Tour Robby and Mat’s complete home on ‘The Block’

Unlike the other Block houses, Robby and Mat’s front yard ditched the turf and mature trees in favour of gravel, mulch, Australian natives and some very large boulders to create a garden that Marty described as “very different.”

While Shaynna loved the sculptural elements of the garden, including the water feature and boulders, and garden guru Dave Franklin praised the front yard as likely the most sustainable on The Block, Darren wasn’t so on board. In fact, he was underwhelmed.

“I can see once it’s done, once all of these big mounds grow out, and we have all the kangaroo paws and all the lovely Australian natives in here, it’s going to be breathtakingly beautiful, but right now? There’s not enough in here for it to be really stimulating as a native garden,” Darren said.

The boys had to concede; with not much left in the piggy bank, they had little choice but to go for the younger plantings, leaving them toward the bottom of the scoreboard. Hopefully, come auction day, their front yard will be looking a little fuller.

“This is very Doctor Seuss, very magical,” Shaynna said of the garden’s curved pathway, where the judges and landscaper Dave Franklin continued on down to admire the colossal Trendz outdoor fireplace, which was said to be one of the biggest in the region.

While Marty was impressed with the sheer size of the feature, he raised valid safety concerns around the fireplace blocking the view of the pool from the deck. Fortunately, Robby and Mat decided to add security cameras overlooking the pool area with mobile connectivity, so parents can keep an eye on the kids from their phones.

The judges also loved the sustainable landscaping, centrepiece Boab tree, pickleball court, and, as Darren said, “the serenity.”

Featuring a sauna, the poolside cabana offers yet another space to sit and relax in Robby and Mat’s expansive backyard. However, the judges weren’t blown away.

“It’s great, but it’s not as luxurious as some of the other cabanas we’ve seen,” Darren said, with landscaper Dave adding that the sauna feels like it had been “plonked” there.

Situated beside the pickleball court is the boys’ swimming pool, where the inclusion of a retractable shade cover went down a treat with the judges.

Shaded by a louvred patio, the terrace is cosy, but not too heavy and enclosed, thanks to Robby and Mat’s choice of light timber furnishings.

Shaynna loved how well the space connected with the home’s interiors, while Marty was head over heels for the Trendz fireplace.

Darren pointed out that while it may be the smallest deck of the day, that’s because the boys’ highly anticipated wine cellar lies beneath it…

Fitted with a timber workbench, all the tools you could ever want and plenty of storage, the judges were impressed with the simplicity and functionality of the shed.

“Can I say this is perfect?” Shaynna said upon entering Robby and Mat’s home gym. Complete with weights, a bench press and a reformer machine, the gym ticked all of Darren’s boxes and was praised by Shaynna as not too “blokey.”

After seeing the terrace, home gym, and shed, the judges headed on down to the underground wine cellar, where socks were promptly knocked off.

“The joinery is classy, it’s elegant, it’s expensive, and it justifies the existence of this wine cellar,” Shaynna said.

From the timber joinery and moody lighting to Robby’s very own wallpaper, all three of the judges were besotted with the space.

“They swung hard, but this is a home run,” Darren said.

5 top tips on designing your own wine cellar

Designing and building your own wine cellar is, unfortunately, not quite as easy as putting in some shelves and filling them to the brim. To maintain the quality of every bottle of wine, make sure to keep these top tips in mind:

• Placement: Ground floor is ideal but not the only option.
• Environment: Keep the temperature between 12 and 15 degrees – a dedicated wine cellar cooling unit can do this
• Insulation: Create a safe haven for your wine to thrive
• Look & feel: Timber racking tends to look and function best
• Lighting: Keep it low and UV-free

Simple, sleek and packed full of storage, the butler’s pantry wowed the judges, with the French pattern tiles and farmhouse sink earning plenty of praise.

As for practicality, the butler’s pantry has it in spades, thanks to an integrated fridge, coffee machine, oven and plenty of shelving.

It wasn’t an unfinished room that cost Robby and Mat points this week, but rather a… European laundry?

As much as the judges loved the storage and styling in the boys’ butler’s pantry, they were quick to express their disdain over the choice to keep the laundry compact and hidden behind cupboard doors.

“In Europe, a lot of properties don’t have the space to have a proper laundry. This has the space, and we are looking at a Euro laundry. Makes no sense,” Marty exclaimed.

“It is form before function,” Darren agreed.

Although the space offers a small sink and some storage, it seems the classic Australian laundry room, with its abundance of space, is what buyers have come to expect and when you’re working with plenty of square footage, rightfully so. To improve the functionality of the Euro laundry, Marty suggested losing the doors, and we’d have to agree.

Robby and Mat’s jungle-style powder room certainly packs a punch. From the chandelier to the botanical wallpaper, the space is an unexpected burst of colour.

“It’s a little bit Hepburn, it’s a little bit Daylesford. I really like it,” Shaynna said.

Keeping with the earthy tones, the mudroom features green accents, including a tiled wall that Marty described as “a strange addition.”

As for storage, Shaynna wasn’t sold. “We need hooks, we need a rail, we need something to hang,” she commented.

Featuring statement hexagonal lighting, the garage is certainly…flashy. But unfortunately for the boys, the judges had already seen the lighting feature in Han and Can’s garage, not to mention the sports car. Nevertheless, their inclusion of a car cleaning kit was deemed a strong value-add by the judges.

Robby and Mat’s guest bedroom was a symphony of warm and bright colours that harmonised perfectly with their choice of rich textures and a generous layout. Inspiring the colours, textures and lines of the room was, of course, the hand-painted abstract botanical mural at the far end of the room. Compared to their otherwise neutral home, this room is more saturated in colour and richer in texture, but it’s not so off-brand that it doesn’t work with their contemporary country theme. Choosing to keep their layout simple, Robby and Mat installed integrated wardrobes in the entrance hall and reserved much of the floor space for a sitting area/TV zone.

Robby and Mat’s guest suite misses the brief

From the outset, Robby and Mat have said they wanted their home to be an entertainer’s dream, and last week’s kitchen reveal cemented that dream as a reality. Unfortunately, this week wasn’t quite so successful for the pair from South Australia, who realised early on that they weren’t going to finish their bathroom. The result was a guest suite that was less a suite and more a bedroom.

Starting the week with confidence, Robby and Mat wanted to push their creative boundaries for this room reveal, deciding to add a little modernity to their contemporary country theme. They chose a hand-painted, abstract botanical direct-to-wall artwork as the hero of their room, complemented by cream grasscloth wallpaper, two green velvet occasional chairs and bed linen in harmonious orange and green tones. Robby and Mat decided to include a sitting area rather than extra amenities, like a bath or kitchenette, and Marty Fox thought that was a missed opportunity. Darren Palmer disagreed, and Shaynna loved the hand-painted wall.

Heartbreakingly, Robby and Mat’s guest ensuite remained unfinished for the room reveal this week. In a cruel twist of fate, all the judges agreed that the pair’s material selections and layout were spot on. Everything, from their choice of finger tiles to the walnut vanity and mirrored cabinetry, was praised by each judge. Marty Fox thought that from a design and functionality perspective, the room could’ve been a real success. But in what Scotty Cam dubbed “hell week”, the best mates didn’t organise their time, or their trades, well enough to finish everything on time. A reminder to all home builders of the the importance of excellent communication skills, and a contingency plan for when things go wrong.

This week, Robby and Mat revealed a kitchen in complete harmony with their existing living and dining areas. Darren Palmer said the room was “luxurious, but not pretentious”, and Marty Fox said the area was “really hard to fault.” Adorned in harmonious, neutral tones, the kitchen cabinetry meshed with the flooring and dining table, while the matching chandeliers added drama and sophistication to the modern country aesthetic.

Visually, the kitchen, living and dining spaces were defined, but not separate. Each zone functioned well for its intended purpose, but still enjoyed a pleasing flow, due mainly to the unified colour palette and well-executed floor plan, which was both generous and practical. The only downside to this show-stopping kitchen was the inclusion of Murphy Doors leading into the primary suite. A great idea in theory, but the swing room required for each door necessitated a gap when closed – meaning there was no proper sound barrier between the two spaces.

What was supposed to be a simple room with clean lines and uncomplicated furniture ended up being one of Robby and Mat’s worst room reveals to date, according to the judges. Marking the half-way point of competition, this week Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox and Darren Palmer weren’t impressed with the “low effort” room that, they said, fails to draw you in. Robby and Mat’s main failing was their omission of a centre piece to anchor the decor, colour scheme and furnishings.

Marty thought the room lacked warmth and missed the Daylesford brief. Shaynna was upset that the room didn’t evoke emotion, saying she though the colour and styling wasn’t up to standard. Darren Palmer agreed the room wasn’t right for Daylesford, which is a destination, not a suburb.

An entertainer’s dream, Robby and Mat’s living room is expansive, inviting and well laid out. Catering to the room’s oversized proportions, the best friends chose a massive modular sofa and two feature chairs to frame the space. To bring their neutral, pink-leaning colour palette together, they commissioned an show-stopping artwork in complementary tones from friend who is a fourth generation indigenous artist based in South Australia. Shaynna thought the far wall should’ve been finished in a biscuit tone to make the artwork pop.

An extension of their living room, Robby and Mat’s dining area is perfect for entertaining large groups of friends and family. Their earlier decision to alter the layout of this space gave them the freedom to embellish the table with large vases and two unexpected wingback armchairs. This space shows the importance of planning and earnt the best mates top spot in week five.

Robby and Mat’s main bedroom is filled with natural light, space, and airiness, thanks to its grand proportions and cathedral-like skylights positioned above the four-poster bed. The textured wall finish was a hit with the judges, and complements the Australiana-inspired palette of the room. However, Shaynna rightfully pointed out some styling errors: the rug is too small for the space, and the boys could have dialled back the Bromley artworks.

Clad in square travertine tiles, Robby and Mat’s second bathroom is a serene dream, complete with plenty of natural light thanks to more of those Velux skylights. “It feels like a high-end hotel,” judge Marty said upon entering the space. Judge Darren particularly loved the grasscloth – as do we – which adds a tactile element to the space.

Three details we loved in Robby and Mat’s Block bathroom

Although Robby and Mat’s bathroom didn’t take home the win this week, there was still plenty to love about the neutral-toned space. These are the three details that impressed us:

• The grasscloth wallpaper: While not to everyone’s taste, there’s no denying that grasscloth wallpaper adds plenty of texture to a space, and in the case of Robby and Mat’s bathroom, a dash of colour too. We particularly liked how the duo chose a soft lavender shade to complement the soft and subdued palette.
• The travertine tiles: This week, the boys chose to clad their bathroom in 100x100mm travertine tiles – 3000 of them in fact – and it was totally worth it. Filled with subtle variation, the beige square tiles make the wet zone look incredibly refined and spa-like.
• The dark timber vanity: Contrasting against the soft tones of the lilac grasscloth and the travertine was a dark timber floating vanity and a matching mirrored cabinet, which grounded the space.

Bathed in neutral tones, Robby and Mat’s kids’ bedroom feels calm and warm, however, a little too mature for a children’s bedroom, where colour and playful styling are encouraged. Judge Marty Fox went as far as to describe the room as an ‘upmarket nursing home’. The judges also pointed out the odd placement of the floor lamp beside the table lamp, which creates an unbalanced lighting scheme.

How we would style Robby and Mat’s kids’ bedroom

A beige palette and lack of playfulness in one of Robby and Mat’s kids’ bedrooms saw the team at the bottom of the scoreboard this week, and while they missed the mark, we think the pair could easily dial up the fun with the right styling. Here’s what we would do differently:

• Brighten the palette: Beige certainly has its place; however, we think a brighter hue, even a fresh shade of white, would instantly uplift the pair’s second kids’ bedroom.
• Incorporate pattern: Whether that’s in the form of bedding, cushions or curtains, the incorporation of pattern such as stripes, floral prints and gingham would add instant visual intrigue to the room and lean into the home’s country locale.
• Space out the light sources: Rather than placing a floor lamp beside a table lamp, we would disperse the lighting. As Darren Palmer says in his guide to interior lighting, every light needs to work as part of the overall scheme.
• Opt for more whimsical art: As noted by the judges, the floral artwork was a little dated for the space. We would choose a more whimsical print or painting with plenty of colour to bring in some more playfulness.

Featuring a sage green wardrobe, whimsical bedding and colourful rugs, this room achieves the sense of playfulness that was lacking in the other bedroom. The judges particularly loved the fun styling of the space, but criticised the placement of the beds, saying that one was too close to the wardrobe.

Clad in Travertine-style tiles and awash with soothing beige tones, Robby and Mat’s bathroom exudes spa-like serenity. A floating timber vanity with a stone benchtop adds to the grounded textural palette.

Dubbed “the Goldilocks bathroom” by the judges, Robby and Mat’s bathroom ticks the practical boxes with their perfectly placed vanity, multiple towel rails and spacious shower. Another standout feature was the bathroom’s skylight, which invites lashings of light in to illuminate the soft pinks of the tiles.