About the author
Jane Slack-Smith has been named one of the Top 10 Property Experts in Australia by Money Magazine, one of the Top 4 Financial Influencers by Qantas and been awarded the Australia’s Mortgage Broker of the Year twice.

Contestants on The Block faced a mixed reception this week as they moved into apartment 1 challenge. A challenge to redesign a bedroom led to some contestants facing scathing criticism.

The three couples had to create a bedroom that was bold and bright. But a few took that brief a little too far. Kerrie and Spence’s graffiti-laden design felt far too vivid for a bedroom. Norm and Jess copped some criticism too. Their room ended up being a little too dull for the judges. Plus, their choice of tiny furniture and rugs didn’t sit well.

Redesigning a room is one of those small changes that can go a long way. While it probably won’t add a lot of value to your property, it can help you to attract tenants. A room that features a modern and on-trend design makes a great first impression.

But when it comes to the bedroom, you have to find a balance. Bold and bright doesn’t mean an absolute explosion of colour. That’s too stimulating and just doesn’t work for the bedroom.

Courtney and Hans’ room was acceptable to the judges but still that wallpaper for a future buyer could be polarising. Their design featured a splash of colour on one wall to give it the bold and bright aesthetic. However, they toned it down elsewhere to ensure the room still felt like a bedroom. Plus, their use of Australian themes kept the room on trend, according to the judges. I spoke with Shaynna Blaze today on set of our filming for the Suncorp Event corresponding to The Block’s screening – and she said she loved this room.

This week, The Block highlighted the importance of impressions. A room’s design leaves a definite mark on viewers, whether they’re potential buyers or tenants.
If you leave a bad impression, you lower your chances of selling or renting the property out.

While cutting edge design works great on TV shows, in reality it can be polarising to your market.

As property investors, we must remember to always renovate to the tastes and desires of our target demographic! The people who will buy and rent our property.

Want to learn more about renovations with me, Jane Slack-Smith? Click Here!
image credit: The wall in question. Source: The Block