What we learned about design and decor from The Block 2018's second week

Each week, 9Homes looks at the best in decor, DIY and design from our Blockheads.

Form never trumps function

Last week, Darren saw red in Jess and Norm’s guest bedroom.

The Queensland couple designed a gorgeous guest bedroom with great ‘luxe’ feel, but failed to place power outlets in a function place next to the bed head.

In fact, cheeky Jess and Norm tried to trick the judges, putting phone cords tucked under the pillows to give the impression there were charging docks behind the bedhead.

But there weren’t.

Darren couldn't comprehend what was behind the bed head.

Read more: The Block 2018 week one design and decor wrap up

Instead, there was one power point awkwardly tucked halfway underneath the bedhead – and the judges would know, they pulled out the bed to inspect the (lack of) functionality.

It got under Darren's skin. "[The powerpoints] are just an insult to our intelligence," said Darren. "In all seriousness, that pisses me off!"

If there’s anything we learned from the first 10 days on The Block (face-level storage, anyone?), it’s that function matters.

Think about proportions

Quite a few couples fell down when it came to understanding scale and proportion the last week. When you get it right, it can make a small room feel spacious, and a large room have atmosphere.

Sara and Hayden stuffed up when it came to their guest bedroom; their pendant lights were too big over the side tables, according to Shaynna, and the fact they didn’t put the feet on their bed made it too low.

Sara and Hayden's guest room.

Kerri and Spence also made a proportion mistake in their guest bedroom.

After having a priceless pow wow with all three judges as part of their safe bounty for picking apartment #1, the Barossa pair completely forgot that the judges advised them to use wallpaper as the bed head in their guest bedroom after they reduced its size to make their bathroom larger.

Kerri and Spence not only had a king bed, they used a bedhead – drastically reducing the amount of give around the bed and creating a sense of claustrophobia. Exactly what the judges advised against.

The master ensuite reveals saw Norm and Jess stumble over scale – they had the smallest ensuite on the week, and tried to fit too much in, and then not enough where it counted.

Shaynna said there was no need for two basins – instead, one extra large basin would feel luxurious while allowing for extra all-important counterop space.

Norm and Jess' ensuite

Ditto for having two shower heads in such a small shower area – it had the opposite effect, making the area feel cramped.

Courtney and Hans were also similarly criticised, they should have taken the vanity top all the way to the wall in their huge bathroom , to utilise the large space well.

Watch the video above to see what Shaynna loved about the proportions of Bianca and Carla's guest bedroom.

Get a ‘signature’ touch  

Having a signature you thread throughout your design promotes a feeling of continuity and flow.

Bianca and Carla are nailing their rooms each week, and something that stood out across the past two reveals on The Block, is that the Netballers are thinking about the idea of continuity in their apartment.

The Victorian besties have a few signatures they’re threading in small ways into each room – and Shaynna has taken notice.

Their wood accent ceilings are a both a hero and a signature, and a huge hit with the judges – Neale even exclaimed “halleluiah!” when he entered their guest bedroom which featured the panelling.

Bianca and Carla's signature cabinetry and gun metal tap ware

Another feature the girls have repeated are the floating wooden cabinetry with circular handles – you’ll find them as side tables in the guest bedroom, and as the vanity in their bathrooms.

In the master ensuite reveals, Shaynna commented on their ‘signature’ gun metal tap ware, which feels both industrial and luxurious.

Courtney and Hans have also taken to the idea of a signature design – they carried their Terrazzo flooring from main bathroom week in a darker iteration for the ensuite, and the judges were in favour.

Read more: The guest bedroom reveals that left Darren fuming

Watch: Shaynna on how a 'wow' bathroom doesn't need to be expensive.

Have a hero, but think about the space holistically

If there was one main décor and design lesson from last week, it’s that a hero is great to have in a space – but you also need to consider how it works with the space as a whole.

Unfortunately, the judges were dismayed by Hayden and Sara’s master ensuite with the infamous brass bathtub.

While the bathtub itself felt luxurious, Neale worried that it wasn’t the right kind of luxury for this apartment. The judges also felt that the master ensuite was dramatically different in design and feel to the more Art Deco main bathroom – and that the apartment needed to have more continuity.

Sara and Hayden's controversial ensuite

The herringbone tiles on the floor and marble feature tiles behind the bathtub were all lovely, but pairing it with so much black became an issue, and made the large space feel constrictive.

The judges suggested if the pair used white tiles, the space would feel more open, and allow the bath and other tiles to be the true heroes.

Never showcase a loo

The other no-no Hayden and Sara committed came down to their floorplan design. As soon as you walked in, the toilet greeted you – something you should always avoid.

As a result, Hayden and Sara's $75,000 bathroom -- the most expensive ensuite in Block history -- was dubbed a mix of 'triumph and disaster'.

Read more: Explosive master ensuite reveals rock The Block
Read more: Hayden and Sara reveal the truth about their brass bath