The Block Home Tour: A 1930s Art Deco-inspired Build

Location

Brighton in Melbourne's south-east

Décor style

Vintage modern

Favourite room

The Living & Dining Room – To be able to create a family space from the kitchen with such an unusual island bench – a one-off, standout piece that also ties in with your dining table...people just want to look and talk about it.

Favourite pieces

The kitchen island by Christian Cole, it's a work of art!

Biggest spend

The kitchen island by Christian Cole.

Biggest save

Textured finished walls with micro gold flecks in the living room.

From remote South Australian farmland ravaged by drought and bushfires to the streets of affluent Brighton in Melbourne's south-east; The Block contestants, Daniel and Jade Joyce, with no styling experience, but a whole lot of passion and build know-how, are transforming a dilapidated house from the 1930s into a luxury home.

As their journey on The Block unfolds, the couple has revealed a substantial amount of their home, including their winning kitchen that flows effortlessly into the living and dining space. From the outside in, their evolving style of modern vintage permeates throughout what is becoming a six-bedroom, four-bath family home.    

"From the start, we said we wanted this house to have good bones – it had to be about the build as much as the styling," explains Jade. "We love that our house is this big proud, beautiful girl sitting right there in the middle, with the largest frontage and the only house with six-bedrooms on The Block."

From the get-go, Jade and Daniel (a carpenter by trade) embraced timber and curves, while bringing in key pieces that are reminiscent of the 1930s. An original pendant light Daniel found among the home's rubble to ceiling panels and cornices. Yet, it's the modern touches of underfloor heating, spinning shoe racks and Italian marble that pulls at Brighton's affluent heart-strings.   

"The 1930s were so opulent, everything beautifully crafted with so many detail pieces," says Jade. "What we did was put the warmth of colour on the walls, added cornice and ceiling panels, as well as timber to keep it quite traditional to the era."

The detailing of solid oak door jambs to the storage in all parts of the house, the duo's game plan was to build an expertly crafted family home.

The ceilings soar in the open plan kitchen, living and dining. The Art Deco-inspired kitchen delights with its butler's pantry and mod-cons, but, it's the oversized kitchen island bench by Christian Cole that brings a whole other layer to the winning kitchen. 

"The custom-built timber island bench defines our house, it's the opulence of what would have been back then, and it's what people are looking for in Brighton these days. It's special and so unique," explains Jade.

The kitchen itself has everything you need, including a Billi Tap that gives you instant cold, hot and boiling water. Swing open the door to the butler's pantry and you have a full functioning kitchen, complete with oven, dishwasher, sink and loads of storage. 

The curves carry through from the kitchen and into the living and dining area. A textured wall with micro gold flecks stands proud as the backdrop to a Christian Cole dining table made of American walnut with ancient redgum, carbon-dated to 5,000-10,000 years old. A calming living space with heavy textural elements, from the leather armchair to the plush couch to mood lighting. 

"It is such a warm and welcome area to walk into," says Daniel. "To be able to create a family space from the kitchen with such an unusual island bench – a one-off, standout piece that also ties in with your dining table...people just want to look and talk about it."

Having already worked their way through five of the six bedrooms, downstairs the master bedroom and guestroom beautifully blends old world charm with modern comforts. In the Master bedroom, the deco fantail wallpaper sits behind the king-size bed with a chandelier above, and the walk-in his and her wardrobe is as practical as it is glamorous. The ensuite is an adult's haven with double shower, smart toilet, underfloor heating, heated towel rails and an incredible amount of storage.

The guest bedroom is all about the ornate ceiling cornices and panelling, an original pendant light salvaged from the home's ruins and restored, plus a luxurious walk-in wardrobe. The ensuite with its beautiful Italian marble tiling ties back to the 30s era and has bespoke finishings, underfloor heating and heated towel rails. 

Upstairs, Daniel and Jade changed the floorplan to create an extra bedroom. Purposefully paired back, the bedrooms, combined with the study/living room, instantly transform the upstairs area into a kid's oasis. Yet, still, tucked away in the upper reaches is an added 18-square-metres of attic storage.

"When you sit in that upstairs living/study area, you can look out the windows and see the beautiful sunsets. We love seeing the sunset on our farm, and in the city, they're really hard to capture, so it was important for us to have that beam in," Jade says. 

"If you are someone who has been watching our journey on The Block, and you actually like what we are creating, you will like the flow and carry on with the rest of the build. It is a solid family home," says Daniel. 

Set in Melbourne's south-east, affluent Brighton has long been synonymous with all things fine and fancy. Where the shopping hubs are suitably glamorous and the beaches iconic. Well-heeled with its stately homes, beachfront vistas, on-trend cafes and luxe boutiques, Brighton is a firm favourite with Melbourne's elite. A glittering example of how the other half lives, this in-demand neighbourhood is as pretty as a picture. And with its tree-lined streets and ocean views, you'd never guess the bright lights of the CBD and St Kilda were just around the corner.

For coffee/breakfast: Saint Martin's Café is the perfect kick-start to the day, and the interiors are just beautiful.  

For lunch: Soul Press for a healthy feed and Brighton Schoolhouse is a must. 

For dinner: Modern Italian restaurant, Aromi is to die for. 

For drinks: Half Moon is a much-loved watering hole that spans across two levels. 

Go-to local boutique: Bungalow Trading Co. is filled with beautiful homewares and fashion.

This property has been sold through Belle Property Albert Park.