The Block 2022 Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry

Week 8 is quite rightly referred to as Hell week on The Block. The delivery of the hallway, mudroom and laundry is absolutely no mean feat. In fact, I think that it is unrealistic, which shows in the finishes of most of the rooms this week. These are large houses, with long hallways, which can be very challenging to get right. I am in awe of what they achieved in this timeframe, but disappointed that these reveals were not spread over two weeks. I know that filming schedules are tight. My comments in places are a little critical, but I am sure that all of these contestants would have achieved more given the time.

Hallways are often very challenging to decorate. Let's face it, unless you are blessed with a generously sized square hallway, it can be difficult to incorporate furniture of any kind. And these hallways are long! Jenny and Dylan did achieve this well, although their reveal was not without fault. I do agree though that these guys deserved to take out first place this week. The reveals of the Block hallway, mudroom and laundry week did have some great highs and some terrible lows. I have all the images, judges' comments, together with my own, below.

First Place: Jenny and Dylan 27 POINTS

The flooring? Heaven. The rug? Gorgeous. The sheer scale of the hallway stretching from the old build straight down into the new? Staggering! With a seating nook midway, views of Mount Macedon to the side and artworks to break up the walk, the judges found the hall not only functional but inviting. Into the laundry and mudroom and not even missing architraves or skirts could dampen their enthusiasm for a space filled with storage, luxe appliances and well-thought-out functionality. Not quite a perfect ten, the judges agreed, but given the challenges of the week, one of the best hell week results they’d seen!

The Block 2022 Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry — Dylan & Jenny

My thoughts on Dylan and Jenny's Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry

The wainscoting in the hallway helped enormously to break up the monotonous length of it, as did the artworks. Blank hallway walls need artwork and mirrors which must be to scale or the effect can be lost, highlighting the blank space on the walls. Dylan and Jenny achieved this pretty well, although there could have been more.
The size and the shape of the mirror didn't work over the console table. A rectangular mirror, more in proportion to the size of the table, would have been preferable.
Of course, I loved the mudroom and laundry. As I drooled over their kitchen, so did I these rooms. These guys deserved first place.
The flooring was subtle and didn't detract from the depth of colour in the cabinetry. The Mudroom had plenty of storage and seating, while the additional sink is a good idea.
The laundry has lots of workbench space and I loved the inclusion of some warm timber into the cabinetry to link with the timber flooring in the Butler's pantry.
This is a well planned out workspace for the house, which manages to look extremely charming too. A great Block hallway, mudroom and laundry reveal.

Second Place: Tom and Sarah-Jane 26.5 POINTS

Through the new Aluplast door into a wallpapered breezeway separating the old build from the new, the judges immediately loved the blend of styles confirming this was two zones, but one house. Past a welcoming sitting space, the judges loved the mudroom – complete with dog bed– and functional laundry with high-end appliances and attention to detail. Not everything was perfect, they pointed out, with the ceilings not up to the usual house one standard, but in all, they agreed, a great mix of country and contemporary that made them feel they’d found heaven in hell week.

My thoughts on Tom and Sarah-Jane's Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry

A huge tick of approval for Tom and Sarah-Jane's mudroom and laundry. What a fantastic space.
There wasn't anything that I didn't like about it. I particularly loved the herringbone brick flooring. The beautiful rich navy with brass mesh on the mudroom cabinetry, offset with tan leather, was very striking and separated this zone from the laundry perfectly.
The blue tiles in the laundry linked well to the mudroom and I just love the Caesarstone Arabetto bench top, which they also used in their kitchen. With a fabulous sink and tapware, this is a very polished space.
Unfortunately, my praise doesn't extend to the hallway. There are some good points here, but a few negatives which really spoilt the look for me.
The main error was the placement of the floor rugs. There should have been one by the door, the large rug should have been placed in the sitting area and the next section didn't really need one at all.
I thought that the wainscoting was very appealing, but I wasn't keen on the wallpaper in this space and I didn't like the rustic console table, which is out of keeping with the stunning, elegant kitchen that it is next to.

Related: How to select the right rug

Third Place: Rachel and Ryan 25 POINTS

With a high-end lighting layout and beautiful artworks galore, the new entrance/breezeway pulled the judges in and led them down timber stairs to a living room that now made perfect sense. Hallway storage, fluted Laminex wall inserts and a laundry that made use of a Caesarstone benchtop, luxe appliances and tiles Shaynna just loved added up to join everything together. Time had obviously beaten the pair, the judges agreed, with paint still to come in several areas and obvious omissions in styling, but by pulling the old and new parts of the home together, Rachel and Ryan have shown their vision was finally complete.

My thoughts on Rachel and Ryan's Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry

There is lots to love about these spaces and it is a shame that Rachel and Ryan didn't get time to complete the areas. What I really loved was their large artwork in the wide hallway area. This demonstrates perfectly how a statement artwork should be used. A very striking look. Their other artworks worked well too.
I love their brick floor in the laundry and mudroom. The simplicity of their white cabinetry, with accents of rich timber works well and gives a lovely clean and fresh look. The mudroom has good seating and storage, but I would have liked to have seen a touch of colour used on their Laminex wall panelling. This was the perfect opportunity to add another layer to this room, which I think it needed.
Clearly the large area of their hallway needed furniture and more rugs and styling, but hopefully this is to come soon. A challenging week on the Block hallway, mudroom and laundry reveal for these guys, but a good outcome, nonetheless.

Fourth Place: Ankur and Sharon 23 POINTS

With a dark rug – the first of the day – and charcoal sheers, the judges immediately felt warmed as they entered House 3, with the hallways reflecting the “Gothic Camp” style shown throughout, Neale said. It all added up to a dramatic feel, Shaynna agreed, but not one she loved, with the hallway her least favourite of the week. The mudroom/laundry dog wash, however, won her back, the perfect addition to a space already stunning thanks to dark marble Caesarstone, statement tiles, ample storage and appliances perfect for a high-end home. Throw in a perfectly placed powder room and it was enough to leave her with a smile.

My thoughts on Ankur and Sharon's hallway, mudroom and laundry

I run hot and cold on Ankur and Sharon's room reveals and this week the division between the fabulous mudroom and laundry with the disastrous hallway was extremely marked.
Let's start with the mudroom and hallway. I think this is amongst the best this week. The flooring suits the style of the house and I love the addition of green in this room with the cabinetry and styling. Overall, a fabulous colour palette. There is plenty of attractive seating and storage and I like the accents of timber shelving.
The dog washing area is inspired, with dark grout to stand up to the tough wear and tear that no doubt it will receive. Overall, a really great space.
However, I don't think there is anything that can redeem the hallway. The strong black and white tones are just overwhelming. I like the idea of the pressed metal panelling, but it is ruined with the black paint. The dark sheers made me feel as though I was in a Vaudeville production and the rugs were too dark and far too large.
The hallway flooring is beautiful and there were some nice elements, but the colour palette and the size of everything was completely out of place.

Last Place: Omar and Oz 20.5 POINTS

With period-inspired fretwork, ceiling roses and cornicing, Omar and Oz’s ticked all the country boxes as the judges walked in, with a beautiful powder room, porta-timber accents in the next hall, Venetian plaster and a stunning lighting plan to showcase the artwork choices all pointing to a possible win. And then the judges saw the mudroom and laundry. Not even the V-Zug appliances – including a state-of-the-art refresh butler and laundry tub with Galley tap – could hide the fact this was a space far from finished. In a hell week where so many were challenged, this space, the judges felt showed how tough things were.

With one of the hallways very narrow, this was always going to be a difficult area to decorate. The wall panelling works well here, as does the rug, but there needs to be a little more relief on the walls. A good trick here would have been to paint the inside of the door in a different colour. In a long hallway with little to provide distraction, a focal point at the end of it can be a useful design tool. The fretwork is beautiful, but the space needed more.
The hallway it opened into is better, but the table lamp without a plug was a big error and demonstrates why you need a detailed and well thought through electrical plan.
I love the blue Kit Kat tiles in the powder room and really like the vanity unit which works well in a small space. It will be good to see this room completed.
Of course there is not much that can be said about the laundry and mudroom. Even once this room is finished, there are some glaring errors. The bath looks out of place here. Clearly meant as a dog washing station, it hasn't been executed as well as Ankur and Sharon's. And the biggest error in the space – no seating. How can you have a mudroom, which by its very name is where you remove muddy shoes, without seating?
These guys have planned some beautiful bathrooms throughout the series, but I feel they have really dropped the ball with the mudroom and laundry.

What did you think of the reveal this week of the Block hallway, mudroom and laundry reveal? I would love to hear in the comments below.

Photography: David Cook Photography

More background information can be found at The Block Channel 9

Many of the gorgeous items seen on The Block 2022 Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry reveal can be found at The Block Shop.

One of the hardest things is starting a renovation and defining your style. It needs to be something that you love but also is appropriate for the style of house you are building or renovating. Ensure you do this before you start and not as you progress through the project as the end result will not be as cohesive as it could be if there is a change in direction. Read my post on How to define your decorating style for more inspiration.

Did you know that I have a Free Resource Library? Whether you are building a new dream home or just undertaking a weekend redecorating project, there will be something there to help and inspire you. Included in my library is a guide on how to put together a mood board. You can download the free checklists and e-books here.

Interiors, The Block

The Block 2022 Hallway, Mudroom and Laundry