Three’s The Block NZ recap: kitchen and dining rooms

31 Jul 2019

As the competition heats up, this week the teams were asked to create a beautiful kitchen and dining room, an area that’s often the heart of the home and an important space when it comes to selling a house. To gain an extra point, they were tasked with creating a setting inspired by a ‘beautiful aroma’.

Stacy & Adam

To define the kitchen and dining space in Apartment 1, Stacy & Adam selected Resene Wallpaper Collection 25910, a graphic, eye-catching design that was a welcoming point of difference with a whimsical sense of playfulness. The team carried that same mood through into smaller details, adding a series of hands in multiple shades of orange as a conversational feature, a hue that the couple brought further into the space through the bar stools, napkins and centrepieces.

Concrete kitchen counter tops created texture and balance between the bold colour scheme. While it was an element that Jason says he usually would not care for, he felt the choice was well made for this space. The judges praised their bold use of colour in an otherwise monochromatic palette.

Stacy & Adam created an eclectic and generous kitchen and dining space with innovative details and bags of personality. The wallpaper used on the accent wall is Resene Wallpaper Collection 25910. Resene Quarter Bianca frames the kitchen cabinetry and was also used on the ceiling, doors and trims.

Jason and Lizzi agreed that the kitchen was a generous size and overall a ‘fabulous space’. They thought that the team had carefully listened to previous critiques and acted on them, which ensured that the end product was beautifully finished, fresh and exceptional. Their efforts were enough to secure them the win for the week.

Dotted around the kitchen are creative details which incorporated a whimsical playfulness.

Ethan & Sam

While Ethan & Sam have had a rocky ride over the course of the show, this week they gained their best score yet.

The judges thought that the industrial metal tiling at the back of the oven was ‘inspired’. They commented that the small scale and texture worked beautifully in a large volume of space, especially alongside the buttery tones of Resene Smooth Operator, which was used on the adjacent walls. While they loved the bronzed colour palette, the judges thought that the team should have chosen a different colour than Resene Dark Rum for the feature wall in the dining area.

The judges thought that Ethan & Sam’s industrial kitchen was ‘inspired’. They liked how the metallic detailing of the tiles and buttery hue of Resene Smooth Operator complemented each other. The accent wall in the dining area is painted Resene Dark Rum and the trims, cabinetry and ceiling are painted Resene Half Black White.

Overall, the judges found the kitchen to be a functional space with beautifully finished wooden cabinets and complementing accessories. Jason and Lizzi both agreed that Sam and Ethan had turned their game up a notch and had clearly listened to their previous feedback, stating that it was their best room so far. The pair also gained a bonus point for their hand-crafted wooden cutlery art.

Jason and Lizzie loved the hand-crafted cutlery art, stating that it was beautifully done and made for an outstanding feature. The feature wall behind them is painted Resene Dark Rum.

Lisa & Ribz

This week, Lisa & Ribz wowed the judges with their courageous use of colour in Apartment 2. From first impressions, the judges loved their use of layering throughout. Lizzie admitted that while she is not usually a fan of dark blues, she agreed with Jason that Resene Nocturnal and Resene Blumine were the perfect choice for the kitchen colour scheme. They loved the finishes used on the cabinets and thought that the use of two different textures lifted the whole space. Lisa & Ribz also chose to use pressed metal on the adjoining wall, which the judges agreed created a great point of difference and additional character.

Lizzi and Jason loved the bold colour palette combined with an array of layering and textures. They thought that the room though dark, was luxurious and warm. The kitchen cabinets are painted in Resene Nocturnal. The adjoining pressed tile walls are painted Resene Blumine, the window frame is in Resene White and the ceiling is in Resene Half Concrete.

Although the judges were not keen on the sharp contrast of the architraves framing the window, they both felt that Lisa & Ribz had successfully removed themselves from their comfort zone, resulting in their best work yet. It was a well-dressed space that, despite a dark palette, felt warm and luxurious – leading them to receive one of their best scores of the competition so far.

Sophia & Mikaere

The judges agreed that Sophia & Mikaere’s bright and soft kitchen created a stunning ambience, though they thought they could work on their timing when it came to finishes. The cabinetry, walls and ceilings are painted in Resene White, while the kitchen is finished in Resene Atmosphere.

Over in Apartment 4, Sophia & Mikaere created a kitchen that the judges described as being beautiful, lovely, clean and bright. The pair chose Resene Atmosphere for their walls, which complemented the Resene White cabinets and the backsplash tile elegantly. The judges agreed that the soft wall colour and lighting created a stunning ambience, but what let the pair down was their use of time – resulting in dust, unfinished architraves and paint work that wasn’t well executed. Jason and Lizzi did, however, love the concept and thought that the styling wasn’t overdone, ensuring a great effect. Overall, they felt that while the kitchen looked great on the surface, the devil was in the detail.

Watch The Block NZ Sundays 7pm and Mon-Wed 7.30pm on Three, or catch up on ThreeNow.

Published: 31 Jul 2019