Luxaflex® Pirouette® Shadings V3 Hardware System

Good aesthetic design must go hand in hand with great functionality. Inspired by great innovation as well as fashion and lifestyle trends, V3 Pirouette hardware creates long-lasting design with a contemporary appeal. The Pirouette design and development team have gone back to the drawing board and envisaged the product with fresh eyes and new perspectives.

So what's new?

• A new sleek headrail design that is smaller looking in appearance and that mimics the shape of the contoured Pirouette vane which has a consistent look from top to bottom of the shade. 
• New clear end caps and colour coordinated end cap covers making it easy to snap on and off if replacement is required.
• New colour coordinated outer rotator rail provides a fully integrated look.
• Reduced light gap for an enhanced room darkening option.
• Fully nested bottomrail on Easyrise and ULTRAGLIDE® Shadings creating a clean and uncluttered look in the home. 
• The next generation of technology allowing intelligent operation of Pirouette Shadings thanks to PowerView™ Motorisation. 
• Quieter operation. 

Selling Houses Australia - The Dapto Home

The LifeStyle Channel's Selling Houses Australia Episode 1 of Season 8 aired last night.

The Story: Sharon and Brad are facing financial disaster. They thought they had the perfect business opportunity, but when their investor pulled out, they were left with a mountain of debts. The only escape is to sell their Dapto home for the best price possible. 

The Problem: Sharon and Brad's house was a sizeable property, just two decades out of date, where all the signs of wear and tear were showing. The other problem was that property buyers could get a brand new house and land package for the same price as this two decade old home. And there's also the fact that there is a railway line right behind their home. 

The Solution: The Dapto home was given a complete interior revamp, where a sleek window transformation was created with Luxaflex Roller Blinds in the rumpus room, formal lounge and master bedroom. Moorea fabric in the colour White was mainly used, with Harper in Glacier and Ultraweave Plus in Midnight making their notable appearance. Ultraweave Plus provides a level of day time privacy without compromising your view with a 6% openness factor. 

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery Kiama Window Fashions in Kiama, New South Wales. 

Watch Selling Houses Australia every Wednesday, 8.30pm AEDT on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel. 

Timeless inspiration from Antonio Gaudí, Barcelona

Written by Lynn Malone, exclusively for Luxaflex

Next stop Barcelona

In the shop front window of my neighbourhood travel agency, a sign reads, “Travel is one thing that you buy, that makes you richer”. Reflecting upon my tour through European cities at their best, I agree.  Please join me: next stop, Barcelona.

Time does not stand still
Exploring the cobbled streets of Barcelona, it’s difficult not to be gobsmacked by turn-of-the-20th century Spanish architect Antonio Gaudí’s building masterpieces. Saying his buildings, renowned for undulating and vibrantly coloured facades; expansive stained glass and oddly shaped windows; and exotic materials and craftsmanship, are unique is an understatement. One of the most prominent inner-city buildings and examples of Gaudí‘s genius is Casa Batlló, a private residence constructed in the early-1900s and now a public museum. As a keen enthusiast of art and decoration, touring the Casa Batlló topped my Barcelona to-do list.

Early bird
Gaudí was a pioneer in many areas including environmental sustainability. An obvious example of this are the recycled broken tiles that clad the building facades. Casa Batlló windows are fitted with translucent glass purposed to control sunlight and in some instances, for privacy. Wooden framed windows were inventively opened and closed by the raising and lowering of counter weights. Using materials that were the newest and latest of the day - iron, concrete, glass and ceramic tiles, Gaudí was a design visionary and trailblazer. Coupled with the advent of electricity and indoor plumbing, his buildings were cutting edge. With electricity, motorised elevators were invented, and gave way to the concept of high-rise apartment living.

Attention to detail
Every detail was considered down to the minute. Gaudí designed a custom font for the entry doors; curved furniture that conformed to the contour of the interior walls.  The interior and exterior spaces were connected and equally considered with an adjoining courtyard adorned with sculptures and artwork incorporated into the design. Engineered to give consistent lighting to each level of the building, the windows of the centre light well were increasingly smaller from the ground level to the top level; and conversely the wall tiles were darker coloured at the top level rooms and decreasingly intense on the levels below.  How clever!

Lighting the way

The investment made in Gaudí’s leading edge design still delivers returns today with Casa Batlló interiors inspiring many home renovators and design enthusiasts around the world. 

When researching new products for your home – whether as a professional practitioner or if working on a do-it-yourself project, give consideration to innovative companies that invest in research and development bringing to market products that incorporate the newest and latest. Case in point:  Luxaflex Qmotion Roller Blinds, which are battery operated to raise and lower the blinds with programmable settings. Four years ago, this technology was unavailable for residential window roller blinds – the alternative was electrical wiring for motorisation, which often proves an expensive proposition; particularly when renovating.  

Taking new technology one step further, Luxaflex Qmotion Technology Roller Blinds with Q Sync has an app available that allows the roller blinds to be operated with a simple touch of a screen – on either IPad, iPhone or Android device.  From an aesthetic and safety perspective, this is a great alternative to a chain cord roller blind.

Think like Gaudí

When designing your home, borrow a page or two from the design philosophy of Antonio Gaudí

1. Be an innovator – search for products, materials and finishes that incorporate new technology

2. Consider light control and ventilation – both are conducive to healthy living 

3. Custom design furniture to suit the space – don’t use a piece of furniture just because you have it 

4. Don’t settle for status quo – be inventive and lead the pack

5. Don’t be afraid to use colour – it worked for Gaudí, in his timeless design

Interior Design Insights: Top 5 Reasons to Love Paris

Written by Lynn Malone, exclusively for Luxaflex.

From Frank Sinatra’s rendition to Lana Del Ray late last year, generations have crooned the 1953 Cole Porter hit tune, I Love Paris, expressing a year-round love affair with the French capital. With over 32 million visitors last year to to Paris (hint: drop the ‘s’ if you want to speak Parisian) it attracts visitors like bees to honey. What are the magical ingredients that result in Paris to consistently rank as the number one holiday destination?

A trip to Paris is on most of our travel wish lists.  Here is your chance to win a dream come true! Enter the competition before 30th May 2014, and you and a friend could win the Ultimate Paris Fashion Experience, courtesy of Luxaflex Window Fashions. Visit www.luxaflex60.com.au for all the details.

Eiffel Tower view from The Peninsula Palace

After spending 5 days in Paris, I have an inkling of enlightenment that makes me want to go back for more. Here are my top five reasons that I Love Paris and why I believe you will too!

Food and Wine:  Another glass of champagne, s'il vous plaît (if you please)
Locally sourced ingredients, freshly baked baguettes, bagels and croissants; and handmade everything – all terms of endearment for food and wine lovers. One observation:  I did not see one person in the streets carrying a take-away coffee. What I did see was café after café packed with patrons engrossed in conversation over a morning cuppa. How civilized!

Keeping Paris well stocked in fine champagne are the ancient villages surrounding Reims, a scenic 129 kilometre drive from the city centre and home to Grandes Marques of Champagne and the world’s crème de la crème champagne houses.

From small bistros to Michelin star restaurants, the French take their food seriously. One of my most memorable meals was at Mamie Gateaux tearoom.  It's best to arrive when the doors open at 11:30am, as it only takes fifteen minutes for the locals to fill the tables. The daily chalkboard menu offers a section of savouries such as seasonal quiches and soups; and sweets for the sweets – pastries and cakes – until sold out.

Parisians are the best

So you don’t speak fluent French, simply learning key phrases such as please and thank you; good morning and good evening; is advantageous in navigating the language barrier. Attempting to communicate in French goes a long way and I They are gracious hosts who cordially welcome visitors to the City of Light.

Window displays spare no expense trying to entice... ...But window shopping is still free!
Many of the world's best know luxury brands have their headquarters in Paris – the Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Christian Dior stores are fabulous, with the latest trends as expected. The stand out for me were the extravagantly dressed display windows, particularly the Louis Vuitton flagship store. Paris has something for one and all. There are emerging designers’ basement shops with wares fresh from the cutting tables at pre-famous prices, through to pre-loved and vintage luxury brands as well as fashion-forward couture.

Louis Vuitton flagship store ceiling and a shop window in Paris

Tight quarters inspire design creativity
In Paris each square metre is at a premium and the lack of space is often the impetus for cleverly designed interiors, particularly when it comes to hotel guest rooms, from boutique hotels with 10 guest rooms through to re-purposed palaces with 200, conceptual design is inspirational.

Introducing Atmosphere Translucent - The latest innovation in contemporary fabrics

This year the LUXAFLEX^® brand celebrates 6o years in Australia. Over the last 60 years, the LUXAFLEX fabric range offer has brought a number of iconic fabrics to the window furnishing market and continues to be a market leader in fabric innovation.

Atmosphere Blockout was one of the first soft and luxurious feeling foam back products that the market had seen which also offered an array of stylish and sophisticated colours. 60 years on and LUXAFLEX is still the market leader with a very enticing fabric range that continues to add that needed edge to the Window furnishing market.

To celebrate LUXAFLEX’s 60^th Birthday, we are excited to announce the launch of the highly anticipated Atmosphere Translucent fabric range.

Atmosphere Translucent is inspired by subtle mist of colours. A more subdued and neutral colour pallet injects calm to your surroundings. The range complements 8 of the most popular Atmosphere blockout fabrics, allowing a great dual ship solution for your window coverings. Developed locally and supporting local textiles, the introduction of Atmosphere Translucent is just another example of how the Luxaflex brand re-invents sophisticated quality finishes.

Atmosphere Translucent is available across Roller, Roman, Panel and Vertical applications.     

Celebrate in style with Luxaflex

With a focus on innovation and style, Luxaflex Window Fashions have been enhancing the lifestyle of Australian families since 1954. To celebrate 60 years of Luxaflex in Australia, we could be sending you and a friend to Paris for the ultimate fashion experience, including:

2 x return economy flights with Qantas

4 x nights at InterContinental Le Grand Hotel

Exclusive shopping and VIP city tours

$2,000 spending money

How to enter

Spend over $2,000 at your local Luxaflex showroom this May, collect your entry code in-store, enter online by 31 May 2014, and you could find yourself on your way to a once in a lifetime Paris fashion experience.

There's never been a better time to buy Luxaflex.

For full terms and conditions, visit www.luxaflex60.com.au

Selling Houses Australia – Country Pub

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia season final episode 13 aired last night, and from what we saw, the team did an outstanding job renovating the run down pub in Alexandra.

The Story: Ever dreamed of owning a nice little pub in the country? Think again. Barney and Barb thought their country pub would give them an idyllic lifestyle where they could work and play together; the reality was a 24/7 commitment working 7 days a week, 14 hours a day.

The Problem: The couple purchased the leasehold on the run down pub in Alexandra, Victoria 3 years ago. They worked tirelessly to turn the place from bankrupt to the most popular pub in town. They’re pillars of the community raising thousands of dollars for charity, but their efforts have taken their toll, physically, emotionally and financially. Despite their hard work, the pub is struggling to make a profit and now they just want out.

Kids Play Area

The Solution: The Luxaflex Ventura Folding Arm Awning was installed as it offers the very best in the open style awning market. Available with a wide range of accessories, this model can be customised to suit almost any situation. The 6.5 metre motorised Ventura Awning featured Dickson fabric in colour silver pearl, and fit perfectly in the outside courtyard of the pub.

Luxaflex Dual Roller Blinds in Prague Sunscreen fabric in colour Sheer Crepe and Plaza Plus Blockout fabric in colour White, were installed in the small bedrooms as it kept the room looking very streamlined and stopped it from having a bulky feel. By teaming a sunscreen and blockout fabric, you have the ability to adjust both light levels and night time privacy in the one application.

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Decorator Curtains and Blinds in Greensborough, New South Wales.

Selling Houses Australia – 180 degree views

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 12 aired last night!

The Story: Saying goodbye to your home of 50 years is always going to be tough. But when it has 180 degree views of Sydney harbour and the water is at the bottom of the garden, its downright gut wrenching. But Sally Cahill-McQuinn has little choice; she can’t afford the upkeep on the old weatherboard and needs the cash to fund her retirement.

The Problem: Sally is hoping to sell the home for 4.5 million, but views or no views this house is run down and needs a more high end feel if it’s going to meet Sally’s price expectations.

The Solution: Luxaflex Pirouette Shadings in Satin fabric in colour Magnolia gave the home the high end feeling it needed. Pirouette Shadings have soft horizontal veins that give a contemporary and sophisticated look that allows you to enjoy the view, whilst not compromising on privacy. The team decided to use the Ultraglide operation system as it provides effortless operation with a retractable cord for enhanced child safety.

Luxaflex Roller Blinds in Sunseeker translucent fabric in colour Ice were installed in the living room, dining room and kitchen area to reduce the glare but not block out the magnificent water views.

Living Room, Dining Room & Kitchen - After

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Master Quality Shades in Mosman, New South Wales.


Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Selling Houses Australia – Renovation transformation

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 11 aired last night, watch as the team transformed the home in Monterey.

The Story: Anna Nikolis is in a lot of debt, and her only way out is to sell her beloved home. She originally bought the home with her mother, and they had big plans to renovate and turn it into the perfect house for Anna, her husband, their children and of course her Mum. But things didn’t turn out as planned. Anna’s marriage broke up, her mother passed away and Anna was left struggling to raise 3 children on her own.

The Problem: Anna continued making renovations to the home, borrowing more and more money against the house to complete the work. Now she’s out of cash, has debts to amounting to $900,000 and the work is nowhere near finished!

The Solution: Luxaflex Duette Shades were installed by the Selling Houses Australia team to give extra privacy to the home, as it’s located on a busy road. The Duette Shades give the house a modern look, whilst also providing the ultimate in versatile light control, privacy and style.

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Illawarra Blinds & Awnings in Bexley, New South Wales.

Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Selling Houses Australia – Half built home

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 10 aired last night, see how the team transformed the half built home in Grays Point!

The Story: Building your own home is quite a challenge… and finishing it is another! Gerry and Ruth built their home on the river at Grays Point in Sydney. It was a labor of love, and after spending 12 months living in a caravan, they moved in when the project was incomplete. That was 27 years ago and the house still isn’t finished! There’s no proper bathroom, no stairs to the front door, no balustrade on the balcony and the list goes on. Gerry has a passion for flying and it’s his dream to sell the house, move to the country and have his own airstrip.

The Problem: No one wants to pay 1.4 million for their waterfront wreck, which to top it all off, they’ve been trying to sell themselves without an agent!

The Solution: Luxaflex Silhouette Shadings were used as they worked well with the modern styling of the home. Daylight efficiency is maximised by Silhouette Shadings by diffusing and dispersing sunlight throughout the dark bedrooms in the home. Luxaflex Roller Blinds with EDGE technology were installed in the bathrooms as Luxaflex fabrics are treated with DURAGUARD® Fabric Protector, which effectively resists water stains from moisture and condensation on windows.

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, A’besco in Caringbah, New South Wales.

Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Selling Houses Australia – Road kill to riches

The LifeStyle Channel’s Selling Houses Australia Episode 8 aired last night.

The Story: Grace and Michael Steven have more in common than just their wedding rings, they are both butchers by trade. Life was good for this couple, their business was growing and they bought their federation house in 2005 with plans to renovate. Shortly after moving in, their lives took a big turn. Grace became pregnant with their first child, quickly followed by their second, third and fourth! Their once successful business has gone belly up, leaving them with a debt of epic proportions. Grace and Michael want top dollar and their home has been on the market for eighteen long months.

The Problem: Grace and Michael’s home is a large federation semi, with many beautiful features but not only is the house is run down, it backs onto a very busy six-lane highway! They needed buyers to see past the busy road, were the Selling Houses team able to transform this home from road kill to riches?

The Solution: Luxaflex Newstyle Polyresin Shutters in white were installed in the casual lounge area to match the existing shutters in the formal lounge. Luxaflex Roman Shades were installed in Kruger fabric in colour Vanilla as they matched the horizontal lines in the shutters and gave more character to the windows. Luxaflex Roller Blinds also in Kruger fabric in colour Vanilla were used in the back room study area as this part of the house didn’t have as many features, but continuity was kept by keeping the same fabric as the Roman Shades.

Front Lounge Room - After

All Luxaflex Window Coverings were supplied and installed by Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery, Park Shutters & Blinds in Five Dock, New South Wales.


Selling Houses Australia airs every Wednesday, 8:30pm on The LifeStyle Channel, only on Foxtel.

Luxaflex and Colourways 2014 Trend Forecast

Buckle up and get ready for the 2014 trends to take you on a journey through time. From simple pastels to majestic jewel-like hues, this year we’re anticipating developments in fashion that will ignite the senses and take interior design to the next level.

This year, Colourways, part of the Design Institute of Australia, have forecast the following four trends: Pioneering Spirit, Industrial Evolution, Sunday Matinee and Byzantine Princess to have an impact on the broader design industry.

How did these trends come about?
Colourways, in collaboration with various design industry experts, came together to reflect on the colours, patterns and textures which had an increasing presence in the industry as well as in normal day-to-day environments. They also worked together to select various items of inspiration to capture those colours and designs and represent what they believe would continue to evolve in the year ahead.

We’re thrilled to have three Luxaflex fabrics selected as items of inspiration for 2014. These fabrics are: Telopea (colour: Storm), Mauritius (colour: Drizzle) and Harper (colour: Papaya).

Pioneering Spirit celebrates the beauty in all natural landscapes. It encourages you to be inspired by the simple things around you and use them to recreate something magnificent.

The foundation of design today has been built from the bricks of history.  Industrial Evolution embraces the dark beauty of the past and transforms different textures and grains into something contemporary.

Sunday Matinee boasts a fresh and pastel colour pallet. Taking us back in time, soft colours and dusty hues are predicted to refresh and revive, harking back to a simpler era.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Byzantine Princess encourages us to awaken our inner royal and surpass the initial perceptions of our surroundings. Take control as you embrace rich jewel-like textures and colours.









To see and feel the inspirational Luxaflex fabric range Contact your Local Luxaflex Dealer.

Luxaflex Window Fashions New Hygienic Fabrics

Two new LUXAFLEX Window Fashion Fabrics for blinds have been launched - Caspien and Portobello. Australian-made and 100% polyester, both fabrics have a unique and elegant texture and are treated with Sanitized Antimicrobial Protection which effectively reduces the development of bacteria, odour and mildew.

Perfect light control with Luxaflex Silhouette Shadings

Part of the exclusive Soft Shades range, Luxaflex SILHOUETTE® Shadings provide variable light control and privacy in one easy step while adding an elegant touch to your existing home décor. The unique look of this product is created by soft vanes suspended between two sheer fabric facings for complete light control and privacy. They can be opened for a full, soft focus view, closed for privacy, or tilted for the perfect light control.

Visit your local Luxaflex Window Fashions Gallery before the 18 July to get 20% off Luxaflex Silhouette Shadings in the current winter sale.

Visit www.luxaflex.com.au for more information.

Luxaflex energy efficient shades in April's Home Beautiful

Check out the Luxaflex DUETTE® Architella Shades advertised in the April edition of Home Beautiful Magazine.

Luxaflex Duette Architella Shades provide excellent insulation and energy efficiency to keep your home warm in the upcoming winter months.

To find out more click here.