Kölmel studied at the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe from 1980 to 1986 under the guidance of Prof. Hiromi Akiyama and Prof. David Lauer.
In 2002, she was appointed professor at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences, where she taught courses in Interior Design, Sculpture, Drawing, and Art History until her death in 2007.
She employed materials such as polished copper tubes, stainless steel sheets, and mirror glass to create visual and perceptual effects in her site-specific installations.
Notable works include installations at the ZKM Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (1992), Orgelhalle (1994), and Galerie Rottloff (2006).
In her drawings, Kölmel utilized unconventional materials like foil and graphite powder, creating textures and relief-like surfaces with cuts and lines rather than traditional pencil and paper.