An all-black kitchen has backfired for a team on The Block: Villa Wars, shocking the judges and offending viewers at home.
Auckland couple Jamie Johns and Hayden Campbell have been under fire for their monochromatic colour scheme since the beginning of The Block, but last night's reveal was met with the strongest disapproval yet.
The couple presented their kitchen for judging last night, featuring black cupboards and panelling, with a rainbow-coloured, graffiti mural splashback that read "Be Bold!".
The defiant pair admitted the judges wouldn't like their creation, saying they were targeting a niche market with their dark, urban designs.
"This feature splashback has taken weeks of planning. We've worked closely with an artist. We want it to have wow factor, we want it to have shock factor," said Mr Campbell.
One of the show's judges, real estate agent Bernadette Morrison, hated it so much she laughed when she saw it before walking out.
Viewers also hated the design, taking to Twitter to call it "bloody awful".
It's not the first time the pair have been criticised for their urban street style. Last week, they repainted their black bedroom white after being slammed by the judges.
In an interview with the Herald at the beginning of the show, the pair said they'd chosen rap group NWA as inspiration for their renovation style.
They said they were ill-prepared for the rigours of the home renovation show.
"The hardest thing to adjust to is the non-stop nature of it. You are always doing something and always playing catch-up - you are never really ahead of the game," said Mr Campbell.
"It all just piles up on you and then it's a crazy rush to room reveal."
Inside Jamie and Hayden's kitchen
The Block's live final airs on TV3 on Sunday night.
- nzherald.co.nz