‘Rock the Block’ Reveals One Design Move That Just Doesn’t Work

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Season 2 of “Rock the Block” has created some incredible kitchens and living spaces, but now, the competitors must move on to their master suites.

In the latest episode, “Rock the Main Bedrooms,” the host, Ty Pennington, introduces the guest judges, Egypt Sherrod from “Flipping Virgins” and her husband, the DJ Mike Jackson. These two will judge the four design teams on their bedroom suites and on how much value their upgrades add to these homes.

With a total of $225,000 for renovating the home, these four teams will need to stick to a strict budget this round, in order to save enough money for the rest of the house.

Check out how each pair of designers re-envisions the space they’re working on, and you might be inspired to change up your own sleeping quarters, too.

Curtains on a wall never really work

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent’s accent curtain is too much for this space.

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Two of the contestants, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent of “Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House,” want to make their master bedroom memorable, so they decide to add floor-to-ceiling curtains on the headboard wall.

They reason that this feature will make the room feel plush and cozy, while adding visual interest.

Unfortunately, once the curtains are up, it’s clear that this design move just doesn’t work. The guest judges hate the look.

Sherrod says that she thinks the curtains shrink the room, while Jackson points out, “It almost feels as if there’s unfinished work behind there.”

Apparently, Berkus and Brent should have gone the more traditional route of paint or wallpaper for a feature wall. Next time, perhaps they’ll keep their curtains on the windows.

Stretch a feature wall across the ceiling for a bold look

Alison Victoria and Mike Holmes want to make a statement with this wood wall.

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After losing the bedroom challenge last season, Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab” is determined to impress with this bedroom suite.

She tells her partner, Mike Holmes from “Holmes on Homes,” that she built a headboard wall last season, but it wasn’t bold enough.

This time, she wants to build a wood headboard wall that stretches up and across the ceiling.

The lighting fixture echoes the reclaimed wood of the headboard wall.

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“The headboard wall and the ceiling, they’re going to be the first thing the judges see when they walk in,” Victoria says. “So it’s really just got to set the tone for the entire suite.”

She adds that she feels that reclaimed wood is so warm, “It’s perfect for a bedroom, where people just want to feel the most at home.”

Victoria uses reclaimed wood with an adhesive backing for the showstopping look. It’s a smart and easy way to make a big first impression.

Ombre tile is a new style that truly wows

This ombre tile is a game changer.

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With an impressive bedroom design, Victoria and Holmes want to continue to impress in the bathroom. Victoria comes up with the idea of using an ombre tile design, with dark tile on top that transitions to pure white tile below.

“I love the tile, because it’s so different,” Holmes says when the tile is up.

However, Victoria knows that the grout will be the difficult part of these walls. She plans to use two different grouts, a dark grout up top and a light grout below, and midway, blending them together, just like the tile colors.

“It is a giant risk trying to go with two different grouts and trying to blend those grouts to make it ombre like the tile,” Victoria says. “If it doesn’t come out right, I’m gonna risk the win for us.”

Luckily, Victoria’s tile and grout work together well and the bathroom looks amazing. It’s a dramatic blend of light and dark that really makes this space stand out.

There’s more than one way to mix light and dark tiles

David Bromstad and Tiffany Brooks use light and dark tile.

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While Victoria’s ombre wall is impressive, there are other ways to mix light and dark. David Bromstad of “My Lottery Dream Home” and Tiffany Brooks of “50K Three Ways” give their master bathroom some dramatic tile, too.

“I’m sure everyone’s expecting us to do green or a blush—or some sort of blue even,” Bromstad says. “No, no, no—black: black shower. It’s going to be so sexy.”

They choose a bold black tile for the shower and one wall behind the bathtub, then a creamy beige for the rest of the room.

The two colors look great together, creating a unique look that’s stylish and memorable.

“The higher the contrast that you have, like blacks and whites,” Bromstad says, “the more elegant the space is going to be. It’s like a tuxedo.”

Combine the closet and laundry room for more convenience

Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt decide to open up the wall between the laundry room and the bedroom closet.

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Mika Kleinschmidt of “100 Day Dream Home” admits that the other three teams have demonstrated impressive skills. She’s not sure that she and her husband, Brian, will be able to create the same bold looks.

“I don’t think that we’re going to out-design our competitors,” Mika says. “I do think we can be creative about layouts, things that they won’t think about.”

So, while the three other teams put most of their focus into the bedroom and bathroom, Brian and Mika work hard to make their closet ultra-functional. They break down a wall to connect the master closet to the laundry room, creating a massive and highly convenient space.

The guest judges, Egypt Sherrod and her husband, Mike Jackson, agree that the laundry room looks great.

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‘Rock the Block’: Who wins this round?

While the judges are impressed with all the bedrooms, Victoria’s ombre tile and chic wood headboard wall get the win this time.

So, Victoria and Holmes get to take home their second victory of the season, proving that sometimes, taking design risks can really pay off.

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