Winners are grinners! Hannah and Clint smashed the competition on The Block this week, winning the room reveal with their stunning formal sitting-cum-whiskey room. We find out how they won, the biggest challenges of the week and why this room could win them The Block!
There is no denying Hannah and Clint knocked it out of the park this week with their sitting room. The esteemed judges Neale Whitaker, Darren Palmer and Shaynna Blaze wouldn’t leave the space they loved it so much, sitting down to wax lyrical about the design! And earlier in the week, Domain editor Alice Stoltz, gave Hannah and Clint’s plans a major tick of approval awarding them the Domain prize.
But aside from the absolute “wow factor”, in the words of Neale Whitaker, this room is a strategic move according to Peter Kakos, the Agency’s Victorian General Manager.
“In a period home such as this, a formal sitting room is a non-negotiable MUST. Buyers will expect it, especially one as stylish and inviting as the room Hannah and Clint have created,” Peter Kakos explains. “Some of the other competitors reconfigured their floorplans, which meant there wasn’t space for a formal sitting room or went a less traditional path.”
There were two key points of inspiration for Hannah and Clint this week. Firstly, having a young family themselves, they wanted to create an intimate and inviting space for the whole family to get together and enjoy. On the flipside, it also doubles as a whiskey room, perfect for an evening nightcap. Clint is a whiskey enthusiast, so much so he works as a Business Development Executive for Bicardi-Martini Australia.
“I can’t go past a Dewar’s 12 Year Scotch, neat,” laughs Clint. This was conveniently on hand for the judges' visit…
Now to the execution – we find out how Hannah and Clint achieved this impressive design in just one week and how they avoided disaster the day before the reveal! Hannah gives us the inside word:
How did it feel to win your first room reveal?
It felt so amazing to finally take home our first win! There's no denying our intro onto The Block has been a tough one. Our confidence was knocked after our week-one bathroom disaster and then again with the kids’ bedroom. We were doubting ourselves a little, so we needed this win, not only to prove to everyone that we deserve to be here, but to remind ourselves that we do have what it takes to create a beautiful home.
What gave you the edge this week?
It was a combination of a few things. We feel as though the fully functioning fireplace was a huge hit. Also, our styling and execution has come a long way and continues to improve each week.
What was your vision for the whiskey room?
Simply to create a warm and intimate space that the whole family can enjoy. The room presents itself as a whiskey room, however, we could quite easily picture a family enjoying a board game by the fireplace. The judges hit the nail on the head when they said it is a 'room you don't want to leave'. You could curl up on that leather couch with your favourite read and spend an entire afternoon in there.
What renovation wisdom did you gain this week?
We started this week with a very clear vision of exactly what we wanted to achieve. We hit the ground running on Monday morning. Even a joinery mishap only 24hrs before the reveal wasn't going to stand in our way. We both identified that there was a problem and acted fast to resolve the issue - lucky because our Plan B worked out better in the end anyway!
Do you have a favourite feature in the room?
The Jetmaster fireplace is pretty special. It works perfectly with the period of the house and creates such a cozy and intimate space. The navy velvet tub chairs from Freedom add a regal touch to the room too.
Biggest renovation lesson this week?
Organisation is key! To effectively manage our time and our trades it was crucial to have a plan. We discussed our vision with our builders first thing Monday morning and from there we were able to work out our plan of attack.
And finally, what was the biggest hiccup this week?
The joinery! This potentially could have turned into a major disaster. However, we learnt from week one that if something doesn't seem quite right, nip it in the bud early. Clint and I were able to identify that the original joinery plan wasn't going to work and acted quickly to resolve the issue.
Go team #HannahandClint #9TheBlock
The Agency's Peter Kakos (left) and CEO Matt Lahood (far right) with Hannah and Clint in The Whiskey room.
