Judges ‘infuriated’ by Rick and Tayla’s $50k disaster – fixed by one simple solution

Rick and Tayla are deep in the trenches redoing their Living and Dining after the judges not only slammed their styling but use of space.

The team missed the mark, not capitalising on the room’s million-dollar water views. Darren was “pissed off” that yet another team got the layout so wrong.

“You’re saying you’re infuriated,” Marty doubled down. “That is such a bad sign.”

The duo spent $49,593.30 on their Living and Dining, essentially double their estimated $25,000, only to place second last.

But, Darren did say the room could be “easily” salvaged.

With a few simple swaps, Rick and Tayla could save their $50,000 space from near disaster come Auction Day. Here’s what they have planned.

View gallery

Room Reveal: Rick and Tayla’s Living, Dining and Alfresco

Rick and Tayla heard the feedback loud and clear and enlisted the help of Freedom stylist Kirsti.

With everything “squashed” in the back corner, Marty likened their living room to a dance floor.

So, the duo will be sliding everything forward, swapping out their couch and fixing the gaping hole in their fireplace flue covering.

Tayla will also be adding some new style pieces, through a simple solution Kirsti calls “creating vignettes”.

Not “vinaigrette” (like the salad dressing) as Tayla confusingly called them.

According to Kirsti, one of the most effective ways to style your living room is to add one or more vignettes to the space. This is the intentional grouping of your styling pieces (think groups of threes) to tell a story.

Here’s how to achieve the look.

1. Start with a blank canvas

Tayla will be restyling her living room shelves, so has been advised to clear the space completely and put everything she has aside in one place.

This reset will let you play with height, depth, and proportion without falling back on old arrangements, which is the beauty of vignettes.

Not only do they look visually striking, they can be easily changed and updated so you can tweak and create new looks whenever you like!

2. Three is key

The goal here is to create “clusters of moments”, according to Kirsti.

Or, as Tayla described it, “rather than having small things everywhere, you have a vignette which means three.”

Arranging decorative pieces in groups of three forces the eye to move around the display, creating natural visual balance.

Pair a tall hero piece with two smaller accents of varying heights to establish flow, which we will touch on next.

3. Don’t be afraid to go bold

“Go large and don’t be too minimal,” Kirsti has advised.

Play around with incorporating larger, statement pieces rather than relying on tiny knick-knacks that can quickly feel cluttered.

A single large vase, mirror or picture frame can anchor the vignette, drawing the eye up, so start with your largest or tallest item first and place this towards the back.

Group the small pieces in front, working with various heights, depths, patterns and shapes.

4. Mix materials and textures

Combine contrasting finishes like smooth ceramics, rough stoneware, concrete, wood and polished metals to not only add visual interest but depth in your styling. This works with a splash of colour too!

Layering these different surfaces prevents your clusters from looking flat or overly coordinated.

5. Edit and refine

Once finished, step back and review your masterpiece. If something’s looking not right, or too cluttered, don’t hesitate to remove an item or adjust the space.

The rule of three is far from a strict rule, sometimes two pieces is all a space needs!

Brought to you by Freedom.