Stylish details from the Sydney home of interiors stylist Jo Carmichael

Loungeroom (featuring brand new beautiful green Bholu rug!) and pretty details on the mantlepiece

Mantlepiece details

Jasmine’s room – love that wall colour!  Inspired by gingerbread!

After seeing her beautiful styling work on the site last week, it seems perfect today to share a little window into Jo Carmichael‘s world!  This is the Sydney home of Jo, her husband Adam and little Jasmine (just 6 months old), photographed last week during my whirlwind Sydney visit!

Jo and Adam have lived in this super cute Ermington home for three years, slowly renovating it DIY-style over the past two years.  And it’s been a big job!  The pair have knocked down  the kitchen wall, creating an open plan kitchen / dining space, and have removed the dining room window,  replacing it with reclaimed door frames (purchased on ebay for $20!). Other window panes in the space were removed,  reglazed and painted – and now open out onto a brand new outdoor decking area.  The old sunroom adjoining the dining room has been opened up and turned it into a small office for Jo to work from.  The floors throughout have been stripped of carpet and boards polished – and very stubborn wallpaper has been painstakingly removed from all walls (‘the lady before us worked at Grace brothers wallpaper department!’ says Jo.)

A new Ikea kitchen has been re-worked with a custom paint job using a Murobond paint called Ebony – ‘a dark colour without the heavy drama of black’ Jo explains.  Horizontal timber cladding has been used for the walls in the study, kitchen and bathroom to give these areas a ‘distinct Australian contemporary classic look’ – It’s one of Jo’s favourite details in the home.  Other favourite features are the lovely paint tones and colours used throughout, and the large double doors installed in the dining space which spill light throughout the house.

It was so sweet to hear Jo’s inspiration for Jasmine’s room colour – gingerbread!  ‘I wanted a strong colour that would go with pink without it being twee and too girly’.  Mission accomplished!  It’s a Murobond colour called Mud – such an inspired choice, and a great contrast for the white and pink details in the room!

This little house has been a dream first home for Jo and Adam, and a fantastic place to renovate.  Their hard work has certainly paid off – the result is a truly stylish yet friendly, cosy and comfortable family home.  Jo says it’s been a great learning curve ‘we’ve learnt a ton of ways to design and make things, how not to do things and how we’ll make the next house even better’.

And in typical DIY renovation style, having just completed their labour of love, this clever pair already have their sights set on something new!  They’ve decided to make a move to NSW’s Northern beaches to enjoy a different lifestyle and to look for the next project.  WOW!  Serial renovators!

HUGE thanks to Jo and Jasmine for having me run around their house last week with my camera!

Dining room details including sweet gathered blinds on the doors and windows made by Jo

Kitchen details – loving that beachy timber panelling!

Loungeroom and hallway details

Study nook and that excellent Murabond ‘Ebony’ paint colour again

Study nook details

Bedroom details – beautiful  vintage embroidered French Linen pillowcase

Exterior – and the best Australian backyard!