Sunday night’s episode of The Block 2026 marked the end of Backyard and Garage Week, with two rival couples sharing first place in a hectic final result.
Adam and Jolene and Courtney and Sev tied for first place with 34.5 out of 40, each receiving $5,000 and a winners’ getaway. However, tensions remained high between the teams following accusations surrounding Courtney and Sev’s heavily discounted wine cellar.
Adam and Jolene impressed the judges with their luxurious garage, stunning wine storage and beautifully landscaped courtyard. Meanwhile, Courtney and Sev received glowing feedback for their spectacular (albeit controversial) wine cellar, stylish garage and outdoor shower, although judge Marty Fox questioned whether their backyard was family-friendly enough.
However, interior designer Chris Carroll of TLC Interiors didn’t agree with all of the judges’ feedback about the women’s spaces.
Chris praised some parts of Courtney and Sev’s designs — but not all of it. “The pavers in Courtney and Sev’s backyard are bonkers. Imagine trying to mow around them. They also created an outdoor fireplace but then oriented a row of seating facing the fence and not the fire. It felt like design for design’s sake,” Chris told Chattr in an exclusive interview.
“They did, however, have great planting, some good fencing, a nice outdoor shower and a successful water feature.”
When asked about the controversy surrounding Courtney and Sev getting their wine cellar at a discounted rate, Chris questioned why one was installed in the first place.
“I don’t know about this controversy, but I will say that the very concept of having a wine cellar in your garage is a terrible one. Who wants to sit and sip their Shiraz looking at wall-mounted shovels and the back of a car? This feels like a luxury inclusion slotted into the back of a very un-luxurious space,” Chris said.
“The designers who created the wine storage are very talented, and both look phenomenal, but the location is a no from me. Why wouldn’t you create wine storage upstairs in a walkway or similar so people can see it and the wine is within reach?”
Interior designer says a different The Block team had the best backyard and garage
As usual, Rick and Tayla were left trailing behind. The father-daughter duo placed fourth with 30 points, as even though their spacious backyard showed huge potential, unfinished flooring and pool cladding cost them valuable points.
However, Chris believes this team was robbed. “Rick and Tayla have the best backyard hands down. I’ve been hard on them regarding many of their internal spaces, but they’ve really excelled with the external areas,” the interior designer noted.
“What they got right that the others got wrong is allowing some of their features to breathe. This is a backyard — you want grass! So many other teams did not allow their hero elements to shine. They threw in everything but the kitchen sink (although in some spaces they also put in a sink!), and there were no visually quiet moments. Rick and Tayla zoned the backyard really well, sold the dream appropriately to a buyer, and created as much privacy as possible.”
On Sunday night, Lisa and Rosco finished third with 31.5 points. Their privacy-focused landscaping impressed, but the judges criticised their lack of lawn and unfinished garage.
Regarding the other higher-rated spaces, Chris had some issues with the positioning of the saunas and the garage renovations. “Lisa and Rosco putting their sauna to the side of the house was a great idea. Adam and Jolene should do the same,” he said.
“Many of the garages were undercooked to say the least. You don’t have to sink tonnes of money into your garage design but it can be an amazing space to arrive home to with some clever choices,” he continued.
“The teams really treated the garage like an afterthought.”
The Block 2027 airs Sunday — Wednesday on Channel 9 and 9Now.
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