The Block's Steph and Gian reveal their tips for winning the reality show

It would be fair to say that Steph and Gian Ottavio are two of the most successful contestants in The Block’s 20-year history. Not only were the childhood sweethearts fan favourites throughout the competition, but they also won a record-breaking amount of money at the auction.

The pair helped introduce viewers to a unique interior design style - which they’ve since transformed into a business, Japandi Estate. With this year’s season of the renovation reality show currently underway, the 2023 champions have now shared their advice for the new contestants hoping to replicate their level of success.

“When we finished the show we were pretty adamant that people really consider their auctioneer and their real estate agent really wisely and carefully as one of the first things, so that stands as our top tip,” Steph tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

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The architect adds that it’s important for contestants to create a cohesive home by linking it with a design style, which is what they did with their Japandi aesthetic.

“We were the first contestants to have ever done that,” she remarks. “While some people would probably just do as much as they could to be cohesive, we were the first contestants to sort of be like, ‘This is Japandi’, and you take the viewer on that journey.

“So it will be really exciting to see if anyone has taken on that sort of precedent that we set. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, you don’t have to create a new design style, but just be really considered and aligned with a design style.”

Gian's biggest piece of advice

Meanwhile, Gian says the most important piece of advice he would offer the cast is to “know your market”.

“Phillip Island is a very different market to what Hampton East is,” he details. “It's much more of a holiday destination, much more family-centric, and you need to really understand what those buyers want because you are delivering really high-end homes on The Block.

“It'd be a bit of a wasted opportunity if there's a lot of mismatched stuff because you need to sell a home, you’re not selling the rooms week by week that you're building.”

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It was recently announced that Steph and Gian will be making an appearance on this year’s season of The Block alongside a selection of All-Star contestants. The fan-favourite teams will be giving a helping hand to the new cast while also working together on a secret project.

“As this season builds to the auction, a select group of the All-Stars will be helping this year’s Blockheads to create something never seen on the Block before,” Channel Nine said in a statement.

The group of All-Stars set to make a guest appearance are Steph and Gian (2023), Eliza and Liberty (2023), Omar and Oz (2022), Tom and Sarah-Jane (2022), Ronnie and Georgia (2017, 2021), Jimmy and Tam (2020), Andy and Deb (2019), Kyal and Kara (2014), Michael and Carlene (2014), Alisa and Lysandra (2013, 2014), and Dale and Sophie (2012).

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