Comments on: The Block 2021 Kitchen Reveals: Are these the Season’s Best Spaces Yet?

By: Jan Hunter

Jan Hunter — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 05:55:53 +0000

Once again i hate sitting opposite a sink to eat or have conversation. That is what i get with the winning kitchen although i like the kitchen as a winner overall.
M n M’s is nice but why does the stove top bench finish with nothing. i think it looks awful unless there are plans for it.
R n G’s is too white without character.

The rest of them are a bit hit and miss, there are some very nice features in all without being too picky.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 15:51:23 +0000

Hello! I agree with you on most on your assessments. However, I don’t agree on the points awarded to the couples, I wouldn’t have put M&M last but T&V. I was just confused and overwhelmed with how many things were going on in that kitchen. Ovals, circles, triangles, pink, terrazzo plus cooking and cleaning on the island. Just too much going on the only plus I see is tremendous storage space that is easily accessible.
As for house 4, loved the contrast I couldn’t appreciate if the wooden slab was wide enough to hold the plates and glassware while eating (just imagine glasses falling toward all the time while eating! That is why normally I don’t like 2 heights on islands) the “butler’s pantry” it is something you either have or you don’t. That space I would convert into a food pantry or China/glassware storage and have more prep space up front. Cool look not terribly functional.
House 2, first issue, the storage drawers. I personally use them as I prefer to look at everything easily and on hand, that is not normally the case with full height storage, yes there are work arounds like having the full height storage be shallower or having the pull out pantry. But for me the drawers give me access and allow me more prep space. I am with you about the butler’s pantry not being coordinated with the kitchen. But I would have scored them between 2nd or 3rd place.
House 1, totally agree with you about the height of the oven. The kitchen is beautiful and elegant and I understand that some people don’t like looking at a set of ovens as it breaks from the elegance and dropping them behind the island does the trick. But it IS a kitchen so you either own that fact and display its functionality or you put it in your butler’s pantry at the right height to be comfortable. About the doors for the butler’s pantry a swinging door would be a better compromise if you want to close the space and it’s more practical too. Apart from that the kitchen is beautiful and so much prep space.
House 5, love the color! A bit much brass for me but I understand what they were going for. I don’t like the arches at all. The shelves and wine rack didn’t look quite part of that beautiful kitchen. The gingham wallpaper I could do without but that is a very easy fix. The chairs at way too big but that is another easy fix, I understand for the sake of simetry that they put the sink in the middle of the island but that also takes up prep space and the kitchen is not completely simetrical so they could have gotten away to putting it on the side.
Overall the least functional one is house 4, and the design fail would be house 3.

By: Ross

Ross — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 02:58:07 +0000

I agree with a lot of the comments above, especially about the function of the butlers pantry.
I’m not wedded to a pantry cupboard for food, particularly if there is a butler pantry with lots of shelving. Ample size draws for food storage is a good alternative depending on overall layout and has many advantages (no high back of cupborads difficult to get too).
I like M&M’s meals nook. I would really enjoy that spot for breakfast or morning tea with a newspaper or a chat, clear of the inevitable clutter that lands on a family kitchen bench. But I don’t like the inclusion of an oven and hob in an already small butler’s pantry. Only a waiter would want to be shut away there for a party.
I don’t get why you would put a double sink in an island when you have a butlers pantry? Let alone right in front of the stools – so guests can sit and look at a stack of dirty dishes? Surely a prime purpose of a butlers pantry is to clear away the dishes – the double sinks, bins and dishwasher should be there pout of sight. A small sink, integrated drainer, with the zip tap, can be on the island, away from the seats, for small and regularly washed items (cups, glasses, chefs knives, cereal bowls etc).
Did you notice that Tanya & Vito don’t have an extraction fan, unless there is an under counter type.
Lastly, I would have preferred Kirsty & Jessies back bench to have been centred on the island, pendant and skylights. That would have taken the eye away from the unfortunately stair case intrusion.

By: Genevieve

Genevieve — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 02:39:40 +0000

On point!

The first placer’s, Kirsty and Jesse’s, kitchen is a standout, needless to say. A dream kitchen for most of us that was made a reality by the lovely, sweet and talented couple.

I wonder if a scullery would be more fitting and functional for this setup than a butler’s pantry?

By: Jodie Broadbent

Jodie Broadbent — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 01:49:48 +0000

Love all your comments, but disagree about the double sink in the butler’s (Ronnie & Georgia). If this is a family home, then it’s likely children will be doing dishes, if they’re old enough. Mine can turn on a fight that would make the Real Housewives blush, there’s not a hope in hell I would have them in a confined space like a butler’s for that task!

I loved Kirsty & Jesse’s kitchen, and the butler’s without the door draws the eye to the longer space, it’s a winner. I’m worried about it’s longevity for the style (is it stylish, like a Chanel suit, or fashionable, like a fluro tracksuit?), and I agree, the barstools, while luxurious, are a bit large for the space.

I, for one, love lots of drawers, it’s my preference for anything lower than bench height purely from an ergonomic perspective. However, Mitch & Mark not having a tall cupboard was a clear design miss in my view. Their styling for those drawers was also a terrible miss, not something we’re used to seeing from Mitch. He could’ve taken a peek at Georgia’s styling for ideas, I loved her pantry storage containers with the labelling (although some were too small for their products, like flour).

By: Michi

Michi — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 03:07:46 +0000

In reply to Lesley Prosser. In 2005, in our tiny kitchen with no room for an upright pantry, we designed the area under stairs to be a pantry of drawers. It was amazing how much food fit in them. Listen to your choir of angels.

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 02:48:33 +0000

Could you advise the colour of Mitch and Mark’s kitchen cupboards please

By: Michi

Michi — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 01:27:29 +0000

Kitchens are a minefield these days, aren’t they? Too much emphasis on the look and they become a cold and impractical ‘No Man’s Land’s. More practical and they are in danger of same old, same snooze zones . But the fact remains, unless you live to eat out and/or never cook, you need a kitchen you are happy to spend time in several times each and every day. No wonder they are so important in real estate land.

Butler’s pantry. Hm. Two buzz words that no one really understands how to execute in Australia. I flag this as an identity crisis. As a nation we can’t decide if we are el fresco Scandi or dinner party Duchess. What do you think, Chris?

Kirsty and Jesse’s kitchen is the one I’d pick too. I love a modern country classic interpretation, especially in a multi-mill Hampton home. Although it’s not perfect! That’s a ‘No’ to the gingham wallpaper from me. And sure, the deep blue is cosy and very Hamptons but a little too much on the dark side for the space. It could have used some breaking up of the upper cabinetry with marble or wooden shelving, failing that, white on the upper cabinets. The pencil pendant is too modern IMHO – and it’s up too high. While I’m on the subject, across the board the kitchen pendants look to be hung too high. Did they run out of cable? I guess at least it means the Spiders from Mars in the twin’s kitchen are kept at a safe distance.

Ronnie and Georgia’s kitchen certainly has the wow factor. But there IS a thing as too much marble, no matter how much money you have to splash about. If the kitchen is the hearth of a home, it’s a cold heart that beats in that house. That pick-up-sticks mess of a pendant light does nothing to warm things up for me. Sorry, not sorry.

I do not like an all black kitchen. It depresses me. I would only make depressing food like stodgy porridge or plate up night after night of take-away if I had to cook in an all black. I agree with you the twins need to break up the black of the upper cabinetry. I know there’s a huge slab of timber on the bench that Darren rubbed himself across (‘Eww, Darren!’) but that just looked like an oversized chopping board to me rather than a component of bench. And I couldn’t help noticing the fingerprints on the cabinet doors behind Neale’s head during judging: first the dangling spiders and now the ghostly visitations. Eek! Edgar Allan Poe’s kitchen would drive me insane. Quoth the raven ‘Nevermore’. The Crows Have Eyes. The Crowening. Ark!

The highlight of the twins kitchen for me was the window above the sink. Oh, and Darren’s judging of where they should have properly placed things in the first place. Maybe the judges DO know what they’re talking about, M&M? Lol. (In M&M’s defence I do believe calling something outright ‘dumb’ (and yes, I’m looking at Darren here) is not classy judgement. It is also a very good way to strike a flame when a fuse is already short.)

I loved the breakfast nook and the pendant lights in M&M’s kitchen, just not so much all that cold marble overload again.

Tanya and Vito’s kitchen? Um. Can they pull it all out and start again? Will risk taking win The Block? I know it’s been pointed out that last year Jimmy and Tam’s risk taking paid off. But I will argue it didn’t. The bidder was not legit.

Look forward to next week’s blog, CC x

By: Cathy Churchill

Cathy Churchill — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:54:40 +0000

This was such a fun read after driving into an appointment and realized I stuffed out. I needed a giggle.
So good to see some colour in a kitchen..I know white is safe but so boring. When I read Australia interior magazines..it’s white on white kitchens or, grey , black, throw in some wood.
But we I look at other overseas interiors they are so exciting and interesting. Not that I am an expert.
So I love the look of the winners. Finally some fun and colour.

By: Lesley Prosser

Lesley Prosser — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:18:47 +0000

When I saw Mich and Marks pantry drawers, the heavens opened and choirs of angels sang. I am struggling to redesign a dated and badly laid out kitchen. I can’t afford an expensive tear-down and rebuild – however I do have an empty area where the current bench could be extended. With pantry drawers under the new bench, I will be able to re-arrange the rest with manageable expense. I think the judges were wrong to dismiss the under bench pantry concept. Items can be easily seen, and reached without reaching or stretching. This something that will be much appreciated by the elderly, handicapped, or pregnant.

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 23:53:02 +0000

Kitchen week on the block is always a great reveal. I loved Kirsty and Jesse’s kitchen at first, it’s beautiful and stylish. But there isn’t enough bench space for me and the chairs are too big.
Love the massive bench space and shape of Ronnie and Georgia’s kitchen, but I would put the sink under the window. The back bench needed some styling to give it a lift. Even a bowl of fruit or a cheese board would have just been enough. I didn’t like the gold accents at first, but they do suit the space.
The boys kitchen had the sink in the right spot. I like the timber bench but it’s too high. I love their pendants but 6 is too many. I have 3 the same, so I’m probably biased.
Mitch and Mark’s kitchen was fabulous, but I didn’t like the position of the butlers pantry. Love the breakfast nook.
I’m not sure whether I like Tanya and Vito’s kitchen. There’s too many things competing for attention and no where near enough bench space. I’m undecided on the terrazzo bench top. I like it, then I don’t.

By: Debbie Warren

Debbie Warren — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 12:44:52 +0000

Yep……nailed it!

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 26 Sep 2021 11:13:48 +0000

I so agree with your comments. I love your style and design and look forward to your weekly emails. I moved into a new home this year and have used many of your style suggestions. Keep the emails coming.