We catch up with Block Favourites Deb and Andy

Andy and Deb speak with The Block Shop on what they've been up to and share their Christmas plans with us!

What does a typical day look like for you now?

Each day is a little different and a lot crazy, jam packed but loads of fun.

We’ve had so many projects on the go post Block and we’ve given 100% to each of them.

It’s very fulfilling but can be a little exhausting too. We are taking some time off over Christmas just to be with the family so we are counting down the days. 

Deb and Andy were and still are one of our all time favourite Block Heads, truely the kindest hearts this pair!

What has changed? Any new opportunities opened up post Block?

Yes so many great opportunities which we are truly grateful for.

We’ve worked with some incredible companies, made a few tv commercials and began our own digital renovation series called DnA of Design which involves renovating of course and we are filming it too!

You can see the first series on YouTube here.

Have you done any more renovating?

Immediately after the show we did a couple of minor renovations, a bathroom and a laundry and then in Oct 2020 we used our winnings to buy a house that we did a reno on and turned into a holiday property.

It was very popular and we were booked out months in advance. 13 months later Andy convinced me to put it on the market as property was selling well in our area. It sold prior to auction and broke sales records, including gains records. The result of the sale was phenomenal and we started thinking, hey we are pretty good at this, maybe we should do some more! 

Bask at Green Point was renovated by Andy and Deb and after 13 months sold and reaching incredible sales records for the couple.

After that we launched our own digital renovation series.

The first two houses we are renovating are in the Gold Coast Hinterland 5.5 hours north of where we live.

We have completed one house and filmed the entire thing. It’s available to watch on YouTube and it consists of 5, 6 minute episodes and every episode has a room reveal. Short sharp and full of design ideas.

House 1 was recently in a 12 page feature in Adore magazine one of our favourites. Something we are very proud of. To see our work there was really cool, it was the first house of our series too!

House 2 is now underway and as I write this Andy and I are in the car headed 5.5 hours north of home to be on site bright and early tomorrow making sure all of our selections are coming together well and to film where we are up to with House 2.

It should be complete Feb/March 2023. 

Oh and we renovated our retail store too! 

The Shed Luxe retail store renovation was truely incredible, if you are in Taree NSW be sure to check this beauty out.

Deb instore at The Shed Luxe, although they recently sold the store it is still going strong.

Still living same area?

We still live in Wallabi Point on the beautiful Barrington Coast of NSW. Although our 2 eldest kids have moved to Sydney and Luca our 3rd eldest moves to Sydney in a few weeks as she was scouted and signed to IMG Model agency.

They are all going to be living together. We are so proud of them all. It leaves only Tyler at home now. He’s 13 so it will not be long and he will be gone too. 

NOW: Andy and Deb with their four children now. Deb's three older children are all going to live in Sydney together. #proudparents

THEN: Andy Deb and their four kids at The Oslo in 2019 on Auction night.

Who are you still friends with from the show?

We are all so close we talk daily and we catch up regularly.

We are close to and caught up with Tess, Luke, Elise, Matt, Jesse and Mel in St Kilda in July 22. We rented a house together and we barely left. We just spent quality time catching up and meeting Cleo Tess and Luke’s baby girl and Khloe Mel and Jesses baby girl, the newest members of our crew! It was incredible.

We visited Oslo of course. We also caught up with some of our trades from all of our houses, some of the Block producers too. So good! Since then Andy and I have been over to WA to stay with Elise and Matt and we are all catching up again in Byron in 2023! We are fam for life now. 

The Block 2019 was the start of some truely magical friendships, pictured here Mel, Deb, Tess and Elise. These girls all still speak regularly.

What was the best part of your experience on The Block?

The people for sure.

Our fellow contestants were such a great crew with big hearts and so much character. Everyone supported one and other. It was truly special.

Our tradies, producers, show runners, our suppliers were all incredibly awesome too. The locals in the shops and cafes. We met some great people.

Last month we attended our lovely Beacon Lighting designer Mandis wedding, Andy was the emcee. We met her on the show and are now very close friends. So definitely the connections, friendships and memories made were the best part. The prize money was also life changing for us. 

Andy and Deb are a truely beautiful part of The Block Family, their generosity, kind hearts, work ethic and determination saw them become popular amoungst all of the cast, crew and trades.

What was the worst part of your experience on The Block?

Long hours, all the demolition. No sleep for 4 months. The workload was insane.

We built a bathroom and a bedroom in the first week but had to knock out massive walls by hand first. Across the 5 houses we carried 125 tonne of rubble down three stories to the skips in just 3 days.

Then we had to build, paint, furnish. I dont know how we managed to stay sane. Andy lost 17kg in the first 3 weeks and he was slim to start with! It was so tough but we had an incredible team of trades. That along with determination and a never give up attitude is what got us through. 

Would you do it again? 

Yes I’d give it a go. I wouldn’t want to do a series as big as ours or last years though. Not sure I could convince Andy to go back at all though haha 

Favourite past Block Couple?

Josh and Jenna. They were so good to us when they stayed with us on our series and they helped us so much.

Recently I (Deb) studied with the Design School founded by Jenna and I’m now a fully qualified interior decorator/stylist. The course was unbelievable and in true Jenna form it was so detailed and the course material was stunning and inspiring. It was hard studying, running a family, a holiday property, renovating houses and at that time we were also renovating our store but we always manage to get there in the end.

2023 will be a little less frantic that’s for sure! 

Favourite holiday destination?

Coolangatta QLD for family holidays as the fam bam all love surfing and I (Deb) have been holidaying there since I was 5. It’s a stunning spot. Andy and I took our first ever holiday together in Coolangatta 31 years ago and we now take all the kids up every year if we can. 

Left: Luca, recently scouted by IMG Model agency will be moving to Sydney pic by: @daveblakephoto. Right:Luca and Deb recently in Coolangatta, the family's fave holiday spot.

How has COVID-19 affected you? Isolation?

We had our store The Shed Luxe and it had to be shut down so that was a bit stressful but we made it through.

That store survived fires, floods and a pandemic and although we’ve recently sold it, it’s still going strong!

What would you buy yourself from The Block Shop?

The Milano Slimline Luggage Set in Gold. We are travelling so much and I love the sleek look of this luggage! 

A perfect Sunday afternoon….

Me on the deck in my favourite chair with some bubbly, the kids all home in the pool and Andy on the BBQ and on the whiskey haha. There is nothing better than all the family together.

A visit to my Dads place just up the coast is always a great Sunday adventure too, more great waves there and he lives in paradise. 

It is clear to see the Saunders family has an incredibly close bond, the smiles really say it all!

Anything that you are loving at the moment that you would like to share with us?

A little colour in decor is catching my eye, a neutral palette with added pops of blue, yellow, orange and pink. 

How will you spend Christmas this year? 

Christmas this year is a relaxed bare foot beach Christmas. Think hammocks and hanging chairs around the pool. We will be swimming, surfing, eating and relaxing. Everyone is home too which makes us so happy. We are doing a colourful Christmas this year with some beautiful bright ceramics and pretty colourful flowers. 

Just after NYE we are off to Coolangatta for our annual trip too! 

We can't wait to see the Saunder's Family Christmas unfold this year. Image via Instagram @andyanddeb.

Want to take a trip down The Block memory lane from 2019 head here.