The Block has delivered its first room reveal of 2026, with Courtney and Sevemerging as the team to beat after a week dominated by construction delays, a painting controversy, two body corporate meetings and some bruising feedback from the judges.
Before Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox and guest judge Alice Stolz could cast their eyes over the first completed guest bedrooms, the contestants had unfinished business.
The opening week had already placed the teams under considerable pressure as they raced towards tools down, with Houses 1 to 4 receiving approval to paint while Rick and Tayla continued battling defects that delayed their pre-paint sign-off.
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Elsewhere, Courtney and Sev pushed ahead with an ambitious design incorporating a timber ceiling, a handmade bedhead and micro cement, while Adam and Jolene used layers of texture and colour to add interest to their predominantly white room.
But renovation concerns were soon overshadowed by a dispute involving Chantel and Wyatt.
Painting controversy triggers The Block record
Foreman Dan discovered Chantel and Wyatt’s chippie using a paint roller, putting the couple at the centre of an argument over one of The Block’s established rules: contestants are required to do their own painting.
Chantel maintained she did not know tradespeople were prohibited from helping with the painting and said the work had only been happening for a short period.
Dan subsequently visited the other houses to determine whether the contestants understood the rule.
The situation became more contentious when Jolene said she had previously heard people discussing paying trades to paint.
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Tayla responded by calling a body corporate meeting, with Dan pointing out that holding one before the first room reveal represented a Block record.
Despite the breach, Dan initially decided Chantel and Wyatt would receive a warning rather than a more serious punishment.
That decision did little to settle the issue.
A second body corporate was called as Tayla pushed for a penalty, including the prospect of disqualification. But the meeting quickly stalled when the other contestants declined to publicly support that position.
Although Jolene and Lisa had expressed concerns about the rule breach, Tayla ultimately found herself without enough support to pursue the matter further.
The failed attempt to impose a penalty angered Wyatt, who believed his integrity had been questioned.
“They’re dead to me, I don’t want anything to do with them.”
The dispute left relations between Chantel and Wyatt and Rick and Tayla badly strained heading into judging.
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The first race to tools down
By Sunday morning, attention returned to finishing the rooms.
Houses 1, 2, 3 and 4 managed to complete their spaces, while the earlier construction delays left Rick and Tayla unable to finish everything they had planned.
Their problems had included repeated plaster inspection failures, which significantly delayed their opportunity to begin painting.
Eventually, Scott Cam called the first tools down of 2026, clearing the way for Shaynna Blaze, Marty Fox and special guest judge Alice Stolz to inspect the five guest bedrooms.
The results produced one clear frontrunner — and several teams with considerable work ahead.
Adam and Jolene make a solid start
Adam and Jolene entered judging prepared to accept criticism and use the first week as a learning experience.
Their initial feedback was encouraging, with Marty Fox immediately responding to the overall atmosphere of the bedroom.
“It’s got a really nice feel to it”.
He believed the couple had understood the brief well for their opening room.
Alice Stolz, however, considered the design safer and less distinctive, while Shaynna Blaze also felt it lacked a major moment capable of elevating the room.
At the same time, Shaynna found plenty to commend.
She was particularly impressed by the consistent aged-bronze details used throughout the room and noted the attention given to layering and texture.
The judges regarded those decisions as evidence Adam and Jolene had an understanding of the brief and an eye for detail, even if they wanted to see something more memorable from the pair in future rooms.
The room ultimately scored 22 points, putting Adam and Jolene in second place.
Chantel and Wyatt miss the mark
After dealing with the painting controversy, Chantel and Wyatt went into judging confident about their “old luxury”guest bedroom.
That confidence did not last.
While Marty Fox appreciated the feel of the carpet enough to remove his shoes, the broader design received a far less enthusiastic response.
Shaynna Blaze believed the room’s style belonged to another era.
“This would be Mount Eliza 35 years ago.”
Alice Stolz was particularly unhappy with the wall panelling, while Marty questioned whether those architectural details belonged in this particular property.
He said he liked that style of panelling in the appropriate setting, but did not believe it worked here.
“In such an architectural home, it really doesn’t match the facade at all.”
The judges’ central concern was that Chantel and Wyatt had not sufficiently considered either the building or the likely buyer.
Shaynna was also critical of the predominantly white palette.
“It doesn’t suit the area, it doesn’t actually suit the building and the fact it’s white on white on white, this is beyond vanilla.”
There were execution issues as well.
The painting required further attention, while the large number of cushions on the bed also came under scrutiny.
Alice thought the room needed to move away from what she regarded as a Gold Coast feel, although the judges acknowledged that the light palette helped make the bedroom appear spacious.
The pair finished judging with 20 points, placing them fourth.
Courtney and Sev establish the early benchmark
The mood changed dramatically when the judges entered Courtney and Sev’s guest bedroom.
The friends had altered their original plans in response to Darren Palmer’s quiet luxury brief, committing to a more ambitious and expensive design.
Their room included a timber ceiling and a handmade ruched bedhead created by Sev, alongside rendered elements and a more experimental approach than those seen in several of the other bedrooms.
The tactile qualities immediately attracted the judges’ attention.
Marty Fox was particularly impressed by the way the bedroom engaged more than just the eye.
“For a guest bedroom to engage the senses like it is, it’s very impressive.”
He believed the pair had delivered strongly against the brief.
“This is the brief that has been hit out of the ballpark.”
The absence of artwork was not considered a problem, with Shaynna Blaze believing the timber ceiling already provided enough visual interest.
There was, however, one significant concern.
The rendered wardrobe doors were already showing signs of chipping, raising questions about their durability and leaving the judges concerned the doors could require replacement.
That technical problem was not enough to undo the strength of the rest of the design.
The judges responded positively to Courtney and Sev’s willingness to experiment, take risks and create a room with a distinctive sensory quality.
With 26 points, they became the first room-reveal winners of the season and secured $10,000 from Chery.
The victory also gave them first choice of the official houses.
Lisa and Rosco’s risks divide the judges
Lisa and Rosco had hoped their guest bedroom would create a sense of calm.
Instead, its design choices left the judges puzzled.
One of the biggest problems was the wall niche, which Marty Fox believed was poorly executed.
He compared its appearance to The Flintstones and made his reaction clear.
“It looks Flintstoney … I just hate it.”
His concerns extended beyond the niche to the fluted wall panelling and paintwork.
“It feels a bit try-hard. There’s no architectural flair. It’s mis-matchy. It’s crooked. It’s wrong.”
Shaynna Blaze believed the combination of ideas could have worked when viewed separately on a mood board, but did not think they translated successfully into the finished bedroom.
She nevertheless identified positive elements in the textures and acknowledged the work that had gone into the room, although she felt its overall atmosphere was more Daylesford than Mount Eliza.
Despite their reservations, the judges recognised that Lisa and Rosco had at least attempted to make bold choices rather than retreating to an entirely safe design.
Alice Stolz summed up that distinction simply.
“At least they’ve tried.”
The room received 19.5 points, leaving Lisa and Rosco fourth on the final leaderboard ahead of Rick and Tayla.
Rick and Tayla endure brutal judging
No team faced tougher feedback than Rick and Tayla.
Their week had been hampered by construction problems and delays, leaving them with significantly less time to complete their guest bedroom.
By judging, several planned elements were missing.
There were no curtains or artwork, the wall sconces were off-centre and the placement of a chair contributed to the room feeling cramped.
Even the bed remained incomplete, with Rick and Tayla running out of time to install its slats.
Marty Fox wasted little time expressing his disappointment.
“I think there are three great things about this room. The carpet, the wardrobe and the door to leave.”
He later described it as a terrible room and questioned how such an incomplete result had been produced in a competition environment.
“I don’t understand. You are in a competition and this is what you produce? There’s no curtains. There’s no sheers. There’s no art.”
The unfinished bed provided another awkward moment when Marty fell through it while inspecting the room.
For Shaynna Blaze, the bigger issue was the absence of texture and emotional connection.
She described the room as “void of emotion”.
Alice Stolz agreed that it lacked personality.
“It’s void of life.”
“It doesn’t have any personality or soul.”
Her assessment then became even more severe.
“I know this is harsh but I don’t think these guys are worthy of The Block in what I’m seeing here.”
The judges also questioned whether Rick and Tayla understood the buyer they were supposed to be targeting.
Marty’s response was uncompromising.
“There is no buyer. This doesn’t sell.”
The difficult critique left Rick and Tayla at the bottom of the leaderboard with 17 points.
Courtney and Sev claim the first win
Once the judging was complete, the result was decisive.
Courtney and Sev finished first on 26 points, four points clear of Adam and Jolene, who scored 22.
Chantel and Wyatt followed with 20, ahead of Lisa and Rosco on 19.5 and Rick and Tayla on 17.
The individual judges’ scores reflected the same order at the top.
Alice Stolz awarded Courtney and Sev 9, Adam and Jolene 7.5, Chantel and Wyatt 7, Lisa and Rosco 7 and Rick and Tayla 6.
Marty Fox scored Courtney and Sev 8.5, Adam and Jolene 7, Chantel and Wyatt 6, Lisa and Rosco 6 and Rick and Tayla 5.
Shaynna Blaze gave Courtney and Sev 8.5, Adam and Jolene 7.5, Chantel and Wyatt 7, Lisa and Rosco 6.5 and Rick and Tayla 6.
Budget challenge delivers another twist
Room judging was not the end of the competition for the week.
The CommBank Budget Award offered another $10,000, this time rewarding the contestants who could most accurately estimate their spending.
Lisa and Rosco took the prize after coming within just $6 of their actual expenditure.
At the other end of the scale were Chantel and Wyatt.
The couple believed they had spent a little more than $8000 on their room, but were told their cash expenditure had reached $20,700.
The figure stunned the pair, with Chantel disputing the total.
After an already difficult week involving the painting controversy, two body corporate meetings and disappointing judging, the budget revelation pushed tensions higher.
Footage from the couple’s car captured Chantel and Wyatt discussing the possibility of leaving the competition.
Their reaction left another major question hanging over the show as Week Two approached, alongside the allocation of the houses following Courtney and Sev’s opening victory.
Viewer Feedback
TV viewers commenting online
The first room reveals prompted plenty of criticism from The Block viewers, particularly over the similarities between the bedrooms and the neutral design brief. One viewer summed up the frustration: “None of these rooms scream special all look and feel the same.” Another was even more direct: “I feel desperate for some colour.”
The brief itself was also questioned, with viewers arguing contestants had effectively been funnelled towards the same aesthetic. One commented: “It feels like forcing all 5 couples to do the same ‘beige’ bedroom for week 1, they’ve almost tried to lock everyone into doing it for the whole house.” Another described it as “A bum steer of a brief by Darren”, arguing the teams were effectively being encouraged to use the same style and palette.
Despite topping the leaderboard, Courtney and Sev’s bedroom divided opinion sharply. One viewer declared: “Courney’s & Sev’s room was the best by a country mile. But micro-cementing the wardrobe doors stopped them from getting a ten.” Another took the opposite view, saying simply: “Courtney and Sev’s room was hideous, my god.”
The handmade bedhead was particularly divisive. One viewer questioned its practicality, writing: “Those bedheads are so impractical! They’d get mucky so quickly.” Another was impressed by the overall execution, saying Courtney and Sev“absolutely nailed the brief” and arguing the room demonstrated strong attention to design detail.
The harsh assessment of Rick and Tayla also sparked debate. After Alice Stolz questioned whether they were worthy of The Block, one viewer responded: “Too harsh for week one. Could have said this room is not ‘yet’ up to block standards, instead of insulting the team outright in week one.” Another agreed the criticism had gone too far, writing: “It’s the first week maybe give them a bit of a break?”
Marty Fox’s judging style attracted similar attention. While some viewers believed his criticisms had merit, they questioned the way they were delivered. One wrote: “I think Marty has valid points but he could just be a little bit less mean about it.” The viewer added: “You can say you don’t like it without being mean.”
The controversy involving Chantel and Wyatt generated some of the strongest reactions of the night. One viewer said Wyatt needed to “learn some self control” and “handle criticism….. and be accountable”, while another questioned his reaction after the body corporate meeting and said he appeared “really aggressive and quick to anger.”
Their suggestion they could leave The Block also met with scepticism. One viewer wondered: “will Wyatt and Chantelle make a grand return to the block next episode”, while another was considerably more certain, replying simply: “They return.”
The $20,700 spending revelation left viewers with questions of their own about how the budget had been calculated. One predicted: “I think we will hear that Scotty made an error and they didn’t spend $20,000 cash.” Another queried what was included in the figures, asking: “8k on carpenter, 3.5k on plasterers, what about the furniture? Is that free?”
Finally, viewers could not ignore the amount of attention given to wardrobes during judging. One joked: “The Freedom wardrobes are the new skylights of room reveals”, while another observed: “Also the carpets! I’ve never noticed the judges commenting on the carpet in so much detail and in every room.” With the first reveal complete, the online reaction suggested the rooms, judges and contestants are already giving viewers plenty to argue about.
The Block continues Monday night on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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