The Block 2020: Tips for the Ultimate Studio with 2019’s Contestants
The Block 2020: Tips for the Ultimate Studio with 2019’s Contestants
Lights, camera, action. It’s Studio Week on The Block. Studios are definitely the space to stretch design muscles and get creative. We spoke to some of last year’s contestants to find out how they achieved studio success.
Versatile design
In the studio, you can’t really be sure what a future buyer will want out of the space. Guest living area? Home office? Workout zone? Future renovators should look to show off that adaptability, said El’ise and Matt; "the main priority is to be versatile… this gives the buyer options to make changes, or add things — so a thought out layout is key."
Studios can have their own distinct look and feel, but renovators should make sure there’s more than just a bed and bathroom. Guests should have functional spaces to refresh themselves, rest and relax. Jesse and Mel said this flexibility was essential.
"it was important to design the room to also have a living space… to sit without being in bed and watch some TV."
On The Block, Studio Week arrives after the majority of the work is done. This means budgets and timelines can be tight! Every team we spoke to said budget was an issue for them.
"The biggest challenge of Studio Week? Money."
However, the good news is they were able to overcome those budget constraints with some clever design work and some creative use of time; like Jesse, who “had to tile the entire guest ensuite. On his own. While also being a contestant!”
The power of teamwork
Fortunately, most future renovators won’t be working to the tight deadlines that the former contestants were. However, the importance of open communication and teamwork applies to every project.
Mitch and Mark said the number one thing that helped them succeed was teamwork. "We drew up multiple floor plans to finalise the configuration, which meant… all our team exactly what we were doing."
Jesse and Mel agreed; "we worked together to overcome any issues with design and layout, so we didn’t make changes later". Future renovators should make sure that all their trades are on the same page of a project’s style and floorplan.