Judge's harsh verdict: Do you think this is The Block's most controversial room?
As The Block contestants unveiled their living and dining rooms, two judges butted heads over one team’s controversial design.
When the judges walked into Norm and Jess’s living and dining room, Darren Palmer proudly voiced his admiration for their handiwork.
“That’s hot,” Darren said, mesmerised by the size of the apartment.
“I am exploding all over the place with everything I am seeing.”
Although the judges appreciated the olive tree, indigenous designed coffee table and brown leather sofa, there was one feature in the room that caused a divide of opinion.
Shaynna Blaze disagreed with Darren over the team’s expensive fireplace hanging in the middle of the living room.
“Right … the tonsil in the centre, that’s not centre. It’s not centre that way or that way,” she said about its positioning.
“That is a ridiculously expensive fireplace that I love but the placement is possibly the worst I have ever seen,” Shaynna admitted.
“Not only is this a room that has been broken into pieces, it doesn’t function properly."
Darren responded to Shaynna’s rant by defending the fireplace and dreaming of how he would enjoy it in the home.
“I want to sit here with a glass of red and spin that beautiful fireplace around and watch the flames flicker,” he said.
“From this distance (on the brown leather couch) it’s perfect and even the fact you have this marble underneath, which is a legal requirement because this is a combustible floor, it’s still beautiful.”
However, Shaynna disagreed and said the bright white marble was likely to get burnt and require a lot of upkeep.
“No, no it’s not,” Darren said shaking his head.
“C’mon, how many old homes are here in St Kilda that have marble fireplaces that don’t get burnt … you can clean it off, it’s simple.”
Not budging in her opinion, Shaynna replied: “I am gobsmacked how you two think it’s amazing.
“It will cost too much to maintain and potential buyers will just go to the next apartment,” she said.
“It is going to be polarising and people are going to go, ‘It’s going to cost me too much to maintain’ and go to the next apartment.”
Judge Neale Whitaker joined in on the debate, adding: “There I do agree with you, it won’t be for everyone, I totally get it.”
Prior to the room reveal, Norm and Jess admitted they had doubts about the placement of their fireplace.
“Whether it’s (room) up to scratch or not up to scratch, we gave it 100 per cent,” Norm said.
Norm and Jess tied in third place with Kerrie and Spence on 25 points. Hans and Courtney placed first on 27.5 points followed by Bianca and Carla on 27 points. Hayden and Sara were placed last on the scoreboard, receiving 23 points.
Scroll through the gallery above to see the team’s living and dining room reveals.
Which room do you rate the best? Let us know in the comments below.