The Block 2026: Five Design Ideas You Can Use in Your Own Home

The Block is back for 2026, with five teams building brand-new homes in Mount Eliza on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Unlike the traditional renovation format, this season gives contestants the opportunity to create their homes from the ground up.

The Mount Eliza site is expected to feature modern homes designed for spacious family living, entertaining and the area’s coastal lifestyle. While the finished houses may have large budgets and luxury inclusions, many of their underlying design principles can be adapted to suit an everyday Australian home.

Here are five Block-inspired design ideas worth considering when planning your new home or renovation.

1. Make the Kitchen the Centre of the Home

Modern kitchens are no longer separate rooms hidden at the back of the house. They have become the central meeting place for cooking, eating, entertaining and spending time together.

A well-designed kitchen should connect naturally with the meals area, family room and outdoor entertaining space. This creates an open and welcoming environment while allowing the person preparing meals to remain part of family activities.

Features worth considering include:

• A large island bench with seating
• Generous preparation areas
• A walk-in pantry or butler’s pantry
• Direct access between the kitchen and garage
• Clear views of the living room, backyard or swimming pool
• Convenient access to the alfresco area
• Additional power points and appliance storage

The kitchen should look impressive, but its layout also needs to be practical. Consider the distance between the refrigerator, sink and cooktop, along with how easily several people can use the space at the same time.

Before selecting colours, benchtops or appliances, make sure the kitchen layout works properly on your floor plan.

2. Create a Strong Connection Between Indoor and Outdoor Living

Outdoor living is an important part of the Australian lifestyle, particularly in coastal locations such as Mount Eliza.

Large sliding or stacking doors can connect the family room and kitchen to a covered alfresco area. When the doors are open, the two spaces function as one large entertaining area.

You don’t necessarily need an enormous deck to achieve this effect. A smaller alfresco can still work extremely well when it is correctly positioned and protected from the weather.

When planning an outdoor living area, consider:

• Its orientation to the sun
• Protection from prevailing winds
• Privacy from neighbouring properties
• Access from the kitchen and living areas
• Space for an outdoor table and barbecue
• Roof cover for year-round use
• Views of the garden, pool or surrounding landscape
• Outdoor lighting, fans and power points

The position of the house on the block can make a significant difference. Preparing the floor plan and site plan together can help you take advantage of sunlight, views and existing site features.

3. Include Flexible Rooms That Can Change Over Time

A home should be designed for more than its occupants’ immediate needs. Families grow, children leave home, working arrangements change and accessibility may become more important later.

A flexible room could initially be used as a study, playroom or media room before becoming a guest bedroom, hobby room or accessible bedroom.

Instead of creating rooms that only have one purpose, consider spaces that can adapt over time.

Practical ideas include:

• A study large enough to accommodate a sofa bed
• A media room that can become an additional bedroom
• A guest bedroom near a bathroom
• A second living area for children or visitors
• A ground-floor bedroom in a two-storey home
• Wider doorways and hallways
• A bathroom with sufficient space for future accessibility
• Storage that can be adapted to different uses

Flexible design can add long-term value without substantially increasing the overall building area. The secret is to plan these possibilities before construction begins.

4. Make Storage Part of the Floor Plan

Storage may not receive the same attention as a dramatic kitchen or designer bathroom, but it can have a major effect on how comfortably a home functions.

Insufficient storage often results in garages filled with household items, crowded bedrooms and appliances permanently occupying kitchen benches.

Storage should be incorporated throughout the floor plan rather than added wherever space is left over.

Consider including:

• A walk-in or generous built-in pantry
• Full-height kitchen cupboards
• Built-in robes in every bedroom
• A linen cupboard near the bedrooms and bathrooms
• Laundry cupboards and bench space
• An entry cupboard for shoes, bags and coats
• Garage storage or a workshop area
• Outdoor storage for garden equipment
• A dedicated place for vacuum cleaners and cleaning supplies

It is also important to check the depth and internal layout of cupboards. A large cupboard is not necessarily useful if shelving, drawers and hanging spaces have not been properly planned.

Good storage makes a home easier to maintain and allows its feature rooms to remain uncluttered.

5. Balance Street Appeal with Practical Design

The exterior of a home creates the first impression, but good street appeal involves more than selecting fashionable colours or expensive materials.

Rooflines, windows, garage doors, entry features and landscaping should work together to create a balanced appearance.

A strong entrance can be achieved with a covered porch, feature front door, interesting wall material or carefully positioned lighting. Different materials can add character, but using too many finishes may make the facade appear busy and quickly date the design.

When planning your exterior, consider:

• The proportion and position of windows
• Whether the garage dominates the front elevation
• Protection over the front entrance
• The relationship between rooflines
• Low-maintenance exterior materials
• The cost of complicated construction details
• Energy efficiency and window orientation
• How the design fits the surrounding neighbourhood

The most successful facade is not always the most expensive one. A simple home with good proportions can have more street appeal than a complicated design filled with unnecessary features.

Good Design Starts with a Good Floor Plan

Television programs can make home design appear to begin with tiles, colours, furniture and feature lighting. In reality, the most important decisions are usually made much earlier.

Room sizes, circulation, orientation, storage, window placement and the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces all need to be resolved on the floor plan.

Before beginning construction or purchasing finishes, ask yourself:

• Does the layout suit the way our family lives?
• Are the bedrooms and living areas large enough?
• Is there sufficient storage?
• Can furniture fit comfortably?
• Does the kitchen connect properly with the dining and outdoor areas?
• Are hallways and doorways easy to navigate?
• Can the house adapt to our future needs?
• Does the design suit the block, climate and budget?

Changes made during the planning stage are generally much easier and less expensive than changes made after construction has started.

Bring Block-Inspired Ideas into Your Own Home

You may not have a television-sized construction budget or a team of tradespeople working against the clock, but you can still use the best design principles seen on The Block.

Start with a practical floor plan, concentrate spending on the areas you will use most and select features that improve both the appearance and everyday function of your home.

Australian Floor Plans offers an extensive selection of pre-drawn house plans that can be used as the starting point for your new home. Designs can also be modified to suit your preferred layout, building site and lifestyle.

Browse our house-plan collection or contact us to discuss modifications and custom design options.

Australian Floor Plans is an independent business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or associated with Channel Nine or The Block television program. Information about the 2026 location and new-home format was current at the time of publication.