There is no missing this Palm Springs-style home from the street. A facade of linear stacked brickwork, breeze blocks and a crisp parapet roofline announces something a little different for a Queensland display home, and then there is the front door, a custom aluminium statement powder coated in a Barbie-inspired pink. It is playful, confident and unmistakably personal, which is fitting, because this is the mid-century display home its builders made for themselves as much as for anyone.
For Brett and Kirsty Paterson of KIBA Built, building was a dream long before it was a business. The family home they sold to fund the company was the third they had built for themselves, with Brett, a qualified carpenter, leading the way and Kirsty as his self-described unofficial apprentice. “We both love home design, styling and the feeling of accomplishing something by building it from nothing,” Kirsty says. With two young children and their 30s approaching, the couple decided the time for talking was over. “A building company requires a lot of capital, so we backed ourselves and took the leap.”
Behind that leap sits three generations of building. “Building has never just been a job in Brett’s family; it’s been part of who they are,” Kirsty explains. “We still lean heavily on Brett’s dad for advice and mentoring, and that family legacy has created a lot of pride and responsibility in how we approach every home.” Today, KIBA Built deliberately holds itself to around 20 to 30 homes a year across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. “We value quality over volume. We simply want to do what we know and love, and have clients happy at the end of the process.”
BECOMING THEIR OWN CLIENTS: THE STORY BEHIND THE AUDREY
The Audrey, KIBA Built’s display home at Lilywood Landings, gave the Patersons a rare opportunity: to be their own clients. “The key goals were to create a home that felt fun, happy, warm and inviting, while still being highly functional,” Kirsty says. “We wanted it to feel like a home we could see ourselves living in, because we felt that would naturally resonate with most families.” The 375-square-metre block set the first challenge, demanding careful planning to fit everything the couple wanted, including a pool and generous outdoor areas, without compromising the feeling of space. The result is a low-set, four-bedroom, two-bathroom home with two living areas, a double garage and room for grass, completed in October 2025 and officially opened in March 2026.
THAT PINK FRONT DOOR: DESIGNING A PALM SPRINGS FACADE
The facade was chasing a very particular mid-century feel, brought together through a considered column detail between eave and brick header, and the door was non-negotiable. “The pink front door was always going to be a must,” Kirsty says. Custom powder-coated to perfect the shade, the aluminium door took extensive coordination. “It’s something we can absolutely create for clients, but we’re also very transparent. Custom details like that can be done, but they’re expensive.”
At the time of planning, the Palm Springs style hadn’t yet gained wide traction locally, which made communicating the vision one of the build’s biggest challenges. “We had a very clear picture in our minds, but there were moments where we questioned whether it was all going to come together,” Kirsty admits. “Looking back now, the result exceeded our expectations.”
Related article: Inside jewellery designer Millie Savage’s colour-drenched home
ONE HOME, TWO STORIES
KIBA Built designed and built The Audrey to speak to two markets within the one home: a functional base plan that feels larger than its footprint for first home buyers, layered with premium elements for those building their second, third or forever home. That balance plays out in the details, from standard 20mm stone benchtops in an upgraded colour to KIBA Built’s standard flush panel joinery in the bathrooms and profiled joinery as an upgrade in the kitchen. “We’re very transparent about what is standard and what is upgraded, because there’s already so much to learn at the front end of a build,” Kirsty says. “Clients are suddenly trying to understand every tap, tile and inclusion, often for the first time. We try to simplify that process and remove the guesswork.”
DESIGNED FOR HOW FAMILIES LIVE
Step inside and The Audrey unfolds the way a busy family day does. From the garage, a mudroom catches school bags and shoes before the kitchen, which flows through to a large butler’s pantry and laundry walkthrough. The primary bedroom sits apart from the rest of the home for privacy, while a media room at the front offers a quieter retreat. The central living and dining area flows out to the alfresco and pool, capturing that quintessential Queensland indoor-outdoor lifestyle. Throughout, bold moments are balanced with calm: a statement powder room layers feature wallpaper and tiles, while the kitchen stays warm, neutral and grounding. “The home feels fun and playful,” Kirsty reflects. “That balance between functionality, lifestyle and design is something we’re really proud of.”
THE KIBA WAY: A CONSIDERED APPROACH TO BUILDING
Behind the personality sits a considered way of working from KIBA Built. Kirsty personally leads colours and selections, staying involved from the first selection through to site inspections at handover. “I live, breathe and sleep this business,” she says. “When you’re that involved, you become deeply invested in getting the outcome right.” A dedicated client portal gathers photos, invoices, communication and progress updates in one place, “almost like a private social media page for their build,” replacing lengthy email trails for the biggest purchase of most clients’ lives. For the Patersons, the reward comes at the very end. “A signed contract and colour selections are always exciting, because that’s where the dream starts to feel real,” Kirsty says. “But nothing compares to handing those keys over to excited homeowners.”
Photography: Luke Donegan
