DESIGNER FAMILY

KARA AND KYAL ON LIFE AFTER THE BLOCK

They’ve completed more than 40 renovations in the four years since The

Block, now Kyal and Kara Demmrich are enjoying a pregnancy pause ahead of the arrival of their second child in May.

The couple sold their beachside bungalow project, Long Jetty, on the Central Coast late last year for a cool $1.59 million after they bought it for $710,000.

Taking time out to enjoy life’s simpler things like afternoon surf checks, the married couple of 10 years recently reflected on Instagram, sharing with their 185,000 followers:

“We kicked some goals last year, but gee it’s nice to be enjoying a slow(er) pace at the moment ... I think the work/life blend will always be a battle, so we’re grateful to be creating a business around how we want to live.”

“The pace that we are working at the moment is definitely more enjoyable than what it was for us last year,” Kyal tells Weekend.

“Long Jetty renovation took a lot of time and a lot of our hours out of the day. We’re enjoying going for walks on the beach together and spending more time with our little boy, Ziya.”

Their next project is probably their biggest yet: adding a new addition to the family.

“We’ll have two kids under two, so I don’t know if that’s slowing down the pace,” Kara laughs.

But it’s not tools down just yet. Between client renos and filming for Network Ten’s

The Living Room, the couple are on the hunt for another property to flip.

“We won’t start that (the renovations) until early next year because the main thing I’ve got to focus on from May is having another baby,” Kara says.

Kara admits renovating with a toddler is challenging. She said they “strapped” Ziya to them for the first few months of the Long Jetty project.

“Juggling work with being a mum is always going to be tricky. We just take it day by day,” she says.

The Toowoon Bay couple’s relaxed coastal-meets-holiday-at-home style has become their signature.

“We’re all about simplicity and walking into a room and not feeling like it’s a cluttered space. We want it to feel relaxed,” Kara says.

“One thing we do look for in a renovation is something about a house that gives it a charm, something that you can work with,” Kyal adds.

“Whether it’s the architectural lines of the property or whether it’s the surroundings, like established trees, that inspires you to build or renovate to suit that area or space.”

Kara admits having children has influenced their design choices.

“It’s when they become toddlers you feel that suddenly your lounge room is being overtaken by toys.”

They’ve overcome this by creating a toy library in their home office, off their kitchen and living area. “We built some floor to ceiling shelves and we have all Ziya’s toys there in some nice-size baskets,” says Kara.

“It’s good because you can lay all his toys out so you can see them, but you can rotate them. You can change it up regularly so he doesn’t get sick of the same toys. We’ve found that really works.”

Kyal, a carpenter who grew up on the Gold Coast, and Kara, a former physiotherapist from Newcastle, describe their appearance on The Block as “a life changer”.

“We often find ourselves saying to each other ‘can you believe what we’re doing now or what we get to do together’,” Kyal says.

“We’re so thankful The Block was that platform to get us to where we are. It’s really unique to be able to work together and something that we both love as well.”

“WE’RE ALL ABOUT SIMPLICITY AND WALKING INTO A ROOM AND NOT FEELING LIKE IT’S A CLUTTERED SPACE.”