Amity Dry's tips to make your house fit for The Block. Without the price tag.

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We may be on season 4567 of The Block (or so it feels) but Amity Dry was the original Blockhead.

The 39 year old won the very first season back in 2003 with her husband Phil Rankine.

Now a singer and songwriter, Dry’s house is still what you’d expect from an interior expert – stunning.

What do you know, my top 9 posts from 2016 were all my house photos. Does that mean I have to build a new house next year to keep up my likes?!! I have loved all the feedback and shares of my house, it was worth all the effort to have it turn out so beautifully. And while I can’t promise a new house next year I will have some gorgeous photos of a job I’m working on at the moment plus lots of new shows to promote and undoubtedly some cute kid pics! Thanks for the all the likes and follows in 2016 and here’s to more Insta inspiration in 2017! Xx #interiordesign #interiors #hamptons #hamptonsstyle #doingourblock #newbuild @scottsalisburyhomes @alby.turner.and.son @narellan_pools @choicesflooring @caesarstoneau @scyonwalls

A post shared by Amity Dry (@amitydry) on Dec 30, 2016 at 5:35pm PST

Think The Hamptons-style decor, marble and soft down lights.

How does she make it look so good? “You spend eight hours cleaning it before a photo shoot,” she joked to I Don’t Know How She Does It host Alissa Warren.

Listen: How to make your host look like fancy on a small budget. Post continues after audio.

“It’s a normal house. I’m one of these people if I’m entertaining, everything will be perfect. Every other day, not like that. Poppy [daughter] is the messiest human on earth, I’ve given up on her room. There are costumes, dolls, craft and everything everywhere.

“We have a dog, who was never meant to be on the couch is on the couch all the time.”

She says she tries hard but sometimes you’ve just got to pick your battles.

Hot summer nights, beach sunsets and my favourite girl. ❤️

A post shared by Amity Dry (@amitydry) on Dec 23, 2016 at 3:06am PST

“If I spent everyday trying to make my house looking like how I want it to look I would lose two hours of working time everyday that I don’t have to lose,” she says.

“But you can’t drop into my house. You can’t just turn up uninvited. Because if my house doesn’t look how I want it to look, you can’t come in. Maybe my best girlfriends yes, but anyone else I’d say I’m sorry you’ll have to come back another time.”

That said, she does have some great tips for getting The Block look without the big budget. Oh, and they’re child-friendly too.

1.Declutter.

“Clutter is the enemy. Cluttering is what makes you feel anxious. When there’s just stuff and pencils everywhere… you need storage,” she says.

“If you live in Sydney like we used to and you have no storage, use storage tubs. Go to Kmart or Ikea and you can get cheap storage tubs and have places for things so you can just scoop it up, and put it away.”

According to Dry, if it looks good on the outside it makes you feel better.

Today I did a shoot for @choicesflooring on how to change the look of a room with just decorator items and here’s the end result. This room is normally Hamptons blue and white (you can find it in my pics) but with new artwork, cushions, a rug and some styling things I already had in the house it looks like a new room. Art by @designerboys cushions by @bhdaus @boydblue and a few from my mum! Rug by @bayliss_rugs #interiordesign #interiors #makeover @adelaide_agencies @abbode_interior_products

A post shared by Amity Dry (@amitydry) on Dec 5, 2016 at 7:47pm PST

2. You don’t have to go to expensive furniture shops.

“You don’t have to spend lots of money to make your house look nice. Kmart, Target, Ikea, I love those shops. My kids bedrooms are full of stuff from those stores,” she says.

I’ve finally uploaded all the professional photos of our house onto my building blog, so if you want an overview of the whole house check it out! Link in my profile. ????

A post shared by Amity Dry (@amitydry) on Aug 22, 2016 at 11:59pm PDT

3. Have a cohesive colour palette.

It makes a big difference.

“Pick the colours that you want in your house and even some scented candles, then you can play with changing cushions,” she says.

“Buy a plain couch which you can then update with the trends from the cheaper stores and it can look really cute.”

I love the artiness of this shot! It reminds me of one of my favourite activities, which is looking into people’s houses when I’m walking at night. I mean, not in a creepy way, in a ‘looking at their furniture’ way. Tell me I’m not the only person who does this?! ☺️ #myhouse #interiors #homestalking #hamptonsstyle #interiorstyling

A post shared by Amity Dry (@amitydry) on Jun 9, 2016 at 9:36pm PDT

What are your interior decorating tips?