CHIP OFF THE BLOCK

Now in its 12th season, the series followed five couples over a couple of months as they restored and renovated an art deco building, a former soap factory, in the inner-city suburb of Port Melbourne.

Somfy products were used extensively throughout The Block because they are recognised as being the quality choice in the market. Discreet and quiet Somfy motors provided automation for window treatments for indoors and outdoors, allowing all the teams to control light, privacy and noise at the touch of a button – as well as extra security.​

The Block teams worked with Smart Automation Systems, Viewscape, Expert Shutters and Installations and Carpet Court to install a variety of automation systems for window furnishings and awnings throughout the apartments.

All couples working on the renovations of the building chose to use Somfy products throughout their apartments, with more than 70 motors selected and installed throughout The Block. A combination of Sonesse and Altus motors were chosen and blinds and awnings were controlled using the Telis 1, 4 and Telis 16 remote controls.

In the Challenger apartment – so called the “home of the future”, there were many elements of exciting new technological advances, such as voice-activated motorisation and security. Somfy RTS products were vital to the execution of the motorisation of all the blinds. Whisper-quiet mechanisms meant that the blinds can be operated remotely and discreetly.

More than two million Australians tuned into the finale of The Block, seeing winners Will and Karlie pocket $815,000 and many millions of viewers spent time channel-hopping throughout the on-screen journey from abandoned soap factory to ultra-chic urban apartment building.

The Challenger apartment was renovated by all of The Block teams as a group project, and is yet to be put on the market, with a private sale predicted in February/March 2017 and is expected to secure a price tag of more than $3million.