Sonny and Alicia chose a floorplan for their back-of-house spaces that positioned the laundry items on one side and pantry on the other. The Gold Coast couple planned the space to be functional first, before adding in the design elements. “It doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, “said Sonny, “It just has to work.”

All the finishes were high end and Marty Fox commented on the quality of the construction, which added a premium touch to the pantry and laundry.

Sonny and Alicia included a drying cabinet with the standard laundry appliances of washer and dryer, an extra piece of amenity that won praise from the judges. Adding a second fridge to the pantry space was also a hit.

“This looks lovely, and I think they have been very conscious of how they use the space,” said Darren Palmer.

When it came to the powder room, the couple chose to go dark and moody (and high-end) with a spectacular viola marble benchtop that made the judges speechless. “That is hot,” said Shaynna Blaze.

The couple’s garage included practical elements such as a portable workbench, along with a feature wall of custom-designed wallpaper using a photograph of the area by a local photographer.

Design tip

Having high-quality finishes often comes down to the choice of trades – because no matter how beautiful tiles are, a bad tiler can make them seem ugly or cheap. Sonny and Alicia’s tilers’ attention to detail and workmanship has taken all of their wet areas to greater heights. 

Create the look yourself with these D.I.Y. projects

How to lay floor tiles

How to put new handles on kitchen cabinets

How to make a pull-out drying drawer