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Inside The Block’s Kyal and Kara’s enchanting Spanish-style abode

Kyal and Kara upped the ante on their latest project.
Kyal and Kara in the Spanish resort style kitchen.Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough

Wherever a challenging renovation arises, you can be sure that husband and wife duo, Kyal and Kara, will be close behind. Even before they rose to fame on The Block: Fans vs Faves in 2014, the pair loved the process of taking something dilapidated and breathing new life into it. “Mostly for us, it’s all about the transformation,” says Kara. “We love the satisfaction of the before and after.”

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Kyal and Kara at the home's stone front entrance.
After completing over 30 renovations together, The Block fan favourites and alumni Kyal and Kara reached for the stars with their latest project, aiming to create what Kara dubbed “the ultimate lifestyle” with an airy, open-plan home on NSW’s Central Coast. The knock-down and rebuild resulted in an interior with a moody palette inspired by Spanish resorts. Stone Style’s ‘Cathago’ walling was used as a feature that at once delineates this home from its neighbour and adds an earthy, organic appeal. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

But how do you keep things interesting when you’ve completed over 30 renovations together? The answer is simple: you tackle two renovations at once. The challenge started in 2021, when a block of land a few hundred metres from the beach on the Central Coast of NSW was put on the market. “It had an old shack on it,” explains Kara, “an old doctor’s surgery that had been abandoned years earlier.”

A timber console below a framed tropical portrait.
At the entrance, the natural touch continues with the Lighterior ‘Kyiv’ sconce’s aged teak and goni weave. The Frosty Fruit print by Lucinda Jones and decorative vessels evoke European summers. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Who lives here?

Full-time renovators Kyal and Kara, their son Ziya, seven, and daughter Vada, six, and Lorikeet, Skye.
What is your interior style? Kara: “Layered, textured and coastal.”
Favourite piece of furniture? “I’m really loving the living room couch from Globe West. I love the curved shape and the beautiful, light fabric with a slight speckle.”
What does home mean to you? “Home means a safe place. It’s a retreat from the rest of the world that expresses your own personality.”
Your top renovating tip? “Work out your goals, whether you’re renovating to live in the home or as an investment. This will dictate your budget. Then prioritise what’s important.”

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Kyal and Kara by the timber banquette seating area.
Kara relaxes beside the recycled pine ‘Banquet Table’ from Bisque Traders, while Kyal sits on the built-in banquette, finished in Cemher Microcement’s ‘Microdur’. “Kyal and the boys built the bench seat and we’ve had a lot of site meetings around that table,” shares Kara. “It’s such a nice social spot to sit and enjoy the sun.” (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

After purchasing the property, they demolished the old dwelling and drew up plans for duplexes with a difference. “We didn’t want to build two homes that were cookie cutters,” says Kara. “We thought, ‘Let’s have fun and play on the fact that they’re different’.” Although the layouts are a mirror image, the interiors are stark contrasts. The brief for the first house was light, bright and French-inspired, while the second house called for a moodier palette of darker tones with a coastal Spanish resort feel.

The Spanish resort style living area with a large tequila artwork and sheer curtains.
Jess Martin’s ‘Thirsty Margarita’ from Olive et Oriel livens up the living room. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

But with the carefully laid plans complete, Kyal and Kara faced a roadblock they’d never previously experienced: they had to wait more than 12 months to get approval from council. “We learnt to allow a much longer timeframe when you’re doing a duplex and having town planner involvement,” shares Kara. In November 2022, slabs finally hit the ground and the build began.

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Kyal and Kara in the Spanish resort style kitchen.
Kyal and Kara love that their kitchen island looks out onto the lush backyard. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

The couple work like a well-oiled machine, with Kyal focusing on construction while Kara puts together finishes, materials and colour palettes. By May of 2024, both duplexes were complete.

Living area

Each individual home has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a media room and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area that leads out to a backyard and pool. It’s this communal area that Kara believes suits her family’s lifestyle best, especially the orientation of the kitchen island. “It’s a controversial topic, but I love having a sink in the island if it looks out to the yard,” she says.

An open-plan living and kitchen area with neutral furnishings.
Curves abound in this space, from the ‘Juno Cloud’ modular sofa to the ‘Flo’ occasional chair and ‘Dune’ coffee table, all from Globe West. The Miss Amara ‘Eboni’ braided jute and cotton rug adds a tactile touch underfoot. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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Kitchen

While this home is breezy and sun-drenched, befitting its coastal location, the deep tones offer a sophistication that grounds the space. The palette was a step away from their usual style, yet a return to the couple’s roots.

A Spanish resort style kitchen with a large island, woven stools and a curved rangehood.
Iver ‘Brunswick’ pull handles and knobs in Signature Brass accent the area with a Beaumont Tiles ‘Misha’ pull-out sink mixer in Brushed Copper. Adding coastal charm are Globe West ‘Olivia’ stools with textural woven seats. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

“When we did The Block 10 years ago, we were given an industrial apartment. That was a dark house,” says Kara. “I think with this house, a lot of it is our style but with a darker twist.”

A natural stone dining table and timber flooring.
‘Natured Serene’ engineered timber floorboards from Beaumont Tiles add warmth, depth and durability throughout. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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“Warm and sophisticated” was the goal in the open-plan kitchen. Shaker-style joinery on the island painted in Taubmans Time Capsule offers a light base beside pantry doors, which are rich with Loughlin Furniture’s American Aged Oak.

Natural style stone benchtops and timber joinery.
Stacked ‘Flora’ timber plates and ‘Livia’ dishes from Inartisan form a pretty tableau. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Striking natural stone makes an impact on the benchtops and range hood, which feature Cosentino’s ‘Vancouver’ quartzite.

A curved stone rangehood above dark timber joinery.
The Falcon ‘Classic Deluxe’ oven and induction cooktop in Slate/Chrome is an entertainer’s dream. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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“We had our stonemason curve the range hood stone, which is one of my favourite things in the whole house,” shares Kara. “So much workmanship went into that.” Edstein installed all the quartzite in the kitchen, including the benchtops and curved range hood cladding, which perfectly complements the softly rounded edge of the arched niche that it’s positioned within. For more, visit Edstein.

We love… precious stone
A Spanish resort style kitchen with timber joinery.
The butler’s pantry splashback features Beaumont Tiles ‘Tetra Structured Tiles’ in Sesame Gloss. Artworks by Whitney Spicer depict summery picnic scenes befitting the home’s Spanish spirit. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Dining

‘Mila’ pendants from Uniqwa feature hand-woven palm leaves for texture, contrasted against the dark Walnut tones of the Globe West ‘Tolv’ dining chairs.

A timber banquette with a woven round pendant above.
“I love the dining area. The big rustic table with more refined chairs and sunlight helped to create that resort vibe,” says Kara. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Cellar

“You can’t use normal glass for a wine room because it will fog up and drip with condensation,” explains Kara. Thermal Insulated Glass Products solved this issue, while Stone Style ‘Cathago’ cladding lends to the cellar’s underground feel.

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A glass walled cellar with wines.
The Stone Style ‘Cathago’ cladding. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Staircase

An internal garden is positioned beneath the ‘Helical’ Enzie staircase, which is bathed in natural light by floor-to-ceiling glazing from Wideline Windows & Doors. Finished in microcement, the soft curves of the stairs sweep upward, creating a sense of movement.

A curved staircase above a small indoor planter.
Subtle curves continue in the bullnose skirting boards from Corinthian Doors, painted in Taubmans Sisal Rope. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Powder room

Drama fills the powder room, with its curvaceous ‘Rockpool’ Middle of Nowhere mirror, Nood Co ‘Trough’ basin in Clay, and ‘Oxid Textured’ tiles in Lava from Beaumont Tiles.

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A Spanish resort style powder room with a curved mirror.
The ‘Rockpool’ Middle of Nowhere mirror. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Main bedroom

The primary room epitomises the Spanish coastal resort vibe Kara wanted. She opted for dual window coverings from DIY Blinds, layering ‘Allusion’ curtains in Linen over roller blinds.

A neutral curved wall leading into a main bedroom.
The ‘Allusion’ curtains in Linen from DIY Blinds. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Adding contrast is a dark Globe West ‘Vittoria Retreat’ bedhead, Snooze bedsides and Hale Mercantile Co bedlinen. A Miss Amara ‘Takha’ rug and framed Tapa barkcloth from Papua New Guinea, available at K&K Homewares, complete the scheme.

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A Spanish resort style bedroom with natural linens.
The Miss Amara ‘Takha’ rug. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
A timber bedside table with natural ceramics.
Hale Mercantile Co bedlinen. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Ensuite and walk-in robe

The couple chose Beaumont Tiles ‘Channelle’ travertine mosaics in Brown to partition the shower in their ensuite.

An ensuite with travertine mosaic tiles.
Large ‘Omni Stone’ tiles in Tan Silk, also from Beaumont Tiles, form a neutral base. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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The walk-in robe gets a textured touch thanks to The Dharma Door’s ‘Amua’ wall hanging, available via K&K Homewares.

A walk-in-robe with dark cabinetry and a textured woven artwork.
The Dharma Door’s ‘Amua’ wall hanging from K&K Homewares. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Second bedroom

The curved motif continues in the second bedroom, with the twisting shape of McMullin & Co bedsides and the ‘Amara Scalloped’ bedhead in Coffee Bean by Halvorsen Interiors. This deep hue is carried through to the Black ‘Totana’ wall light from Lighterior.

A Spanish resort style bedroom with a scalloped bedroom and natural furnishings.
A rich pop of colour comes from Pony Rider ‘Admiral’ cushion covers in Duffle Green, available through K&K Homewares. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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Main bathroom

Large ‘Rock Salt’ tiles in Danish Smoke cover the bathroom walls and floor, while smaller ‘Tetra Pavilion’ tiles in Sesame Gloss, both from Beaumont Tiles, create a feature behind the vanity.

A main bathroom with rock salt tiles and a wooden floating vanity topped with stone.
The ‘Tetra Pavilion’ tiles in Sesame Gloss from Beaumont Tiles. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Joinery in Loughlin Furniture’s American Aged Oak grounds the luxe Dekton basin in Grigio from Cosentino. Brass accents offer a warm touch, with Beaumont Tiles ‘Misha’ hardware in Brushed Copper and Nightworks Studio ‘Duomo Piccolo Stem’ sconces in Whiskey Brass.

A spacious main bathroom with a freestanding stone bath.
In the main bathroom, Beaumont Tiles’ ‘Luciana’ freestanding stone bath in Matt Black makes a serious style statement. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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Alfresco

You can’t emulate a European-inspired lifestyle without a gorgeous outdoor area. Millboard Limed Oak decking leads to the round pool by Backyard Retreats, finished in Cemher Microcement ‘Micropool’. “I love the tiered walkway up to the pool,” shares Kara.

An outdoor alfresco area beside a round pool.
Stripes of sage and white evoke a playful, summery touch with a bolster and scalloped cushions from the Original Parasol Co, plus a Basil Bangs ‘Jardin’ patio umbrella. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

In the barbecue area, Stone Style ‘Tunisian Pearl Sandblasted’ crazy pavers offer tactile flooring, while the ‘Lucia Curve’ dining table and ‘Granada Scoop’ chairs, both from Globe West, invite long, alfresco meals. “We’re so proud of this home,” says Kara. “It’s just beautiful.”

An outdoor shower by a white stucco-style wall.
The copper outdoor shower is paired with a K&K Homewares palm tree hook. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)
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While the couple’s personal lives have changed since their time on The Block, with the addition of their son Ziya, seven, and daughter Vada, six, their ability to make a home beautiful remains. “I don’t think our teamwork has changed over the years,” reflects Kara. “We’ve learnt to trust each other more.”

A laundry room with dark timber joinery.
Polytec ‘Woodmatt’ joinery in Bottega Oak houses a Samsung washer and dryer. (Photography: Alana Landsberry / Styling: Lucy Gough)

Interior design: Kara Demmrich, kyalandkara.com.
Building: Diverse Design & Construct, diverseconstruct.com.
Joinery: Beachside Kitchens, beachsidekitchens.com.au, and Loughlin Furniture, loughlinfurniture.com.au.
Landscape design: Landart, landart.com.au.

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