HGTV’s “Rock the Block” season 5 is anybody’s game. As we reach the fifth episode of the season, all four teams — Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas (“Bargain Block”), Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis (“Unsellable Houses”), Bryan and Sarah Baeumler (“Battle on the Beach”), and Page Turner and Mitch Glew (“Fix My Flip”) — have at least one weekly challenge win (with Page and Mitch leading with two wins).
In week five, the teams will compete to win by renovating the rest of their exterior spaces (besides the backyard, which was completed in week four). Read ahead for a full recap of the episode and the winners of the Exteriors challenge.
SPOILER ALERT: This post includes spoilers for “Rock the Block” season 5 episode 5, “Exteriors Redemption” (April 1, 2024). Do not read ahead if you do not want to know the winner of this episode.
‘Rock the Block’ Season 5 Episode 5 Recap
The episode started with host Ty Pennington giving donuts to the cast, then explaining this week’s challenge: the Exterior spaces. This means the teams will work to finish their front landscaping, first-floor balconies, and waterfront docks (a “Rock the Block” first). Past judge Veronica Valencia (“Revealed”) and reigning “Rock the Block” champion Michel Smith Boyd (“Luxe for Less”) will arrive at the end of the week to be the judges for the challenge.
Since the teams’ homes were in shared buildings, Pennington reminded the teams that they already had to collaborate on some elements of their exteriors, with Lyndsay and Leslie sharing an exterior with the Baeumlers, and Page and Mitch sharing with Keith and Evan.
As they started discussing design, Lyndsay and Leslie chose a large walnut front door, and wanted to keep their landscaping simple and organic. They also chose to add solar panels to the home to store energy in the event of a hurricane, storm, or power outage. The twins have experience working with solar back home in Snohomish, Washington, and felt confident about using a big part of their budget on these panels.
Keith and Evan wanted a second win after tying for the Living Room win with the Baeumlers in week 2. They wanted to include tropical palm trees to give their landscaping a Florida feel. On their dock, they decided to add some seating and a bar cart, and in their first-floor balcony, they chose to add a cocktail bar and dining table to make it feel like an extension of their kitchen and living rooms.
Page and Mitch aimed for their third win to pull ahead of their competition. They chose not to “overstage” their dock, instead opting to extend it with a hammock net on the side. For their balcony, they chose to add a small outdoor kitchen, also adding bar seating along their accordion window, giving their space an indoor-outdoor feel.
Bryan and Sarah won the Exteriors challenge in season 4, so they felt the pressure to perform again. They chose an orange tree in the front yard, hoping the fresh fruit would be a plus. On their balcony, they included a gas fireplace and casual seating on one side with a dining table and bug screen on the other side. They also added a fish-cleaning station and grill on their dock, allowing homeowners to catch, clean, and cook their fish without moving off the dock.
For the second surprise design challenge of the season, Pennington then had the teams meet him at St. Pete Pier to see the aerial sculpture “Bending Arc”. He then challenged the teams to work with a local artist to create a standout feature to enhance their outdoor spaces and gave them each $1,000 to do so.
Spoiler Alert: Who Won ‘Rock the Block’ Season 5 Exteriors Redemption?
Keith and Evan collaborated with a local glassblower to make a chandelier for their design surprise, while Lyndsay and Leslie collaborated with a local plant artist to set up a self-irrigating vertical garden. Bryan and Sarah brought in a plant designer to help achieve a zen look in their entryway and cover an awkward electrical box. Page and Mitch connected with a local sculptor to create a metal sculpture for their dock, inspired by Page and Mitch’s childhoods.
After a week of hard work, Veronica and Michel arrived for judgment day.
First up were Keith and Evan. The judges liked the siding along their building and the bar on their dock. Veronica did note that the dock felt “sparse.” Michel felt “inspired” upon seeing the couple’s first-floor balcony, and gave extra marks for their space planning.
Next up the judges went to Bryan and Sarah’s Natural Zen home. The couple got compliments on their oversized exterior sconces, which Veronica and Michel loved the scale of. Unlike Keith and Evan, Veronica felt the Baeumlers made great use of their dock space. On the balcony, the judges loved the fireplace, though Veronica noted there was no grill.
Third for judging were Lyndsay and Leslie. The sun had set by the time the judges arrived, and they noted how nice it was to see the sconces lit up on the side of their home. The judges did note that they would have preferred more variety with the plants, and wished there was some more design elements on the dock.
Last up were Page and Mitch, whose Coastal Chic exterior impressed the judges, though Michel noted they had slightly too-small sconces for his taste. The dock hammock was a standout moment, but Michel noted it looked unfinished by the time of judging. What didn’t look unfinished, however, was their balcony, which flowed seamlessly into their kitchen.
In the end, the judges chose Bryan and Sarah as the Exterior Redemption winners. Bryan and Sarah now have two wins and are taking home a $5,000 bonus for their next week of the competition.
While most “Rock the Block” seasons end with week 6, Ty teased one more challenge heading into next week’s episode. The teams will face a “Surprise Bedroom Redemption” in which they will judge one another, in the episode that airs on Monday, April 8, at 9 p.m. Eastern.
