Sunday night’s episode of The Block revealed a Challenge Kitchen by contestants Hans and Courtney with a show-stopping design that was distinctly different to styles previously seen on the hit renovation show. Making the most of an exciting new product from Freedom Kitchens, it perfectly showcased the latest trend of creating a contemporary café style kitchen within the home.

 

Key to this look is the minimalistic and striking new ‘2020 Black Alumin’ frame shelving from Freedom Kitchens, used extensively throughout. 

The new shelving product was featured at this year’s biggest kitchen tradeshow in Milan and sourced by Freedom Kitchens to reach Australia in time for The Block.

The ‘2020 Black Alumin’ features anodised matt black framing with glass shelves, providing a striking visual effect.  In Hans and Courtney’s kitchen design it provides ample amounts of open overhead storage as well as décor styling opportunities – a clever way to connect a kitchen with the styling in the living area.
It also has the benefit of not blocking light, to maintain an airy and spacious feel.

 

The ‘2020 Black Alumin’ teamed perfectly with Caesarstone®’s new ‘Excava’ used for the island benchtop and splashbacks, with its authentic patinas of industrial materials adding to the modern industrial vibe.  The vast island seats four, and is perfect for food preparation and entertaining.

The kitchen cabinetry is Freedom Kitchens’ popular ‘Sierra’ profile door in contrasting ‘White Matt’ and ‘Black Matt’, balancing out the dramatic warm tones from the ‘Excava’.

Continuing this season’s theme of generous butler’s pantries, the Challenge kitchen’s butler’s pantry is big and beautiful.  The Subzero fridges are a standout feature integrated into the cabinetry, including ample wine storage to appeal to the sophisticated entertainer.

 

Siemens appliances make this space a great chef’s kitchen, with a bank of ovens, an induction cooktop and an additional teppanyaki hot plate.

 

A bold pink neon sign on one wall of the adjoining living area declares that the vibe in this kitchen is indeed “all good”.  It certainly will be all good for the lucky new owners who win The Block’s Monopoly Competition, since this kitchen plus the entire apartment will be given away as the biggest prize in Australia’s TV history!

 

When it came to judging the Challenge Kitchen, the judges were blown away – in fact they felt it was the best room Hans and Courtney had delivered on The Block.

“WTF. This is HOT!” gushed Darren Palmer.

Neale Whitaker proclaimed it was the kitchen of his dreams, saying “It’s sensational!”

“It’s a kitchen that acknowledges this is where we now live life,” Neale said. “I am suffering extreme kitchen envy. I want this – badly.”

After another huge and successful season, The Block draws to a close with the highly-anticipated Auction finale airing on Nine this Sunday night.