Your Domain: Tess and Luke's 'big risk' ahead of studio reveals on The Block

They’ve run out of cash, but Queensland Block contestants Tess and Luke remain proud of their kitchen and how they made it flow well with the rest of their house.

“We feel like the kitchen is the heart of the home. We wanted to design the feel of our house around that feeling. You want somewhere that’s comfortable, spacious, that you can have your family sitting around,” Luke told Your Domain on Saturday.

SOLD - $3,620,000

38B Grey Street, St Kilda VIC 3182

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Their courtyard is a seamless extension of their incredible kitchen, and one of its key features is an distinctive spiral staircase. It’s this statement piece that has allowed Tess and Luke to make their studio, which will be revealed on Sunday’s episode of The Block, into a self-contained apartment.

“It was a big risk this room,” Tess said. “We not only have a bedroom and an ensuite but we’ve also got a cheeky little kitchenette in there as well.

“So basically we have turned it into a self-contained apartment because we are the only ones with a  spiral staircase. The options we had were endless. It was a huge risk to take and we just hope it pays off.”

Given their dire financial state, the Queenslanders need this punt to work to keep a chance of finishing their enormous property. And leaving is something they are both dreading.

“We really don’t want to leave,” Tess said. “This is our house and we have a really big emotional attachment to this place because obviously we designed it to our taste as well.

“We’ve really been enjoying the fantasy of owning this three-storey mansion!”

Added Luke: “It’s going to be devastating.”

The couple, who recently sold their own renovation project in their home city of Cairns, acknowledged that renovating The Block is much trickier, particularly this season, “because of the size of these houses”.

“Yes they’re large, but they’re narrow as well, and trying to fit a kitchen, dining and lounge that flows out into the courtyard is hard, but when we were doing the design process … it was actually really exciting,” Tess said.

“We’re very very proud. In the middle of all the stress and the lack of sleep and everything like that, you kind of take a minute and go ‘this is actually amazing. We are doing amazing stuff here.’ It is wonderful.”

The Block is open for inspection on Sunday, October 20 and you can see all the properties on Domain.

Your Domain airs at 10am on Saturdays on Nine. Catch up on all episodes on 9Now.

The Block airs at 7pm Sunday and 7.30pm Monday to Wednesday on Nine.