallpaper. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if they’d spent less time calling Nadia a liar and more time finishing their rooms.
The unfinished wardrobe is a minor misstep in the room, though, and Marty thinks “buyers will walk in here and love it”.
Jesse and Paige have kicked off judging with a bang.
After dropping their builder faster than last week’s design flops, Courtney and Grant somehow pulled a Mediterranean-inspired luxury guest room out of their hats.
The craftsmanship blows Marty away, “Oh wow, look at the curves! This is special.”
He’s not the only one loving the curves. “That skirting is sexy,” says Darren as he describes the curved skirting board around the curved wall.
Darren is swooning, declaring, “My heart just jumped out of my chest. The curves in this room are not just a design choice; they’re a statement.
Shaynna loves the tactile, textural elements but quibbles over the drawer placement in the wardrobe and pendant lights.
It’s not an issue for Marty, though, who boldly declares them the new front-runners, proving that maybe being a bit ruthless isn’t such a bad strategy after all.
“I’m obsessed with this house,” says Marty. “This house is an auctioneer’s dream.”
It’s looking very good for Courtney and Grant this week.
Ricky and Haydn were desperate to erase the memory of last week’s disaster, and it seems they might have managed it, thanks to having former contestant Duncan on the tools.
Marty steps inside and says, “Oh, well done, boys,” clearly thrilled that they’ve managed to deliver a completed room.
Shaynna is all smiles, stating, “This is the first time I’ve said sophistication for the boys,” which is code for “finally listening to us.”
Darren’s “loving it a lot,” and appreciates the effort and detail in their design. Shaynna is “thrilled they’ve got a new builder”. Hats off to you, Duncan.
Marty notes that the choice of concrete finish on the wardrobes might need to be rethought, describing it as “too industrial”, but hey, it’s better than last week’s eyesore.
So the boys bounced back this week, showing they can indeed deliver sophistication and “holiday resort style” when they put their minds to it … now, back to the boat.
In a plot twist no one saw coming, Kylie and Brad ditched their goth vibes for a coastal, airy teen/guest room that has Darren almost believing in miracles:
“Wait a minute, where are we?” he says as he enters Kylie and Brad’s room. “This is it. They’ve done it. This is where they need to be. It feels soft, light, and bright.”
Marty praises the room’s market appeal and points out that, so far, they’re the only team with a home that can sleep seven people – very appealing to those considering these properties as investment opportunities.
“It feels absolutely right for Phillip Island,” adds Darren.
Shaynna, stepping into the coveted role of buzzkill, points out the impracticality of a swinging chair next to the double-glazed windows (smashed double-glazing, anyone?). But, despite her safety concerns (to be fair, she’s right – have these people even met a teen?), this was Kylie and Brad’s best showing yet.
But knowing Kylie’s aversion to being told what to do, this may be a one-off before she’s back to black next week.
Kristian and Mimi, determined to prove last week was an outlier, returned with a vengeance.
The pair opted to do a kids’ bedroom this week, and the rainbow motif carried throughout has the judges singing their praises: “This is magic,” Marty says.
They can’t get over the cloud-shaped bedhead with LED feature lighting. Marty thinks it will “break the internet”. Stranger things have happened.
“The styling is amazing,” Darren says, and Mimi looks like she’s about to burst into tears at the positive feedback.
Shaynna thinks the colour palette is so sophisticated that she “absolutely adores it”.
“I don’t see complacency here; I just see expertise, great decisions and design. They’re back, baby,” Darren says. Those three little words were all Kristian and Mimi wanted to hear. Wish granted.
House | Team | Score | Place |
House 1 | Jesse and Paige | 26.5 | 4th |
House 2 | Courtney and Grant | 27 | 3rd |
House 3 | Ricky and Haydn | 26.5 | 4th |
House 4 | Kylie and Brad | 27.5 | 2nd |
House 5 | Kristian and Mimi | 28 | 1st |
Kylie and Brad decided not to use their bonus Penguin Point this week, leaving Kristian and Mimi to snatch the win, marking their third victory in four weeks.
“I don’t want to win a room that I don’t even like,” Kylie says. We see your point, Kylie, but think of the money. And the Gucci dress!
As competition heats up and alliances grow shakier, next week promises even more fireworks. Will Jessie and Paige’s white lies backfire? Can Courtney and Grant keep their cutthroat momentum? And will Ricky, Haydn, and The Bar Crusher finally make things official?
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