The Powerhouse Design Duo twins, Alisa and Lysandra, recently decided to put their design skills to the biggest test—a competition against each other. Each twin was responsible for designing, building, and fitting out their half of a huge duplex, creating two luxurious, unique, and very stylish family homes.
This 18-month project had extra significance as it’s where the twins now live: Alisa and her family in one of the homes, and Lysandra and her family, right next door, in the other.
Each of the twins took a distinct approach to the design: Alisa went for light, bright tones and natural textures throughout; while Lysandra opted for a darker, moodier and more opulent palette.
Despite the differing aesthetics, Luxaflex® window coverings played a key role in each home. Here’s an overview of how they were used.
Episode one: Master bedrooms, walk-in robes and ensuites
The master bedroom of each home is situated on the lower floor, and is accompanied by a luxurious walk-in robe and ensuite.
Setting the tone for her overall design aesthetic, Alisa chose natural timbers, wall panelling, and light tones. Lysandra opted for darker timbers and a richer colour palette.
For Alisa, it was important that her master bedroom remained bright and airy. She achieved this through a combination of Luxaflex® LumiShade® Window Coverings and a Luxaflex® Roller Blind.
The LumiShade® Window Coverings® combine the versatility of a vertical blind with the elegant appeal of a soft window furnishing – enabling natural light to flow freely into the space. The Roller Blind then allows Alisa to block out light when needed, to create a peaceful sanctuary for sleep.
To cover a skylight in the centre of the space, she chose Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Calla colour. With its unique honeycomb structure, Duette Shades also provide important thermal control – trapping air within its insulated cells.
Alisa added to the light and breezy feel in her space by adding a Luxaflex® Curtain in Chalk colour and translucent opacity to her ensuite, and Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Calla fabric in her walk-in robe.
Wanting to create a more opulent look in her master bedroom, Lysandra chose a Luxaflex® Luminette Privacy Sheers in Feather Fantasy colour.
Featuring softly curved, vertical design with integrated fabric vanes, Luxaflex® Luminette® Privacy Sheers are ideal for expansive windows or sliding doors. A modern take on a traditional vertical blind, these shades are made from soft fabric that provides daytime privacy, and the ability to rotate the fabric vanes to adjust the flow of light. They’re also made from 100% polyester and offer durable properties such as fade resistance and UV protection.
In both her walk-in robe and ensuite, Lysandra also chose Luxaflex® Pirouette® Shadings in Magnolia Light Filtering fabric. These shadings feature softly contoured, front-facing fabric vanes attached to a single sheer backing. During opening and closing, the vanes move in tandem for a fluid, graceful effect. The three-dimensional fabric vanes also give the rooms a striking and uniform look, while softly filtering sunlight and providing privacy.
We can never go past Luxaflex.
Lysandra
Episode two: Kids’ bedrooms and main bathrooms
Both Alisa and Lysandra have two young boys, and had a similar plan for their layout – to have the boys’ rooms, and a separate living space for the kids, upstairs.
Alisa opted to create bigger bedrooms with extensive storage, whereas Lysandra opted for slightly smaller rooms and a larger bathroom.
Both homes also had a third bedroom upstairs – which Lysandra converted into a gaming room for her boys, and Alisa turned into a spare bedroom.
Before designing this section of their home, the duo sought the help of an expert Luxaflex® consultant.
“Selecting the right window coverings can really make or break a space as they play such a major part in transforming the look and feel of your home. So, you can take your plans in, just as we have today, and a Luxaflex® consultant can help you select the right product for every room,” says Lysandra.
For her kids’ bedrooms, Lysandra opted for a combination of Luxaflex® Curtains in sheer fabric and Orlane Organic colour; and Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Moonstruck colour and Blockout fabric. She also added a Luxaflex® Roller Blind in Moonstruck fabric.
While the curtains add softness, the Luxaflex® Duette® Shades provide important thermal control in these upstairs bedrooms. Their unique honeycomb structure traps air within insulated cells, which helps keep interiors warmer in winter and cooler in summer. These sophisticated shades also add a soft aesthetic to the space.
“When you walk into this room, the height that the curtains create is actually quite unbelievable. The Luxaflex® Sheer Curtains finish off the room perfectly,” says Lysandra.
The Roller Blind is also a great, practical option as it can be easily rolled up during the day, or completely shut for privacy.
Alisa went for a more contemporary look in her kids’ bedroom – using leather coloured wall panelling, and circular wall sconces. Like Lysandra, she also used sheer Luxaflex® Curtains in a more neutral Chalk colour, and Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Calla colour.
“The beautiful Luxaflex curtains just add such a softness to the room,” she says.
Episode three: Pool and alfresco
Creating a welcoming pool and alfresco area was important to each of the girls, who both enjoy entertaining. While similar in structure, each of the spaces ended up with its own look and feel – in keeping with the style each of the twins had established in their interiors.
Both also chose to bring extra luxury and functionality to the rear of their home with a Luxaflex® Evo MagnaTrack® Awning.
The Luxaflex® Evo MagnaTrack® Awning has been engineered and tested in Australia to handle our diverse and unforgiving conditions and is the most technologically advanced straight drop outdoor blind on the market. It essentially creates an extra ‘room’ for your exterior areas – providing protection from the elements year-round.
“We’ve got the a Luxaflex® Evo MagnaTrack® Awning, which you can pull down if it’s sunny, windy or cold, and keep the fire in,” says Alisa.
Alisa also added a retractable awning to cover her pool area, in Dickson and Papyrus fabric, which provides important shade in the heat of summer.
“I’m going to use [the retractable awning] all the time. Bring on summer,” she says.
Episode four: Living, dining, and kitchen
When embarking upon this project, the twins put a great deal of focus on creating stand-out kitchen, living and dining areas—knowing it’s where their families would spend the most time. Their choice of window coverings was very important in helping them achieve their goals.
“Luxaflex are the best at what they do. We both opted to use the LumiShade so it looks like a curtain when you’re looking at it, but when you have the sliding door open you can just walk straight through it. So, if you’re holding something you can literally just get the curtains out of the way. And they’re super easy to just take down and wash if you need to,” says Alisa.
Lysandra selected Luxaflex® LumiShade® Window Coverings in Luxury Flax colour, as well as Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in the same colour. Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Moonstruck colour, to add subtle aesthetic variation.
These shades are both practical and stylish – adding softness and texture to the space, and helping keep the living areas warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
Alisa also opted for Luxaflex® LumiShade® Window Coverings in Flax colour, and the Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Daisy White – both in the highlight window above the kitchen, and the window in the family area.
Episode five: Hallway entrances, laundries & powder rooms
Sometimes it’s the subtle touches in rooms such as a powder room, or a space such as a hallway, that will have the biggest impact in terms of a home’s overall impression.
When designing their hallways, it was important for both Alisa and Lysandra, to let as much light flow in as possible, while also ensuring privacy from the street.
For this reason, the twins both sought the advice of a Luxaflex consultant, who recommended Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in top-down, bottom-up operation. This means the shades comes down from the top to let natural light flow into the space, while still retaining interior privacy. Both girls chose a shade in Daisy White colour with light filtering opacity for this space.
Episode six: Upstairs living, upper powder rooms and exteriors.
The upstairs living area was another core area of focus for both Alisa and Lysandra.
The twins each created a unique and welcoming space – each with its own distinct aesthetic. Both used Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in Daisy White colour to both add thermal control, and to maximise the amount of light flowing into the living area.
“Sometimes you just want your own privacy, and with Luxaflex® Duette® Shades you can say ‘bye-bye neighbours’. And the room is just glowing. I couldn’t be happier. I’m so in love,” says Alisa.
“We’ve chosen Luxaflex® Duette® Shades in the same colour, so it’s the same consistency from the front of the house,” she adds.
