Cart 
Senior designer at GIA Renovations Carmel Wylie says that whilst many people believe white interiors inspire calm, warm natural hues are actually more inspiring to live in.
Case in point, this renovated Elwood kitchen. What was a white stock standard room (scroll down for the before shots!) was visually and practically upgraded thanks to Carmel’s colourful material selections.
The clients were referred to GIA Renovations seeking a kitchen ‘drenched in rich colour.’ They also desired a more functional space, without making many adjustments to the existing plan.
‘We needed to keep the sink in the island bench as we were on a concrete slab and the current flooring was still in good condition’ explains Carmel. ‘I usually have a firm rule of no sinks in islands as I dislike the clutter they bring, so to balance this out, and keep space away from the sink, I added the beautiful side table connection in the terrazzo to the side of the island.’
This additional bench space also acts as a casual area for the client’s children to play and complete homework as meals are prepared.
New cabinetry does much of the heavy lifting to streamline the kitchen’s functionality, providing space for the microwave, air fryer, and blender to all live out of sight.
Coffee and bar nooks also ensure multiple people can use the kitchen at once. Carmel explains, ‘I wanted to have very clear zoning in the kitchen so if one person was making coffee, another could be at the cooktop, or making lunches on the island.’
Inspired by the current popularity of yellow and darker bronze colours, and their connection to the natural Australian landscape, Carmel selected terracotta and butter yellow laminates for the cabinetry.
Terrazzo accents on the extended bench and coffee nook reflect these tones, complemented by a Dekton umber island bench, Venetian plaster rear wall, and bronze rangehood.
‘I wanted to create a warm hug for my clients to walk into each morning,’ says Carmel. ‘I wanted a space that felt vibrant and tranquil to start and end their very busy days in.’
Her interventions balance durability, with playful aesthetics, and practicality, working to elevate this kitchen in every sense of the word.
