The Block Villa Wars | Backyard Reveal

Last week on The Block Villa Wars the contestants had to perform an act in front of a live audience, no east feat. Reluctant comedians, Cat and Jeremy won the challenge ahead of Jamie and Hayden's dance routine, Sarah and Minanne's singing, and Brooke & Mitch's circus act. Their prize was the ability to knock one team completely out of the running for backyard judging (also no easy task for the resident nice couple). Not wanting to risk another win for Brooke and Mitch, they chose to take them out, but at the end of the day it was the largest backyard belonging to Jamie and Hayden's that came out on top.

Jamie and Hayden: 1st place | 18.5 points

It was nice to see these guys finally win a room challenge, and get some much needed cash. They were the favourites all week as their yard is by far the biggest, and they also had a previous prize of plants and trees to their advantage.

A patio off to one side gives them a spot to relax in the sun, while the huge lawn will be a real draw card for buyers with a family and/or pets. It compliments their deck beautifully, I think the outdoor area is definitely the best part of Jamie and Hayden's home so far.

Cat and Jeremy: 2nd place | 15.5 points

Obviously if Cat and Jeremy had knocked out Jamie and Hayden they would've walked away with the cash this week. But I know they felt bad about using their "+1" to beat them in the outdoor room week, and these guys are super nice. Knocking out Brooke and Mitch, who had given everyone "0's" a few weeks before was the easier choice. They did well to come in second with the tiniest back yard of all.

It's very cute, and I like the raised garden beds along the deck. There's not a lot of privacy from the street, but hopefully the trees will eventually help with that.

Brooke and Mitch: 3rd place | 15 points

Coming in at third place, but essentially scoring zero, as they were knocked out, Brooke and Mitch's back yard was very simple. That seems to be their formula - simple, if not a little plain - but it has worked for them with the judges in the past.

They wanted their outdoor room to be the feature, so have kept the planting very minimal. I really like the outdoor arm chairs, I'd be happy sitting on one of those with a glass of wine and good mag!

Sarah and Minanne: 4th place | 12 points

Once again quite a harsh score I feel. Sarah and Minanne did such a great job considering the budget they have. The criticism was that there was the deck at one end and the seating area at the other with nothing much in between. Perhaps a fair call, but I still think they did well They continue to hold their heads up and keep giving it their all.

If I was to buy this property I would do away with the umbrella and invest in a pergola. I'm sure the sisters would've done this if they had the money to do so. Last night's episode ended on a lovely note when Sarah and Minanne's backyard got top points from their fellow contestants to give them their first little room win. The tears flowed from the girls and all was happy again on The Block. Let's see what this week brings. My daughters and I are still waiting for the marriage proposal TV3 have been teasing us with - who will it be?

The Block Villa Wars | Laundry + Stairs Reveal

The contestants on The Block Villa Wars thought laundry and stairs week was going to be easy compared to past weeks, but it turned out to be a really tough one for most. Brooke wasn't happy when her laundry failed to be installed first, which put all her tradies behind schedule. She caused a bit of a stir by storming off the site, but came back composed. A mis-measure meant their hero piece (an American oak feature wall by their stairs) was too short, and their builders were forced to do some quick thinking to come up with a solution. Despite all this drama the pair finished the week with yet another win.

Brooke and Mitch: 1st place | 18 points

With an extra large space, Brooke and Mitch were able to add a small powder room next to their laundry, which is a definite bonus for buyers. The laundry space is clean and functional, but once again (in my opinion) lacking any kind of "wow".

I love American oak, so I do like the feature wall, even with the tacked on piece at the top. The stairway is clean and tidy, but screaming out for some beautiful art on the wall, don't you think?

Sarah and Minanne: 2nd equal place | 16.5 points

Bridesmaids again, the girls came equal second with Cat and Jeremy. I like that they used black marble tiles as their laundry splash back, which ties in with their main bathroom. Loads of bench space makes it very functional, but it's still a little underwhelming in terms of style and design flair.

Another wood feature on the stairs, but as Sarah and Minanne don't have as big a budget as Brooke and Mitch they had to use a more cost effective pine. It still looks great, and adds warmth and texture. Space at the top of the stairs has been turned into a study nook. It's a good thought to utilise the space, I just wonder whether you'd want to study or work in this particular spot. I'd rather have a beautifully styled console table with a piece of art that would make me smile every time I came up and down the stairs.

Cat and Jeremy: 2nd equal place | 16.5 points

These guys usually have a bit more flair than the others, and remain my favourites because of that. They certainly haven't gone crazy in their laundry either, but have some nice touches like the washing basket, the hooks on the wall, and the little space under the washing machine and dryer for shoes.

Cat and Jeremy also had room for a small bathroom, and I love the repetition of circles in their mirror and the artwork on the stairs. Love the choice of artwork (they've used art as a feature throughout their home), and the scale is great, it's nice to have something substantial as a focus in the stairway.

Jamie and Hayden: 3rd place | 15 points

You have to give them some credit - they are often coming in at the back of the pack, but each week they say that "this is their week", and they haven't been swayed from their black and white theme. The addition of a large fridge in the laundry will be appealing to buyers, and all four of the laundries are fantastic in acting as mudrooms where bags, shoes, sports gear etc can be stored before entering the rest of the house.

Jamie, acting as project manager, butted heads with her builder this week, but they managed to put their differences aside and finish all of their spaces.

All of the teams' spaces are functional, clean and tidy, but am I the only one wanting more?! I know budgets are tight for some teams, and the timing for all is insane, but everyone seems to playing very safe. Perhaps because Brooke and Mitch are winning continuously with their minimal look, the others teams are adopting this look too (?) I'm a big believer that small spaces like toilets and laundries should have personality too. Because you don't spend long periods of time in them, you can afford to be a bit adventurous - bring in wallpaper, pattern, colour, life. Maybe this week :)

The Block Villa Wars | Outdoor Room Reveal

Boy oh boy, a lot went down last week on The Block Villa Wars! I'll give you a quick run down... Brooke and Mitch shocked everyone by giving out 0's when judging each other's rooms. After winning three rooms in a row they are by far the wealthiest team, which is why Sarah and Minanne took $1000 off them in a previous challenge (they were forced to take the challenge winnings from another team). "We wanted our $1000 back!", Brooke exclaimed. Needless to say, this didn't go down too well with others.

Sarah and Minanne finally won something in the plank challenge, which saw them take home $8000 worth of outdoor furniture. Cat and Jeremy won a humungous BBQ, and in the most recent challenge - to create their partner's likeness out of vegetables - an hour of labour from another team. Guess who they chose? Yep, Brooke and Mitch :)

Cat and Jeremy: 1st place | 18 points

After winning a bonus point in the vegetable challenge, Cat and Jeremy just pipped Jamie and Hayden by half a point in the room reveal win for their outdoor room. Each team designed their privacy screen and Cat and Jeremy's was my fave. They created several zones and included a custom made fire pit.

Each team also had to finish their guest bedroom from week 1 - remember they've all swapped houses since then. If they finished this room by "tools down" they each receive a bonus $15,000 in their bank account. Cat and Jeremy failed to attach some skirting board and get cushions for their window seat, but host Mark Richardson allowed them 24 hours to get that sorted - lucky! They gave their signature style of soft pastels and a relaxed vibe.

Jamie and Hayden: 2nd place | 17.5 points

The judges scored Jamie and Hayden the highest this week, and if it wasn't for Cat and Jeremy with their bonus point, they would've taken out their first win (we all know they desperately needed that money). Tears were shed as Hayden revealed that his much-loved grandfather had passed away a few weeks before. He apologised for his recent grumpy behaviour and dedicated their winning room (well, almost) to his Granddad.

Their deck was amazing with Martin the builder working tirelessly to create a herringbone deck and feature wall, and featured a privacy screen designed to echo the pattern. It was light and airy, a far cry from their dark rooms inside.

The guest bedroom carried on their black and white theme, but lots of white made it less severe than last week's master bedroom. They were the only team who completely finished this room, so will get their $15,000 straight away.

Brooke and Mitch: 3rd place | 17 points

I think we were all pleased that Brook and Mitch didn't make it four in a row, but they were close with only one point less than the winning team. Their outdoor room was finished to a high standard, and the built-in BBQ area was great.

As much as the hanging garden looks fab, anyone who is a "Block" fan will know they've been done over and over again on each season in Australia and NZ. I want to see some fresh ideas!!! What about the TV? Lots of people will love it, I'm sure, although it's not something I would choose to have in my outdoor room.

The guest bedroom is clean and tidy and works with their exisiting rooms, but needs some serious personality injected. It is a blank canvas for future owners though, so someone can stamp their mark on it. They just needed to put a door handle on to finish their room completely.

Sarah and Minanne: 4th place | 14.5 points

Once again I think the girls were a little harshly judged. I thought their deck, privacy screens and house colour - Dulux Pukaki - were lovely. They did have the smallest BBQ, but it's still functional and practical, maybe just not having the same "wow" factor.

The girls' guest bedroom is simple and serene - another blank canvas - but they are being consistent with the rest of the house. Other than missing a door, their room was also complete.

So what will this coming week bring us on The Block? Something about an engagement ring?... tune in to TV3 find out!