Week 11 Backyard and garage reveal

Equal winner: Adam and Jolene, House 1

“That’s incredible,” said Judge Shaynna Blaze about the floor. “I love it.”

SA couple Adam and Jolene tied for the win with a showstopping wine cellar and stunning courtyard.

This week, Adam and Jolene unveiled what they called a “secret room”, a custom-made wine cellar (with capacity for 475 bottles) hidden behind a wall in the garage. The wine rack even included LED strips for subtle lighting.

The wine cellar was a winner with all judges – with Shaynna Blaze calling it gorgeous and Darren Palmer labelling it “sick”.

“It looks like an installation in an art gallery,” he said.

The garage was designed to be luxurious, with dark wallpaper and a black epoxy floor. Amenities included a car-cleaning kit along with extensive storage for tools. The judges all loved the moody walls and flooring choice, calling it both premium and practical, noting that the floor would be easy to clean.

Backyard showstopper was a boab tree and a large sculpture designed by Victorian artist Matt Hill. The judges were immediately impressed by the visual impact of the landscaping. Guest judge Dave Franklin called the sculpture “striking” and impressive.

The simple and elegant courtyard included a timber deck with an arbour and outdoor seating, making it a quiet refuge from the rest of the outdoor spaces.

“I am blown away that they are able to get this amount of work done and to that level,” said Darren Palmer.

  

Not all products in these images were supplied by Bunnings. These images include various other brands and suppliers that provided product to The Block in 2026.

 

Design tip

Epoxy flooring bonds to the concrete and forms a hard, thick surface that handles car traffic, dropped tools and heavy equipment better than bare concrete. It is also stain-resistant and easy to clean.

Equal winner: Courtney and Sev, House 4

“This is an experience,” Judge Marty Fox said about the wine cellar.

Courtney and Sev created a stunning backyard, complemented by a dark and moody garage that the judges called sexy.

Best friends Courtney and Sev went all out with their backyard design this week, with a stunning design with lots of clever elements. Custom-made timber arbours (complete with downlights) featured throughout the space, along with stone pavers and an outdoor shower, which judge Dave Franklin called out as the best one he had seen.

A curved burnished concrete bench seat with upholstery provided seating, around a small fridge and pizza oven, along with a large outdoor fireplace.

For the garage, the girls went with a “man cave” feel, with black painted walls (British Paints Monument), and lots of “boys’ toys” – a treatment that went down really well with all the judges, particularly Shaynna Blaze, who simply said, “wow” and called the space sexy.

“You’ve got all the storage and functionality of the bench and easily space for two cars,” said Darren Palmer.

For their showstopper of the week, the girls included a custom-made timber wine cellar at the rear of the garage, handmade by a local artisan. And it worked. On their entry to the garage, the judges were immediately stopped in their tracks by the cellar, saying it was incredible, and a piece of art. 

“It is art,” explains Sev about the wine rack, which features lots of curved forms. “It is bespoke, and it is unique.”

 

Not all products in these images were supplied by Bunnings. These images include various other brands and suppliers that provided product to The Block in 2026.

 

Design tip

An outdoor shower is a great addition to homes by the beach, allowing everyone to wash away sand and dirt before entering the house.

House 2: Chantel and Wyatt

“Now the pool area makes sense – it’s all deck, all entertaining and this is all cooking,” said Judge Marty Fox.

Chantel and Wyatt delivered a simple and elegant backyard with a courtyard designed for entertaining

Gold Coast couple Chantel and Wyatt worked with the Cursio brothers on their outdoor spaces, with the brothers taking a break from tiling to become landscapers for the last three weeks of the competition.

In the garage the couple decided to keep it simple (and maximise the space for cars) with a white ceiling, off-white walls (British Paints’ Love Note) and a dark floor underfoot. A separate storage room for garbage and tools was included for more practicality.

The couple’s big showstopper was the covered courtyard, which was complemented by a tiled floor, in-built barbecue, pizza oven and stylish herb garden in a Corten steel planter. The judges called the area “perfectly executed” and were full of praise for the design and inclusions.

“This is incredible,” said Shaynna Blaze on entering the courtyard. “Love, love, love it.”

Darren Palmer agreed. “This is really nicely put together,” he said. “It functions really well.”

The backyard was simple but elegant (“very saleable”, said Dave Franklin), with curved garden beds and expansive lawn areas for families.

  

Not all products in these images were supplied by Bunnings. These images include various other brands and suppliers that provided product to The Block in 2026.

Design tip

A herb garden is easy to establish. Start with easy-to-grow woody herbs such as rosemary, mint, thyme and oregano and enjoy the convenience of having flavour boosters for your cooking right at your door.

House 3: Lisa and Rosco 

“What a perfect position to take advantage of that view,” said Judge Shaynna Blaze. “I absolutely love it.”

WA couple Lisa and Rosco put the emphasis on privacy and wellness with their thoughtfully designed backyard and courtyard.

Lisa and Rosco had ambitious plans for their backyard, which included a granite pathway, oak decking, spectacular outdoor fireplace and large sculpture.

“Our backyard is insane – I am obsessed with it,” says Lisa.

The couple added a fence around the boundary to give the house more privacy, which impressed the judges. “That’s what we want to see,” said Marty Fox approvingly.

The judges also loved the olive trees planted around the fence, and felt the privacy strategy was a real strength of the couple’s design. The outdoor fireplace and seating area positioned on the side was a big plus, with Shaynna Blaze noting that the seating was designed to take advantage of the water views.

In the garage, the WA couple had problems with their floor, which impacted on the judging. Cracks in the surface meant that the floor had to be repaired and Lisa and Rosco’s plans for an epoxy finish had to be abandoned. Elsewhere in the garage, the couple chose concrete-look cladding on the internal walls, along with a separate room to store tools.

The courtyard included a wellness zone with a sauna, outdoor shower and firepit, with Darren Palmer commenting that he thought the couple had invested their time and money into the right place. 

 

Not all products in these images were supplied by Bunnings. These images include various other brands and suppliers that provided product to The Block in 2026.

Design tip

Outdoor firepits are popular inclusions – and provide a great gathering spot for family and friends, even on mild evenings.

House 5: Rick and Tayla

“How good is that?” said Judge Marty Fox, looking at the lawn. “They are selling the dream.”

With the largest area to cover, Rick and Tayla created space, grace and a sense of fun in their backyard.

Father and daughter team Rick and Tayla had the largest space to deliver this week and worked hard to complete it – and almost succeeded.

The Victorian duo included expansive areas of lawn in their backyard, which was very popular with the judges, especially Marty Fox, who felt it would be a winner with the family market.

“This is probably my favourite space for today,” he said.

A long, curvaceous brick bench seat and outdoor fireplace provided generous seating opportunities in a well-designed corner of the garden. Shaynna Blaze called the space “beautiful” and “cool”.

“I love these bricks,” added Dave Franklin. “Whoever has done the work here – it’s fantastic. And it’s the best setting.”

Rick and Tayla’s garage was sadly unfinished, but included a clever LED lighting strip for effect, paired with wall sconces, and wallpaper featuring Tayla’s favourite pampas grass down the side. The adjoining Bunnings workspace was super practical, but again, unfinished, with the judges commenting that they felt it would be a great addition when completed.

 

Not all products in these images were supplied by Bunnings. These images include various other brands and suppliers that provided product to The Block in 2026.

Design tip

Storing your tools in the garage makes practical sense. Make sure you keep the area dry and enclosed.