Photography: The Block/Channel 9
The Block is back and we’re eager to see how the teams interpret the design trends of 2025. One thing we particularly love about the series is that the teams are encouraged to be bold in their creative choices. Taking risks is often rewarded, bringing out individuality in the teams and inspiring some imaginative takes on what’s new and now in the interiors world.
That said, there are a few boundaries this year. For the first time, each team is working with an identical floorplan. Located in the Middleton Field estate in Daylesford, Victoria, the five houses are all brand-new builds – and said to be six times the size of the average Aussie home. These blank-slate structures begin as shells, with every surface needing insulation, boarding, tiling, painting and styling – revealing one room each week.
The season kicks off, as usual, with bathrooms – and already the contestants’ experience levels and personal styles are shining through. The Block judges, Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer and Marty Fox made the rounds and shared their thoughts on what worked (and what didn’t).
In case you missed it…
What The Block teams got wrong about kids’ rooms
7 standout trends from The Block’s first bathroom reveals
Everything we know about The Block 2025 (so far)
5 fun facts you didn’t know about The Block 2025 teams
Introducing House 6…
This year, Team Home Beautiful is playing along – and we’re unveiling our very own House 6. That’s right. As each team reveals their room on The Block, we’ll reveal how we’d do it. From mood board to product picks and the final rendered result. Imagine us here, next to the Block houses and scroll on to see our take this week…
7 bathroom ideas we love
Details worth adding to your mood board.
1. French pattern tiles
Organic yet sophisticated, French pattern tiles as featured in Britt and Taz’s space, use a mix of square and rectangular shapes to create a classic look. Before going with this style of bathroom floor tile, think about your home’s style. “When the bathroom floor aligns with the rest of the home, it feels much more cohesive and intentional,” says Merian Migliore, interior designer and project manager at The Classic Outfitter.
2. Nib walls over niches
This season, all teams steered away from the conventional shower niche, opting instead for a full-length nib wall. Offering generous ledge-style storage and a strong architectural line, it’s a move that positions these houses as design-led projects.
“Investing in a good tiler is key,” explains designer Monique Hemmingson in our expert guide to shower niches, ledges and benches.
3. Fluted finishes
The ancient art of fluting continues its design renaissance. Several teams embraced the detail on their glass shower screens, while Emma and Ben also had fluted timber cabinets.
Fluted glass is ideal for bathrooms as it’s a sophisticated detail that also offers an element of privacy. We saw this in full effect on the bathroom door in this beachside home with colonial character.
4. Wet rooms
Wet rooms bring a sense of luxury to even compact bathrooms. Containing the bath and shower in a designated wet zone is both practical and polished. Emma and Ben nailed the look with a bath and shower enclosed behind a single glass wall and door. Using warm tones in a smaller wet room can create the illusion of more space, according to our guide to modern wet rooms.
5. Finger tiles
Curved walls (a recurring theme already this season) demand tiles that can bend with them. Han and Can opted for a sage green finger tile on their shower’s curved nib wall – which Darren called “lovely”.
Also known as “kit kat tiles”, they’re more than a passing trend. We featured seven homes with finger tiles, proving they’re an enduring look that can be adapted to almost any interior style.
6. Latte tones
The clean whites of years past are giving way to warmer, creamier tones in 2025. The teams clearly got the memo, with plenty of latte-inspired palettes on show. Robby and Mat led the charge with a “soft foamy latte” tile selection, which Darren praised for its earthy, modern appeal.
7. Walnut timber
Walnut is certainly having a moment, so Robby and Mat’s walnut vanity is current yet also timeless. The “Mocha Mousse” theme of 2025 ushers in warm chocolatey tones and with that comes the rise of darker timbers.
The Block 2025 main bathrooms
Week one reveals, verdicts and scores from the judges.
House 1: Emma and Ben
Emma and Ben’s main bathroom brought calming, spa-like vibes to The Block, with a curved nib wall, built-in shower seat and a generous wet area. “I wanted it to be spa vibes,” said Emma. “Green, inviting, mood lighting.”
The room’s colour and texture impressed the judges. “It feels very lush,” said Shaynna. “I love these green basins… their balance of colour and texture is spot on.” Darren praised their budget-smart choices: “The fact they’ve used paint here instead of tiles and saved money on materials and trade is really clever.”
Marty admired the functionality, calling the double sink and spacious layout a “massive tick” for resale. While he noted the nib wall was “a little bit rough”, overall, the room landed well. “It’s a cracker of a room,” said Darren, who has “really high hopes” for the experienced duo.
Score: 24/30
House 2: Han and Can
Han and Can aimed for calm with a curvaceous, floor-to-ceiling tiled bathroom. “The design of our bathroom is a tranquil sanctuary with lots of rounded curves,” said Can. Darren agreed: “There’s something really soft about this place… it feels nice and soft and balanced.”
But the judges had concerns. Shaynna flagged that the vanity was too high and Darren noted it was especially impractical given the bathroom is next to the kids’ bedrooms: “It’s definitely going to be a challenge for any child under 13.”
Their industrial-style shower glass fittings also divided. “This could have looked so much better with a fixed piece of glass and nothing else,” said Marty. And while Darren loved the bath, he questioned the overall aesthetic: “I don’t think this is what the Daylesford market is going to respond to.”
Score: 19.5/30
House 3: Britt and Taz
Britt and Taz delivered an organic modern bathroom layered with warmth and texture. Shaynna praised the tactile mix: “I love the fluting, I love the texture on the floor… it feels elevated.” Darren was on board with the clever use of Grafico wallpaper, calling it a smart and stylish shortcut: “I’m all for wallpapers, especially if they’re a vinyl paper like this in a bathroom.”
While there were plenty of positives, the layout drew criticism. “It’s a good bathroom but it’s not great,” said Marty. “The shower screen feels miniscule… spatially incorrect.” Shaynna felt the vertical towel rails were impractical, while the cooler-toned nickel tapware didn’t quite align with the warm, rustic feel.
Still, moments like the curved shelf and light timber tones tied it back to the exterior. “That shelf all the way around with the curve is absolutely stunning,” said Shaynna.
Score: 24/30
House 4: Alicia and Sonny
Sonny and Alicia took a bold approach with their bathroom, ditching the shower screen for a seamless wet area and opting for a timber vanity over traditional stone. “This is different,” said Marty, noting the space’s distinct mood. Darren was especially taken: “The colour of the tapware – bronze, bronze, bronze – I’m besotted with this bathroom.”
The natural palette and styling choices helped ground the design in its setting. “This is feeling a little bit more Daylesford,” said Marty. “Having that timber stool just adds that warmth and natural beauty.”
Shaynna loved the direction overall, despite a few missteps: “The colour palette is amazing… I feel really strongly about their direction.” But issues like misaligned tile cuts, vertical towel rails and a basin that was too high held the room back from perfection.
Score: 25.5/30
House 5: Robby and Mat (winners)
Robby and Mat delivered the winning bathroom with a contemporary country vibe, featuring a curved mirrored cabinet, gunmetal tapware and a fluted shower screen.
The huge skylight running the length of the room flooded the space with natural light, creating a bright, open feel. “They’ve really created this void, lighting the right spot,” said Marty. “This is some of the best work I’ve seen.”
The warm, creamy palette caught the judges’ attention too. “It’s like a soft foamy latte,” said Darren. “This is the Goldilocks room,” where everything looks just right together. Shaynna praised the practicality, noting the vanity was at the “right height” and the rich timber tones balance the look. Darren added, “The lines are perfect… they have an eye for detail, finesse and style that fits this house and the market.”
Score: 26.5/30
All The Block room reveal images were originally published by Channel 9/9Now on nine.com.au.
House 6: Home Beautiful house
As we’ve learnt from many an interior designer (as well as previous The Block winners Steph and Gian), having inspiration images helps create a cohesive space. This week, we looked no further than The Block alumni Carlene and Michael Duffy for our main bathroom vision and mood board. The use of timber, warm tones and rustic metallics is well-aligned with a home set in a country town like Daylesford. We took our cues from their Gold Coast home and are rather chuffed with the final result. Do you think it would pass muster with the judges?
Inspiration & mood board
Shop the products
- ‘Eree’ area runner in Blush, $219, Freedom
- ‘Saboma’ 1700mm bath in White, $1399 (usually $1799), Early Settler
- J. Randall Powers ‘Hackney’ sconce, $540, The Montauk Lighting Co
- ‘Paros’ hand towel in Natural, $29.95, Aura Home
- Cooper & Co. ‘Jaspur’ wall mirror, $499, Freedom
- Kasumi 4-drawer 1164mm vanity in Dark Oak, $2265.90, ABI Interiors
- ‘Plantino’ engineered oak flooring in Praline Oak, Choices Flooring
- ‘Newport’ gloss bone mixed square tile, $96/96 square metres, Tile Cloud
- Milli etch gooseneck pull out sink mixer in Brushed Bronze, $1032, Reece
- Wash & lotion duo in Raspberry & Juniper, $89, Al.ive Body
- Florabelle ‘Murcia’ terracotta pot, $408.24, House of Isabella
Room reveal
