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Kyal & Kara’s new home is all curves, palm trees and sea breeze

July 15, 2020 5 Comments

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Expert renovators and hugely popular former Blockheads Kyal and Kara Demmrich have wrapped up their latest project – a three-bedroom family home and studio just metres from Blue Lagoon beach on the NSW Central Coast. Drawing inspiration from a frangipani tree in the front yard of a small fibro cottage, the couple were able to realise their vision for the home – the ultimate beach house for their growing family where Australian coastal meets Mediterranean villa.

Purchasing the house a few years back, the ‘fibro shack’ was demolished and their first ever new build started. With a goal to design a family home that was built to last, the importance of high quality and carefully selected materials was imperative.

Their hard work has resulted in the jaw-dropping transformation from a beach shack to a dream surf house with touches of Mediterranean style in both the architecture and interiors, where a focus on soft round curves offers a sense of relaxed drama and personality.

“In keeping with our Australian coastal meets Mediterranean villa vision, we’ve incorporated subtle curves throughout this build, beginning with the garage at the very front of the property, which is rendered to a rough Mediterranean-look render,” says Kara. “The curved features continue inside with arched doorways, rounded walls and a showstopper curved staircase taking centre stage of the living room.”

The front façade offers a stunning first impression with blackbutt timber decking, blending beautifully with hand-laid sandstone walls. The interior boasts soaring 3.6-metre raked ceilings, a neutral colour palette and an abundance of natural light.

An open plan kitchen, living and dining area is the true heart of the home, perfect for a family that enjoys entertaining.

To ensure the home not only looks great, but feels comfortable and can stand up to the knocks of everyday living, Kyal and Kara needed a solution that was impact resistant and sound insulating. “We’ve used Gyprock Superchek in the high traffic areas as we wanted to ensure it will withstand the impact of life with our energetic, boisterous kids who are at times literally bouncing off the walls! As its three times tougher, Superchek has enhanced resistance to dents, scuffs and scrapes, as well as improved noise resistance – perfect for our crazy two and their friends,” says Kara.

The rumpus room has curved helical stairs made smooth with Gyprock plaster compounds, that can be seen from the kitchen into the hallway and rumpus beyond, providing a link to the other curves in the home.

One of the couple’s favourite rooms is the master bedroom and a few key features make it special. “Throughout the home, we’ve used curves as a design element,” says Kyal, “and we wanted to do the same and add that architectural feature in the master bedroom.” The curved wall that leads from the entrance of the bedroom around to the walk-in robe is a stand out feature and really softens the look of the space, and feels luxurious.

“Gyprock Flexible was the perfect plasterboard to see our vision come to life. Versatile and easy to install, the thinner-than-usual boards can be layered on top of one another to create unique shapes whilst maintaining strength,” adds Kyal. “We also selected key doorways around the home to create arch entryway features,” said Kara. Having the two arched doorways into the bathroom gives a sense of design continuity throughout the bedroom and ensuite and really frames the beautiful finishes.

The ensuite is a great example of using varying textures with similar colour tones to create a room that’s interesting and packs a punch, with round mirrors and tactile accessories.

The guest studio offers accommodation for visitors and a retreat to escape to. It also acts as a way to create a ‘villa’ style yard for the main house, creating plenty of privacy from the front. With bespoke features, custom fitout and dreamy styling, the studio is one to inspire.

“We wanted to create a sleeping zone without completely closing off the bedroom with a wall. The arch doorway was something we created on the fly using Gyprock Flexitone, and is now one of my favourite features in the studio as it frames the bedroom perfectly. We obviously needed to be able to block the light to this room for those who like to sleep in, so we factored in floor-to-ceiling curtains which provide drama and a sense of luxury,” say Kara.

The house has an abundance of natural light with large and highlight windows throughout, and mostly raked ceilings offering a stylish yet unobtrusive, well thought out design element. “All this natural light is going to show up any flaws so we’ve used Gyprock Superceil. This product sets the standard for plasterboard on ceilings as it’s made with fibreglass to increase strength, prevent sag and reduce glaring light issues, creating a flatter ceiling. We’ve used it throughout the house,” says Kyal.

The crowning glory of the home is the outdoor entertaining space, featuring a gorgeous mosaic tiled pool, lush greenery and a stunning stone wall. With the beach just a stone’s throw away, Kyal and Kara have created an idyllic seaside escape in their own backyard.

For more information on Gyprock

The front of the home
Real reno: Blockheads Kyal & Kara’s beachside sanctuary
Located on the NSW central coast, it’s hard to believe that this four-bedroom, three-bathroom coastal dream of a home was once a simple fibro cottage.  “Our goal was to create…
The Block’s Kyal and Kara on how to renovate with your partner and keep the peace!
I’ve always thought competing with your partner on The Block was asking for divorce (such the cynic!), however the Super Ks Kyal and Kara Demmrich are proof that renovating with…

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Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

✔️ I'm English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008😆 

✔️ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. 🛁 

✔️ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) 📓 

✔️ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London 🚔 

✔️I had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife 😁

✔️ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK ❤️ 🇬🇧 

✔️ At school, my favourite subject was French 🇫🇷 and I was head girl 🤓🤓

✔️ I'm addicted to ☕️ , long hot baths and💄 (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

✔️ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message 😁

✔️ My favourite cuisine is Japanese 🍣 🍜 and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

✔️ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

✔️ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or🍷 

✔️ Cheesy as it sounds, 💁‍♀️being a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life 🧒👦

✔️ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view 📖 

✔️ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

✔️ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker 😯 🅿️

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better 😘

📸 @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

“We are very honoured to have been a part of The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,” he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

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I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

✔️ ventilation holes
✔️ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
✔️ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
✔️ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
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✔️ compact, sleek, European design
✔️ 10 year warranty
✔️ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

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TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

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So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
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Need a new blanket? Look no further than these gorgeous South African blankets from @baobabcollective, sustainably sourced, ethically crafted and imported by a Southern Highlands couple.

On the blog now via link in bio.
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About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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Comments

  1. AvatarAlison says

    July 19, 2020 at 8:01 pm

    Did anyone say gyprock? If this is a sponsored blog (for TIA or Kyal and Kara), the story should say so. If not, K&K sure are good fans of that product!

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      July 20, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Hi Alison! It was not a sponsored post. If I’m paid for content it always says sponsored at the top. The content did indeed come from Gyprock’s PR agency, whose job is to show the ways in which the product can be used. From our perspective, it is a beautiful house which we think our readers will enjoy. I don’t think anyone’s hiding the fact that this is promoting the use of Gyprock. Thanks for your comment.

      Reply
  2. AvatarLibby Bancroft says

    July 21, 2020 at 11:19 am

    Thanks for this post. I am glad you did include the name’s of the materials used. It’s interesting to know what is around that I most certainly was not aware off. I thought gyprock was gyprock

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Bishop says

      July 22, 2020 at 9:43 am

      Glad it was useful, that’s the idea! Thanks for your comment! Jen

      Reply
  3. AvatarStacey Gillies says

    August 9, 2020 at 7:20 pm

    Such a creative use of materials, love the arches and that amazing spiral staircase! http://www.staceygillies.com

    Reply

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