Kyal and Kara’s Winning Bathroom

Last Sunday on The Block: Fans v Faves, we saw four pretty fab bathrooms delivered to three very critical judges. We can forgive the judges for their sometimes harsh words this week as bathrooms are one of the most important rooms to get right the first time. So we definitely can’t blame them for voicing any disappointments along the way and singing praises for when teams got it right. After all, bathrooms sell houses!

‘The Super Ks’, as they are now commonly known, are absolutely dominating the competition and, with their confidence at an all time high, this talented duo can’t seem to put a foot wrong. They continued their Block domination with a perfect score for their main bathroom room reveal.

With two out of four room wins, as well as wining all of the weekly challenges in the series so far, when it comes to cash; Kyal and Kara are swimming in it. Having loads of cash means two things: firstly, that you can plan ahead rather than week to week; and secondly that you cansplurge on big expensive items.

Having so many wow elements in a room can often be overwhelming as the eye finds it difficult to settle. However this week, Kyal and Kara got the balance just right with their ultra-chic, luxurious and slightly industrial bathroom that had all the bells and whistles of a modern bathroom while still being paired back beautifully with organic elements such as their timber walls and ceiling, stone bath and timber stool.

Kara explains:  ‘Getting the layout right was definitely the biggest risk…Not every bath works in the middle of a room; especially with the space we had. But because the bath’s soft lines create that feeling of “space”, it works really well.’

…And I would have to agree. Placing the bathtub in the middle of the room is very risky, as, if you’re not 100% accurate with your dimensions, it can really split the space and make it feel incredibly pokey and awkward. Last year on The Block All Stars, Mark and Duncan placed their tub in the middle of their bathroom and although it divided the room, the bathroom was large enough for it to work effectively. It created a sense of luxury and that ‘his’ and ‘hers’ affect that wowed the judges who placed them in a tie for second on room reveal day.

When it comes to favourite elements, my list is almost endless. Like Kara, who loves ‘the feature tiles in the shower and the concrete pendant’, I am also a big fan of the beautiful yet raw concrete ‘Aplomb’ suspension lamp, which I felt worked perfectly against the timber. I also loved the minimal, but right-on-trend feel of the Milli Axon black and chrome tapware. But seriously though; who can go past the AMAZING Reflection bathtub. It’s an absolute stunner and something you can only afford on The Block when you have won a ton of cash.

As I mentioned previously; bathrooms are expensive and can be very difficult to change, so when renovating for sale like the couples’ on The Block, your target market and potential buyer need to be at the forefront of your mind and considered with every decision you make. On key considerations for buyers, Kara states:
‘I guess our bathroom has a luxurious feel and a lot of elements contribute to that – A stone bath, the biggest shower head you have ever seen, a floor to ceiling heated towel rail, quality tap ware and fixtures and under-floor heating… it really is the bathroom with it all!’

If you are loving Kyal and Kara's style shop by couple at theblockshop.com.au

The Home Journal is an Interior design and Lifestyle blog by Dani Wales, fomer contestant on The Block.  Check out her blog for more inspiring articles.