See inside Emma & Ben’s finished home from ‘The Block’ 2025

Entering Ben and Emma’s property elicited an overwhelming round of praise from all the judges. Especially, and perhaps most importantly – from guest judge Dave Franklin, who applauded the couple’s choice of plantings: “You’ve got a garden here that’s quite thought out.. it’s actually hard to beat.”

Shaynna was equally as impressed, shouting out the couple’s landscaper Colin Hyatt for his considered approach. “You see the value in a landscape designer,” she reiterated, going on to point out the elevated details throughout the garden. “Everything’s planted to perfection!”

Shaynna couldn’t stop gushing about the design details, calling out each of the considered spaces as she spotted them. “You have this little grassy knoll that comes up with a sculpture and lighting against it… the way the boulders are the way they work with the mounds and how they’ve made everything just work.”

She also expressed her approval of the garage door: “I love the fact they’ve picked very simplistic garage door because everything is about the planting and greenery against that black.”

Marty doubled down on his praise of the couple’s facade, stating that he thought the new homeowners would feel very house proud. “That’s what the new owners want. It’s a massive part of the marketing campaign for all of these contestants – getting that front facade popping on the Domain app, is what draws that further enquiry in,” he exclaimed.

Marty was wowed by the presence of the facade as a whole, calling the experience of entering the property “so grand”, and the rest of the judges agreed. However, it was the inclusion of the home’s nameplate – surprisingly, the first of its kind on The Block – that scored the couple some serious props.

Marty was quick to point out that their strategic plantings would pay off in years to come, providing a much-needed noise barrier between the property and the nearby pub once they reached full maturity.

“Landscaping is always important,” noted Darren. “But in Daylesford, it’s particularly important.” Adding: “I would wager, that whoever wins for their landscaping, will win The Block.” Whether Darren’s prediction comes true or not, all eyes will be on the new parents come auction week – especially in light of the rumours circling around Adrian Portelli’s surprising return.

Emma and Ben’s backyard won the unanimous tick of approval from all the judges this week on The Block, taking out a win by 1/2 a point over Robby and Mat. All three loved the undulating lawn and native plantings, which reminded them of the rolling hills of Daylesford. But hiding in plain sight, it was the surprise inclusion of a genius wine cellar that cemented the win for the Melbourne-based couple this week – and what a room it was. Inserted under the southern wing of their home, the couple made every square metre count with a cosy adult’s retreat that brought a slice of Victoria’s best vineyards to their doorstep.

The couple chose to push the boundaries this week with a 3D-printed cabana that drew the judges in with its cool, contemporary design. The 3D-printed pool house included luxury amenities such as a steam sauna, air conditioning and powder room, offering potential homebuyers the wellness area of their dreams.

Robby and Mat weren’t the only Blockheads who decided to add a wine cellar; Emma and Ben made the strategic move too, which was praised as a game-changing value add by the judges. The couple kept the styling simple, opting for timber shelving and a rustic stone feature wall.

Showing off their home’s elevation and views, Emma and Ben created an exceptionally functional alfresco terrace perfect for year-round entertaining. Equipped with electric blinds and heaters for winter and an adjustable slatted roof for summer, Darren thought the space offered the best of both worlds, although it lacked some of the softness present in their other rooms. Shaynna thought the black furniture made the space feel “heavy”, while Marty put his real estate agent hat on and commented that there was “a lot to sell, and a lot to buy” in the first outdoor area reveal thus far.

Emma and Ben split the space in their shed, creating a practical area for tools and gardening equipment upon entrance, which leads into a super luxe golf simulation space. All the judges loved both spaces. The combination of two areas so conceptually different appealed to Shaynna, Darren and Marty, who all loved the practicality of the tool shed married with the over-the-top golf simulator, which comes with a local golf club membership to boot! A slight oversight was the inclusion of skylights in the golf simulator; however, overall, the judges loved the strategic nature of Emma and Ben’s choices.

Filled with natural light streaming in from the large window, this combined laundry and butler’s pantry makes a great initial impression. The judges were unanimous in their praise for Emma and Ben’s elevated washer and dryer, and the practical inclusion of hip-height basket drawers beneath each. Darren loved their use of hanging space in a dead corner and was effusive in his praise for the considered palette of warm wood, creamy white slashbacks and two-toned floor tiles. Shaynna agreed about the palette, but wasn’t totally sold on the functionality of the space. She questioned the need for two sinks, especially as they cut into valuable bench space in the utilitarian area. Marty agreed, pointing out the reason for a butler’s pantry is to have a workable space to make mess.

Aesthetically pleasing and finished with Emma and Ben’s signature olive green paintwork and russet-hued cushions, the mudroom lacked practicality and the requisite sense of Daylesford luxury. The hat hooks inserted above the bench seat were largely ornamental, and the judges couldn’t understand why there wasn’t storage space for muddy boots and winter coats. Shaynna suggested swapping out the internal shelving for hanging space to make this zone more workable, and Marty wanted to see more luxury with some leather covered cushions.

“It feels like stepping into a jewellery box,” said Darren Palmer, on entering this sweet little powder room. The burgundy and pink room featured the same two-toned floor tiles seen in the laundry/butler’s pantry and wallpaper wrapping around around the feature wall and onto the ceiling. Shaynna loved the feature basin, calling it “divine”, and the wallpaper on the ceiling.

Finishing off the ‘back of house’ challenge was Emma and Ben’s garage. The judges loved the larger than life image of Lake Daylesford reproduced on the back wall, but everything else failed to register. While the black flooring looked good, Shaynna pointed out that it would be impossible to keep clean while enjoying a country lifestyle. Marty wanted to see “more storytelling in the styling” as Daylesford is a touring location with lots of wineries and restaurants.

This week, Emma and Ben created a luxurious-feeling guest suite complete with a bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and kitchenette. The light-filled space was grounded with a mid-tone green accent wall, a shimmery velour bedhead and lush brown curtains. The couple really considered their layout, choosing to rearrange the space to accommodate more amenities. The key change was the addition of a false wall to create the walk-in wardrobe at the back of the room, which allowed them to include a large galley-style kitchenette in the entry hallway. Although the time-pressed couple didn’t have time to perfect all the details (most notably with some poor cutting-in), the judges were happy to overlook these shortcomings because of the overall impression and quality of the space. Shaynna said the suite had the feeling of a boutique hotel suite, without feeling too unattainable.

Marty Fox loved this “little gem” of an ensuite, with its “palatial” proportions and natue-inspired colour scheme. Emma and Ben repeated the curved nib wall from their main bathroom, which lent a sense of continuity to the room, while the gem-like green tiles spoke for themselves. Proving once again that you can definitely make non-traditional colours work in a bathroom, Emma and Ben’s execution was slightly less than perfect, but the overall effect was of a calm and luxurious space with great amenities and plenty of natural light.

Once again, Emma and Ben impressed with their signature warm colour choices and the scale of their space. All three judges noted the harmony of their palette and materials, and how appropriate these were for the Daylesford setting. The couple from Melbourne kept their styling simple, creating a scale and spaciousness that was noticeable and in harmony with the adjoining living/dining area. Marty Fox thought that their hard work “rectified the spaces.”

An overall success, one detracting factor for the judges was the position of Emma and Ben’s fridges, which when open, block entry to the main bedroom. Once again, in this season of The Block, spatial planning takes centre stage, with Darren stating that without this mistake, Emma and Ben would’ve created “the perfect kitchen.” A warning example for those of us at home dreaming of our own kitchen renovation, and for Emma and Ben going forward into week eight.

This week Emma and Ben weren’t playing it safe, and their layered, colourful approach paid dividends. While being “savvy” with their budget, the soon-to-be parents selected a large, colourful artwork by a local artist as their hero. The abstract work, featuring pink, green and red tones informed all their other choices – including a rust brown retro-style couch, deep green occasional chairs and walls in textured pink and an olive green.

The judges noted the room wasn’t very kid-friendly, but overall, they were impressed by the couple’s attention to detail and their use of colour, delivering a room that is enveloping and delivers on the high-end Daylesford brief. “Emma and Ben are back!” concluded Darren.

This week Emma and Ben struggled to create wow-factor in their living and dining room. Their usual attention to detail was missing and the judges weren’t impressed with their styling, or the placement of their furniture. Instead of looking out to the view, they closed off the space to make the TV the focal point. Their colour choices remained a strength with the exception of the orange-toned bench seat, which looked out of place with their cool toned herringbone flooring.

Fresh off the heels of last week’s ensuite success, Ben and Emma decided to dip back into burgundy for their main bedroom and walk in wardrobe reveal. But rather than opt for another colour-drenched dose, they instead chose to incorporate a burst of the bold hue as part of a soothing, more restrained palette. What resulted was a berries and cream dream punctuated by swathes of calming eucalyptus and soft oak, that came together to produce, what the judges called, a “close to perfect” room.

Although the judges were tickled pink by the room’s hotel-like look and feel, they were equally as impressed by the sheer scale of the space, further emphasised by the sprawling island that spanned the entire length of the oak-lined wardrobe.

With some of the biggest bedrooms we’ve seen on The Block so far, this year’s contestants had their work cut out for them when it came to furnishing with form (and function) in mind. Emma and Ben opted for an integrated sitting area centred around the Stoke holographic fireplace and the Rosso Levante-topped wall unit. The Block Shop Fossil Face artworks are a nod to the room’s nature-inspired palette, while tactile pieces like the Few & Far occasional chair and button-shaped ottomans add an inviting touch.

Dubbed “mid-century western” by the judges, Emma and Ben’s earthy colour choices prove you can definitely use non-traditional colours in a bathroom. Their sophisticated warm-toned palette features three complementary tile choices, a timber vanity and copper tapware. Curved lines repeat throughout the space, softening its hard edges, while giving the space a fresh, modern feel.

Emma and Ben’s exceptional time-management skills came to their rescue this week. With the most renovation experience among the five teams, Emma and Ben progressed through the ensuite challenge without breaking a sweat. Smart choices, like wallpapering instead of painting, left the couple with time to finesse the details (which most notably included a hand-finished planter to match the wall tiles). A perfectly finished, curved feature wall in the shower recess showed off their superior planning and execution skills.

Emma and Ben’s first kid’s bedroom features a moody palette of navy blue, accented with mid-tone brown shades in the bedhead and chequerboard rug. A spacious design, the judges appreciated the couple’s use of texture, the unique circular niche, excellent execution and well-considered finishes. “That bed is absolutely beautiful,” says Darren Palmer. “You wouldn’t usually see this much detail in a kid’s room.”

Emma and Ben’s second kid’s bedroom is a sweet pink-hued affair, featuring fairy decals, soft pinks and burgundy accents. The downfall of this room was not in its design, but in its execution. The panels of slatted walnut (installed to disguise a short fall with the statement wallpaper) expose the less-than-perfect functionality of the space. The wood panels detracted from the beautiful wall sconces and made it hard to open the wardrobe doors. This features reminds all home renovators of the importance of measuring everything twice.

While it’s easy to get swept up in how a room looks, Emma and Ben’s choices show that functionality is just as important as aesthetics. They cut corners with basics, like allowing enough swing room for the wardrobe doors and creating sufficient storage for two occupants. Our advice would be to sacrifice the built in desk area to maximise storage space and, if possible, the use of more space efficient bedding solutions, like bunk beds, for a small spaces.

Emma and Ben’s bathroom is a colourful take on contemporary Australian design with mid-century influences. Blending clean lines, brass hardware and natural materials with the muted green of the basins and shower tiles makes for a cohesive space with functionality at its core. This room uses hardware and shapely forms to hit the brief of mid-century minimalist, while the nature-inspired palette helps it to remain timeless.

While their styling was simple, the success of Emma and Ben’s bathroom came down to their big-ticket items like the dramatic skylight above the shower recess, flooding the room with ample natural light. Alongside the minimal shower screen, a luxurious bath sits parallel to the length of the room. Continuous large-format tiles create a sense of heightened spaciousness and continuity.