Celebrating 10 years of Carnelian Projects
My sister Natalie and I started Carnelian Projects in 2011 to guide people through the sometimes tricky process of building a home. We chose the name Carnelian at is symbolizes courage, endurance, energy, leadership, and motivation. A few years later Natalie branched out with her own business, Carnelian Property Management.
A lot has changed in 10 years, starting with price. The timeline below gives an indication of the cost of a fixed price and turn-key house and land package for a 4 bedroom home with double garage and ensuite. Today, these prices are for land only!
2014 - Gillieston Heights $386,000
2015 - Cameron Park $460,000
2016 - Fletcher $550,000
2016 - Thornton $475,000
2017 - Chisholm $515,000
2017 - Cliftleigh $414,000
2017 - Raymond Terrace $489,000
2017 - West Wallsend $530,000
2018 - Aberglasslyn $439,000
2019 - Huntlee $449,000
2019 - Heddon Greta $469,000
2020 - Greta $459,000
As we would expect, design trends have also changed.
In the kitchen, walk-in-pantries have taken over from the simple cupboard-style pantry. Laminate bench tops were once standard, whereas now stone is usually requested. There were no bulkheads above kitchen cabinetry and lighting was quaint - no down lights back then! Raised breakfast bars were also fashionable. Window and mirror splashbacks started to increase in popularity, but tiles also remain popular too. A waterfall edge on the island bench has also become highly sought after over recent years.
In the bathroom, a strip of tiles in the shower was on trend 10 years ago. Soap holders and white drains were the norm, until the shower niche started gaining in popularity and waterfall shower roses became popular about 5 years ago.
Study nooks had wall cut-outs - who would have guessed that study nooks would become so important! Recessed ceilings and media rooms also became a thing about 6 years ago.
Timber laminate flooring started to become popular around 8 years ago and the majority of homes now have roller blinds, but 10 years ago there were usually only vertical blinds.
Concrete roof tiles were once the standard and Colorbond was extra - now it is the other way round! Wide, stained wooden front doors have also become sought after in recent years.
It’s been interesting to watch interior trends evolve and, whilst colour preferences have changed over the years, a neutral palette remains important for all the fixed, hard-to-change items in the house.
I love seeing every home come to fruition – whether it be for a first home builder or a seasoned investor – each build brings something different and it’s very rewarding being part of that journey. Here are just a few of my favourite projects over the years:
A big thank you to all the clients, builders, suppliers, trades and business colleagues who I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last 10 years. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 10 years brings!
