How Sally Fitzgibbons uses Luxaflex in her new luxury Gerroa home

With the help of her builder and friend Simon Rees, Sally recently transformed an original weatherboard beach shack into a stunning new home: Highline House. 

It was a was a heartfelt restoration for Sally, who was born and bred in the quiet seaside town of Gerroa.  

This stunning new home epitomises Australian coastal living – with neutral, ocean-inspired tones, sleek modern fittings, and plenty of windows to maximise the view. Surrounded by nature, it draws textures and colours from the land, sea and wildlife.

The home encompasses a main bedroom and ensuite, guest bedroom, bathroom, kitchen/dining, a separate living room, study nook, private gym and swimming pool. From the outside, the home exudes a rustic and chic charm, with white painted walls and flawlessly landscaped gardens. Both its interior and exterior connect with the ocean at every opportunity, with stepping stones, pathways, a large entertaining balcony and a myriad of viewing windows. 

As much as Highline House has been designed to capitalise on its stunning views, through the interior, it also works to both capture and resist the fluctuating light of the day. Each room has been elegantly finished with the practical application of premium Luxaflex^® blinds and curtains. 

Kitchen, dining and sitting area

To complete the aesthetic feel of the space, while also helping to filter the heavy afternoon sun, the windows have been finished with Luxaflex^® Pirouette^® Shadings. Sally chose a linen fabric in Chamomile colour, to harness and beautifully diffuse the light. 

The Luxaflex^® Pirouette^® Shadings feature softly contoured, front-facing fabric vanes which are attached to a single sheer backing. When they’re opened and closed, the vanes move in tandem for a fluid, graceful effect. The three dimensional fabric vanes offer a striking and uniform look, while softly filtering sunlight and ensuring privacy. 

Sally also chose PowerView® Motorisation, so she can control her shadings with ease, and the touch of a button.

Exterior

A beautiful deck area which leads directly from the living room provides a perfect viewing point where one can sit, relax, and take in the spectacular surroundings. 

 A Luxaflex^® Evo MagnaTrack^® Awning has been used to provide privacy on the balcony, as well as advanced sun protection and airflow, for a more enjoyable entertaining space. The awning is also robust enough to cope with the strong winds which can flow off the ocean below.  

She chose her awning in Spectra 5% fabric, in Ultra Black colour, and went with the option of PowerView^® Motorisation – for quick and easy operation.

Main bedroom

Recognising that a dark and peaceful space for rest and relaxation is essential in a home that’s abundant in light, Sally selected the Luxaflex^® Duette^® shades in a Blockout fabric for the main bedroom.

The Luxaflex® Duette® ­­­­­Shades also an important role in helping moderate the temperature in the master bedroom. Their unique honeycomb structure traps air, which provides a layer of insulation to help keep the home's interior warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The balance of light control, privacy and energy-efficient qualities make them perfect for an Australian beach home.

Guest bedrooms and office

Sally also chose Luxaflex^® Duette^® Shades for the guest bedroom and office – to both help moderate the internal temperature in these rooms, and to ensure the sense of sophistication flowed through from room to room.  

For these rooms, she chose the shades in Elan fabric, in Journal Translucent colour, and with a combination of EasyRise^® and PowerView^® Motorisation. 

The shades in these spaces are also complemented by Luxaflex^® curtains in Abre fabric and Froth colour, with convenient wand operation. The layering of the Luxaflex^® Duette^® Shades and Curtains creates a soft, flowy feel that blends seamlessly with the home’s interiors and ocean-inspired design. 

Throughout the interior, texture and neutral tones are layered through a repeated colour palette of white, black, and grey. The neutrality is enhanced vividly by the surrounding blues of the ocean. A scattering of natural elements such as timber and green foliage also connects to the abundant ocean views.

Lower living area

In the lower living area, Sally created a serene space – ideal for watching TV or movies, or simply relaxing with a book. 

For these rooms she chose Luxaflex® Roller Blinds in Avesta fabric and Cancas Blockout colour, with handy roller-chain operation. 

Fully Australian-made, Luxaflex® Roller Blinds offer classic style – and very practical, functional and aesthetic solution for this relaxation space.  

For Sally, the most satisfying aspect of the renovation has been enjoying the finished project.