The KWD team recently completed one of our all time favourite projects and now we are excited to share the results with you. It was a dream project really, working with Janelle and Ryan McKenzie of Rycon Building Group (RBG) to create their vision for a family home that doubles as a home to take their clients through.
“As a boutique builder, we’re not really big enough to have our own display homes, but it’s really important to us that our clients get a feel for what we can create for them, not only in the quality of the materials, finishes and the workmanship which is paramount, but also with the warmth, care and attention to detail that makes a house a home,” explained Janelle.
KWD loved working with Janelle and Ryan to make their vision a reality – sourcing, specifying and supplying many of the hard finishes, internally and externally. The whole project took over 12 months to complete from the time the plans were approved. Throughout the process we explored new ideas and were inspired to push the boundaries. RBG embraced all of our suggestions even when we pushed them outside of their comfort zone! We really wanted to make it very special so they would attract a new level of buyer, and they trusted us.
Now that the project is complete, all of the time and effort (blood, sweat and tears I think Janelle would say!) has resulted in a seriously spectacular space. This home feels so intimate even though it’s so spacious. It is a very large house, but the way it’s been designed with different paint colours, wall panelling and different finishes throughout means you can still feel comfortable in the separate spaces.
“It is proving to be a really successful way for our clients to see and feel what it would be like to live in a one of our homes. While we design and build a wide range of house styles, we do specialise in weatherboard and in particular the Hamptons-style home. And this home is the ideal example for our clients to experience. We love the relaxed and homely feeling that we have created in this property, it’s open and light and textured, and there are so many things to love – from the pool and pool house to the home gym and the spacious living areas. It’s resort style living, without having to leave home,” says Janelle.
The interior paint colours KWD chose for the property proved to be a perfect choice for creating continuity. Even though each room is different, and the colours are quite bold, using a palette of hues of blues and greys created a sense of serenity and a relaxed feel throughout the home. We complemented the paint colour scheme with navy joinery in the kitchen, powder room and ensuite and white joinery in the wardrobes, study and utility rooms, creating maximum functionality in the most streamlined designs.
Our favourite is the bold navy paint used in the study, it just works so well with the light and the space.
Upstairs we created luxurious yet functional comfort with 100% wool loop pile carpet whilst downstairs European Oak wide board flooring made for a beautiful light, warm finish – and we linked the two floors with a very special Roger Oates striped stair runner (Kate’s favourite element of the entire build).
The bathrooms were fitted with a mix of Encaustic concrete tiles, Carrara marble, subway tiles and Carrara hexagonal mosaic tiles, and we created pattern and texture by laying Spanish handmade subway tiles in hexagonal patterns in the pool room and gym, using a contrasting grey grout for maximum effect.
The kitchen is a triumph of design, colour and functionality, with navy joinery, a Calacutta marble island bench with white surrounding Shaker-style doors, a Caesar stone bench top for easy maintenance, and the perfect Perrin & Rowe pewter tap ware from The English Tapware Company.
What really brings this amazing property together (along with all the hard finishes!) is the time and attention to detail spent on the landscaping. Landscaping is so important, and we always recommend leaving enough money in the budget to do the landscaping properly. James is particularly passionate about garden design, and how integral it is to completing the picture. When you’re in your home, you look through the windows at your very own piece of land that you so lovingly selected and where you have created your family haven. Making the outside match the inside is all part of the story. Your story.
“KWD has really helped us raise the bar in terms of finishes and showed us how to expand our offering with the materials we have chosen for our home. Working with Kate and her team was such an amazing experience. Their design ideas helped to take our property to the next level, and any issues were resolved immediately. It was such a successful collaboration for us that we are looking forward to KWD working with us on future building projects.” says Janelle.
If you’d like to discuss this fabulous project further or you have your own project on the go please call the team at KWD on (03) 5974 1800.
If you’re looking for a luxury home builder in Melbourne, Rycon Building Group can help you realise your dream. Whether your home is built on a flat block, sloping block or difficult site, and whether it’s your own plans or theirs, the team at Rycon can work with you to create a custom design and build your luxury new home to the highest quality.
Kate Walker Design - KWD 