Kyal and Kara’s Bay Build project

I love to see two houses with the same exterior, but with different colour schemes inside.  In Kyal and Kara's Bay build project, they showcase their talents for design and styling with two quite different looks. One has fresher and lighter beige tones, while the other employs a moodier greige palette.  See below to see which one you prefer.

Kyal and Kara's Bay build project

Sharing a block, and often the same floorplan, residential duplex design can often be very conventional. On occasion, two homes sitting side by side and sharing the same floor plan, can result in two very distinct homes emerging. Expert renovators Kyal and Kara Demmrich have achieved this with their latest project – Bay Builds, located on NSW’s Central Coast. The side-by-side duplex, with a mirror-image floorplan by design, has allowed Kyal and Kara to deliver distinct and unique interior styles, while featuring their signature Coastal style complete with helical staircases, unique outdoor pools with complementary landscaping.

Each of the duplex homes, designed by Kyal and Kara and Etchells Building design and built by Kyal’s Diverse Design and Construct, feature three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, office, and media room over 350m2.

“Situated on the southern aspect of the block, Bay Builds House 1 leans into a light, refined, French-inspired elegant interior scheme,” said Kara Demmrich. “Travertine, French render and champagne metallic accents adorn each space. House 2, on the northern aspect of the block, is moody, and rustic. Warm micro-cement, aged American Oak and Vancouver natural stone deliver a coastal Spanish interior.”

To ensure the homes not only look great, but feel comfortable and can stand up to everyday knocks of family life, Kyal and Kara needed a solution that had impact and sound resistant benefits.

“On the walls, we used Gyprock Plus plasterboard which features optimised core technology, making it stronger and lighter and perfect for high traffic areas,” said Kara, who notes that in any of their projects, the point where they get to using CSR Gyprock is always an exciting moment. “I love the part of the building process when we’re putting up the Gyprock as it’s when the fun part of the building starts.”

While generous, the property still manages to feel relaxed enough to accommodate family living.  Curved geometry defines the inside space, resulting in an organic, natural sensation throughout the home. Statement architectural features are layered throughout the interior in a palette of fresh white and soft cream, juxtaposed with striking furnishings, while floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors enable natural light to flood the downstairs living area, maximising the connection with the outdoor space.

To achieve the curves in the kitchens and master bedrooms, Kyal and Kara used Gyprock Flexible. The 6.5 mm thick plasterboard sheets have an enhanced gypsum core which is designed to bend and enables builders to easily create curved walls and ceilings and add visual interest to a space.

As well as being a stunning feature you can see from the different living spaces, the curved Helical stairs provide a design link to the curved walls found in each home. “We’ve used curves as a design element and we wanted to add that architectural feature in the master bedrooms,” said Kyal. “The curved wall that leads from the entrance of the bedroom really softens the look of the space and feels luxurious and has made it one of our favourite rooms.”

The bathrooms are great example of using varying textures with similar colour tones to create a room that’s interesting and packs a punch. Gyprock’s Aquachek plasterboard, which is specifically designed for use as a lining in wet areas due to its moisture and humidity resistant properties provides the base for the styling, where curved finger tiles and tactile accessories set the scene. “It’s so important to make sure you’re using the right substrate to build on,” said Kyal. “We’ve used Gyprock Aquachek 10mm which offers great moisture resistance and tile weight capacity.”

One of the couples’ trademark features is their attention to detail and Bay Builds is no different.  In a subtle nod to the curves throughout the homes, Kyal and Kara have chosen to use cornices in Bedrooms 2 and 3 of both homes.  “Cornices make up an important part of any room bringing walls and ceilings together harmoniously and make the room feel special,” said Kyal. House 1 sees Gyprock Concerto Cornice combining smooth curves, distinctive lines and a sharp centre step that creates shadows to instantly add depth of character. For House 2 they loved the ‘wave effect’ of Gyprock Symphony Cornice, with its multidirectional smooth curves that exudes elegance.

What I love about Kyal and Kara's Bay Build Project

The walk in wardrobes in both houses are stunning.  With it's lighter colour palette, house 1 walk in wardrobes are in a fabulous rattan and oak finish which has been carried through into the joinery in the bedroom.  This look suits the lighter coastal style perfectly.

The wardrobes in house 2, which has a deeper, earthier colour palette, are in a walnut finish.  This gives a fabulous Caribbean feel to the decor and quite a unique feel to the home.

Always consider the finishing details for joinery.  These handles are a little bit special and complete the look perfectly.

The plastered wall finish in the downstairs area really sets this space apart.  It brings movement and interest to the scheme.  I particularly like the ceiling beams too.

The focal point of the fireplace next to the kitchen is perfect.  The curved edge gives an organic feel to the space.

The window treatments work really well in this space with hidden sheers and classic Roman blinds for the highlight windows, the look is very elegant.

Although I love all white houses, the darker neutral used in the spare bedrooms is very welcome.  I think it is stunning and makes the room really cosy.  Note that the same colour has been used on the architraves, skirting boards and internal door.  This is very effective when using a darker tone as you create a space with cohesion.

Note that the other side of the interior door is painted a different colour to work with the hallway scheme.

The bathrooms in both houses are quite unique.  I particularly love the powder room in house 1.  The marble used for the vanity unit and feature wall behind the toilet suite is sublime.

Keeping with its earthier colour palette, the main bathroom in house 2 has beautiful copper accents with warm walnut timber.

I would love to hear in the comments section below which house you preferred?

For more information about Gyprock, visit Gyprock Living

Photo Credit: Grace Picot

Related: Decorating with the new beige

Related: What is greige? Find out how to use it in your home

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