Tour through the rooms and get inspired with tips and advice from Shelley Ferguson in this complete guide to Ling and Zing’s house on The Block NZ
The Block NZ: Take a tour through Ling and Zing’s house
We’re half way into The Block NZ and there’s been a real mixed bag of results. With eight completed rooms, we’re starting to see a solid trend appearing in each of the teams’ houses. After a shaky start to the season, Christchurch brothers Ling and Zing appear to be slowly improving and despite styling not being their strong suit we can see they’ve settled on a neutral colour palette of grey, wood and white. Scroll down take a tour through Ling and Zing’s house and watch our videos with Shelley Ferguson to get inspiration from each of their room reveals.
Week One: Kids Bedrooms
How to create a bedroom your child will love
Unfortunately the only thing that was colourful from Ling and Zing in week one was their banter. The brother’s final kid’s room look was bland, boring and left the judges feeling underwhelmed. Working with a blank canvas is a common dilemma when it comes to decorating a child’s bedroom but the key to success, as Shelley points out, is layering your look on top. Bed linen is a fun, easy and cheap way to add a bit of personality. Layer with lots of scatter cushions, a cosy throw and of course your child’s favourite soft toys.
Lighting is also an easy way to add another layer to the room, whether you use string lights, a cute nightlight or even glow in the dark stickers. The most important part of decorating your child’s room is to layer on a personal touch. Bring in things that are important to them and your family. Add special photos and display their artwork and special school projects on the walls.
Week Two: Bathrooms
How to achieve a Scandinavian aesthetic in your bathroom
Ling and Zing’s bathroom uses a minimal palette of grey, white and wood. This Scandinavian-inspired design is a versatile look that can be easily applied to most homes. The problem with Ling and Zing’s bathroom was the tiles, vanity, basin and mirror were all square which created too many straight lines and sharp corners. If you want recreate this in your own home try a round mirror or curved basin and bath to soften the look and stop it feeling too harsh.
Quality storage will also help you keep your bathroom feeling uncluttered which will add to that minimal Scandinavian aesthetic. Any accessories you add, try materials with a close connection to nature such as wood or woven baskets. Add some depth and interest to this look with some greenery. If you choose the right variety, plants are an easy way to add a pop of colour to a neutral bathroom.
Week three: Hallways
How to work with an awkwardly shaped hallway
Ling and Zing changed their floor plan which meant their hallway ended up a bit confined and confusing. If you’ve got a narrow hallway at home, Shelley says the easiest way to add impact is to think about the adjacent rooms. Place a beautiful piece of furniture near the door to draw the eye outwards or paint the walls white and the end of the hallway a darker colour to make the space feel bigger. Having the same flooring through the hallway and the rooms off it will create a cohesive look and will help make the space feel wider.
Take a tour through Ling and Zing’s house below:
Bland and boring, the judges were underwhelmed by Ling and Zing’s efforts in their kid’s bedroom.
Bad paintwork and minimal accessories were just some of the issues the judges had with this room.
In ‘Blank Canvas Week” Ling and Zing decided to do a calming bedroom
After a few debacles with timber, insulation and slacking off, the brothers created a minimal bedroom with a neutral colour palette.
Ling and Zing’s bathroom use a minimal palette of grey, white and wood.
This Scandinavian-inspired design is a versatile look that can be easily applied to most homes.
Soften harsh edges with curved accessories.
A plant would have helped to add a pop of colour and depth to the space.
After a couple of tough weeks Ling and Zing were looking to lift their game.
The tile’s added nice texture to Ling and Zing’s ensuite.
The judges thought the colour blocking was a fun element in the room.
The boys stuck their usual colour palette of soft greys and neutrals.
The judges thought all the grey made the room feel like a concrete bunker.
The judges were pleasantly surprised with Ling and Zing’s kitchen and dining design.
After weeks of sloppy work the boys finally impressed the judges with their attention to detail.
The mirrored splash back, glassy cabinets, matte counter top and wood accents complement each other well.
The judges thought the plant and candle helped to lift the mood of the dining area.
There is a nice flow between the kitchen, dining and living area
Ling and Zing finally won the room reveal challenge with thier living room.
The judges thought their styling efforts had grown and it was evident they were thinking about accessorising.
The layout of the furniture created a harmonious space.
The judges thought the shelf feature was ‘a bit of a cop out’.
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Watch Ling and Zing’s kitchen and dining room reveal
With grey and neutral tones popping up in all of Ling and Zing’s room reveals, Jason was pleasantly surprised to see the only grey piece in their kitchen was the countertop. The judges thought the mixture of wood and glossy cabinets made the space really interesting and were happy that the boys were finally taking some of their advice about styling on board. Although their accessorising amounted to a lonesome pot plant and candle it was a step in the right direction and the judges said it was their best room so far.
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Watch Ling and Zing’s living room reveal
Ling and Zing surprised the judges this week with a cohesive, harmonious living room. The judges thought the way the brothers had oriented their furniture created a really engaging space and they were especially impressed with the LED lighting in the ceiling.
The judges also noted Ling and Zing’s styling efforts have grown in leaps and bounds, which could be thanks to the expert advice they slyly coaxed out of Challenge Host Shelley Ferguson. Although their custom feature left a lot to be desired, Ling and Zing finally won their first room reveal challenge.
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