Top 10 pieces of art from The Block

There’s nothing like art to show the world who you are. And not just for artists - even the pieces you choose to display in your home lets people know exactly who you are and what you want your home to be, whether that’s bold and bright, soft and serene or anything at all.

“Art is one of the most intimate ways to express who you are in your space,” says art expert Jane from Australian gallery Iconiko, a go-to supplier of art for The Block Island contestants. “It can tell a story, evoke memories, or simply reflect a mood. Letting your art be an extension of who you are means choosing pieces that resonate with you on a deeper level, making your home feel authentic and uniquely yours… telling a story that's personal and meaningful.”

From a tranquil landscape to something fun, a “hero” to anchor the room, art from the “bold and beautiful” trend that’s sweeping the world or a piece that’s more subtle to help tie a space together, it’s all about asking yourself what message you want your art to send, then finding the right piece to do it.

“When choosing art, buyers should consider both their personal taste and the space the piece will occupy,” Jane says. “It's important to think about the size of the artwork in relation to the wall and surrounding furniture, the colour palette, and how the piece fits within the overall style of the room.” A “hero” artwork, she explains, is one that captures attention and becomes the focal point of a room.

“Hero pieces are expressions of style and personality that elevate the aesthetics of a room,” Jane says. “Bold and beautiful” means finding something that makes a statement. “It's characterized by vibrant colours, strong lines, and daring compositions that capture attention and evoke emotion.” And in between are countless other choices… so where to start?

On The Block Island, contestants turned to Jane and the Iconiko experts to find the art to give their homes that personal touch. A vibrant arts space based in Geelong, Australia, Iconiko is dedicated to bringing beautiful, inspiring, and accessible art to every home. “We have an ever-evolving collection of pieces available, each thoughtfully selected to reflect our commitment to quality and artistic expression,” Jane says. “In conjunction with the art available on our walls, we also showcase a range of artwork samples in-store to help buyers select the right piece.”

And like the Block contestants, anyone interested in finding the perfect piece can take advantage of the Iconiko experts help. “At Iconiko, we understand that choosing the perfect piece of art can sometimes feel overwhelming,” Jane says. “That’s why we offer a personalized service where we work closely with you to find a piece that truly resonate the vision for the space.

“We also offer custom artwork services where we can create a piece from scratch based on your concepts or modify the colours of one of our existing pieces to better suit the tones of your space.” Get it right, the Block contestants know, and the results are incredible. “Art has the unique power to transform a space,” Jane says. “A well-chosen piece can influence the mood, making a space feel cosy and inviting, dynamic and energetic, or serene and calming.” What more could you want for your home?

The Block’s Iconiko Top Ten:

So, how does art change a space? We went back through ten perfect pieces that really lifted a room to ask the Blockheads what it was about this art that changed their homes.

Love Protea - Mitch and Mark (Bronte Court basement wine cellar)

“In a below ground space without windows we needed to create a sense of calm and warm vibes to distract from a lack of natural light,” Mitch says. “These artworks anchored the colour palette, were original pieces (hinting to the space being worthy) and referenced the foliage visible from the windows on the floor above.”

Wild Yonder – Harry and Tash (New Street stairwell)

“Because we had such beautiful dappled light coming in on that side of the house when you walked up those stairs it really felt like you were stepping into the clouds,” Tash says. “It just had this beautiful ethereal feel to it, so as soon as I saw that piece, I was drawn to it because I knew it would be perfect to convey that… it just enhances that space and adds an additional element of calmness that we really wanted to bring there.”

Ochre Isla - Rachel and Ryan (Gisbourne guest bedroom/redo room)

“The colour is what drew me to this print and we actually designed the whole room around it,” Rachel says. “It’s such a beautiful work and we wanted it to be the feature and everything in the room needed to compliment it. 
“It was the centerpiece of the room. It told the story and everything around it was there to support it.”

Lady Love - Mitch and Mark (Bronte Court basement wine cellar)

“This piece was used to transition from the entry ground level of the home as you entered the below ground level,” Mitch says. “She is a nod to the a much larger abstract painting of a female on the floor above to link the levels and mimic the colour palette throughout the home. This level of the home has a more masculine vibe than the level above, but this artwork states that a female is absolutely a welcome presence in the space.”

Cocao Muse - Kyle and Leslie (Charming Street master bedroom)

“The silhouette lines of the ladies feels a bit romantic,” Leslie says, “just perfect for a bedroom! We decided we wanted something a little darker to offset the neutral tones and textures in the room, and the marble bedside tables would have stuck out like a sore thumb without adding in the colour. I felt like it added another layer with the size of the pictures and our high ceilings... although Darren thought they looked like a chocolate shop, I think I’d still pick them again!”

Harvest Pauly - Rachel and Ryan (Gisborne guest bedroom)

“This is Pauly! Her full name is Pauline but she gets called Pauly because she's a little gangster... and that's why I love her,” Rachel says. “I loved the colour palette - it was so warm and rich, yet it had subtle nods to the green colours we were using in the rest of the room – but really, I just loved the fact it looked like she had a bit of sass about her. She added the colour pop that the room needed to bring it to a different dimension and add more depth.” 

Bubble Luxe - Josh and Luke (Bronte Court downstairs entertainment centre)

“In the rest of our house we went for more serious art, with a lot of Indigenous Australian pieces, to give the home a sense of place, but downstairs, we wanted to portray a very different feeling,” Luke says. “That image, of a beautiful young woman blowing bright pink bubble gum immediately tells you this is a fun place to be, there’s a real vibrant playful energy about it, it’s the first piece you see when you walk downstairs so you know exactly what to expect in that room!”

 Harry Echo – Mitch and Mark (Bronte Court guest bedroom)

“These cockatoos are all about joy, they make us smile,” Mitch says. “This guest room is a peaceful space with a relatively subdued palette & it needed a spark to elevate it without taking over - if you smile walking into this room - job done!!!

Bagera & Marilyn – Leah and Ash (Charming Street main bedroom)

“I wanted an iconic piece for a very glam inspired walk-in robe,” Leah says. “And this was just so out of the ordinary, which really was the beat of the drum for our house! We placed the piece right at the entrance of the robe so it set the tone for when you turned the corner into the colour drenched room. It was very glam…it was only fitting Merilyn greeted you at the door!”

Cubarita Wise – Tess and Luke (The Oslo upstairs bedroom)

“I loved her attitude!” Tess says. “I think this was probably the first piece of art that ever actually spoke to me and as soon as I saw her on the wall, I just needed to have her in my house! There are not too many colours but what’s there is bright and captivating and really defined the rest of the room. There’s a deep blue and a burned orange that I used to dress the bed, match the furniture, really bring the colours into the room… but really, she was just such a cool lady and I really wanted her edge and attitude in our house!”

Montrey Pool – Leah and Ash (Charming Street redo bedroom)

“When I originally used this piece in our living room I needed something that worked with our ‘70s Palm Springs vibe we had going on,” Leah says. “The colours were perfect, however, once everything settled in the room I decided the scale was off and it was better suited in our downstairs guest room. It’s amazing how quickly art can completely change a space. This is a very fun piece, The Hotel Saguaro in Palm Springs is known for its very cool party pool vibes and this piece really brings a room to life.”

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