Challenge House: A Q&A with The Block’s Maddy & Charlotte

When Maddy and Charlotte became the youngest team ever to win The Block Australia in 2024, most would have taken the $1.65 million and put their feet up. Instead, the sisters went searching for their next challenge.

They found it in Newcastle, a tired three-bedroom weatherboard owned by the same family for 40 years, which they purchased at auction for $809,000. The plan? Transform it and have it market-ready in just 13 weeks, all documented on YouTube. Fittingly, they called it The Challenge House.

But this was not renovation for the sake of renovation. With building costs soaring and margins shrinking, Maddy and Charlotte wanted to answer the question on every aspiring renovator’s mind: in today’s market, can you still make a flip work? We spoke with Maddy and Charlotte to unpack the highs, the hurdles, and the lessons they learned along the way.

Honestly, the number one thing that drew us to this property was that it had really good bones. The floor plan worked well, the rooms were generously sized, and structurally, it was in pretty good condition, which is so important because things like replacing a roof or major structural repairs can completely blow a renovation budget.  

What really drew us in, though, was the potential. It had so much beautiful natural light, it was in a great location, and even though it hadn’t been loved for a long time, we could instantly picture what it could become. From the beginning, we imagined creating a home that felt warm, fresh, functional, and timeless without overcomplicating things.

Building and renovation costs have risen so much over the past few years, and we’ve definitely felt that firsthand. For us, “realistic” meant focusing on what would have the biggest impact while staying mindful of the budget. 

We spent a lot of time researching finishes and materials that felt elevated and high quality but were still affordable, so the home felt beautiful and considered without becoming overcapitalised. We were also really conscious of the market we were buying in. As much as we would have loved to use expensive stone everywhere, we knew that just wasn’t realistic for the area or the buyers we were designing for. 

We were also strategic with the type of house we bought. We intentionally chose a property that didn’t need huge structural works or massive extensions, so we could spend the budget where people would actually see and feel the transformation.

There were definitely moments where we questioned why we put ourselves through it again, but honestly, we genuinely love the excitement and challenge of it all. 

The biggest pressure came when things didn’t go to plan, which is pretty much guaranteed in renovations. Delays happen, issues pop up, and you have to learn to pivot really quickly. Tight lead times on kitchens, trades, and materials were probably our biggest challenge, so staying organised, making fast decisions, and always having backup plans were really important. 

A huge reason we were able to stay on track was that we did so much pre-planning. For example, we had our kitchen ordered before we had even settled on the property. It was no easy feat, but we hustled hard and thankfully made it happen just in time.

The kitchen, open-plan living area, and bathrooms were our most strategic spaces, as they're often the areas buyers emotionally connect with the most.

We focused on creating spaces that felt elevated and welcoming without unnecessarily blowing the budget. Strong layouts, timeless finishes, and practical features were much more important to us than chasing trends. 

We also made a real effort to include something special in every room, whether that was beautiful hardware, feature walls, soft sheers, or thoughtful styling details. And we put a lot of love into the backyard as well because we knew we’d likely be selling to a young family. We wanted it to feel practical, inviting, and like a real extension of the home. 

Keeping the design timeless was also really important to us. We stuck to warm neutrals and avoided anything too polarising so the home would appeal to a broad range of buyers. 

Q. Why did you choose to partner with ABI for this project, and what role did their products play in helping you achieve your goals? 

We partnered with ABI because their products really strike the perfect balance between quality, design, and affordability. We genuinely love so many of their pieces. 

Their range allowed us to create a really cohesive look throughout the entire home without compromising on functionality or durability. Having access to beautiful, well-priced tapware and finishes made it so much easier to achieve that elevated look while still staying within a realistic budget. 

One of our favourite things was the consistency across the home. Everything from the door handles and hinges to the tapware, mirrors, door stops, and cabinetry handles featured the same brushed brass finish, which made the whole house feel really considered and cohesive. 

We also loved that ABI was essentially a one-stop shop for so much of the home. From tiles and vanities to tapware, sinks, mirrors, and toilets, so much of our bathroom selection came from them. When you’re renovating on such a tight timeline, being able to place one order and know your bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry are sorted is honestly such a dream. 

Most importantly, we loved that we didn’t have to compromise on aesthetics while still sticking to a realistic budget. We couldn’t sing ABI Interiors' praises more if we tried, so much so that we’ve already made another order for our next project! 

Looking for more interior inspiration? Read these blogs: 

At Home With Grace: A 1980s Duplex Renovation In Pottsville

Q&A With Kasia Stanicich: Designing Her Dream Home

Inside Mackenzie & Reuben Cotter's Moditerranean Family Home