The Block Experience: Learning on the Job

Fresh Elements and Design Crimes

If you’ve ever looked at a glossy renovation and thought, “Must be nice to start with money,” this episode is the part no one usually tells you.

Lysandra Fraser first appeared in our lives in a police uniform, standing back-to-back with her twin sister, Alisa, on The Block audition tape, manifesting a win before they’d laid a single tile. They did, indeed, win twice - and became known for calm, quietly luxe interiors that looked like they belonged to people who had always lived that way. But in this conversation, Lysandra walks Editor Elle Lovelock through the bits that never made it into the reveal shots: growing up in Housing Commission with a single mum, secretly mortified to bring friends home, painting the hallway in suede‑finish purple to try and make it feel less “less than".

Lysandra talks about leaving the police force after reality TV, building a design business by sheer instinct (and zero formal training), and then selling her own dream house to fund al.ive BODY, the beauty and home brand she co‑founded with Alisa. For six years, while designing multi-million dollar homes for clients and being asked what it was like to be “a millionaire from The Block,” Lysandra was living in a friend’s dilapidated granny flat, followed by a three‑bedroom ’70s rental with apricot walls and floral carpet. This is not a sob story! More of a reality check on what risk actually looks like when you’re a single mum with two teenage boys and a public profile people project onto.

Moments You'll Hear 

How two exhausted Adelaide cops with babies at home decided, one auction night, that they weren’t just applying for The Block, they were going to win it, and why they actually believed that.

The whiplash of going from Housing Commission to TV renovations to clients with Louis Vuitton “thank you” gifts, and the imposter syndrome that sits under it all.

The very un‑Pinterest path to interior design: no moodboards, no Pinterest, no Insta, just learning on the job, taking judge feedback on the chin, and then reverse-engineering a career out of it.

Why Lysandra now believes in “who, not how”: building a team of CAD wizards and specialists so she can stay in the lane she’s actually good at, instead of trying to be across everything.

A sensory tour of her current home: black, refined, functional and the mental gymnastics of describing it when you know people assume you’ve “always” lived like this.

What it really costs to launch a product brand from scratch, and why Lysandra thinks more founders should say out loud, “Yes, I sold my house for this.”

If you’re sitting in a neutral rental, doom scrolling renos and wondering how everyone else got so far ahead, consider this your reminder that the before shots of someone’s life are rarely on the grid. 

Thank you for listening ❤️

before you leave...

🗣️ Get in touch 

What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Home Beautiful community and DM us on Instagram.

👀 See more

Lysandra Fraser website 

The Famous Farmhouse Home that Lysandra and Alison made

Lysandra Fraser on Insta

Great (easy) Ideas for Rented Apartments 

🙏 Our special thanks for making 'The Edit' our new home:

Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains

Oz Design - furniture Australians love 

Credits:

Edited by Propod 

Production by Thomas Crnkovic 

Our wonderful Home Beautiful team 

Learn More: HOME BEAUTIFUL

 

If you&rsquo;ve ever looked at a glossy renovation and thought, &ldquo;Must be nice to start with money,&rdquo; this episode is the part no one usually tells you.
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/home-tours/alisa-and-lysandra-the-block-farmhouse-home/">Lysandra Fraser</a> first appeared in our lives in a police uniform, standing back-to-back with her twin sister, Alisa, on The Block audition tape, manifesting a win before they&rsquo;d laid a single tile. They did, indeed, win twice - and became known for calm, quietly luxe interiors that looked like they belonged to people who had always lived that way. But in this conversation, Lysandra walks Editor Elle Lovelock through the bits that never made it into the reveal shots: growing up in Housing Commission with a single mum, secretly mortified to bring friends home, painting the hallway in suede‑finish purple to try and make it feel less &ldquo;less than".
Lysandra talks about leaving the police force after reality TV, building a design business by sheer instinct (and zero formal training), and then selling her own dream house to fund al.ive BODY, the beauty and home brand she co‑founded with Alisa. For six years, while designing multi-million dollar homes for clients and being asked what it was like to be &ldquo;a millionaire from The Block,&rdquo; Lysandra was living in a friend&rsquo;s dilapidated granny flat, followed by a three‑bedroom &rsquo;70s rental with apricot walls and floral carpet. This is not a sob story! More of a reality check on what risk actually looks like when you&rsquo;re a single mum with two teenage boys and a public profile people project onto.
Moments You'll Hear&nbsp;
How two exhausted Adelaide cops with babies at home decided, one auction night, that they weren&rsquo;t just applying for The Block, they were going to win it, and why they actually believed that.
The whiplash of going from Housing Commission to TV renovations to clients with Louis Vuitton &ldquo;thank you&rdquo; gifts, and the imposter syndrome that sits under it all.
The very un‑Pinterest path to interior design: no moodboards, no Pinterest, no Insta, just learning on the job, taking judge feedback on the chin, and then reverse-engineering a career out of it.
Why Lysandra now believes in &ldquo;who, not how&rdquo;: building a team of CAD wizards and specialists so she can stay in the lane she&rsquo;s actually good at, instead of trying to be across everything.
A sensory tour of her current home: black, refined, functional and the mental gymnastics of describing it when you know people assume you&rsquo;ve &ldquo;always&rdquo; lived like this.
What it really costs to launch a product brand from scratch, and why Lysandra thinks more founders should say out loud, &ldquo;Yes, I sold my house for this.&rdquo;
If you&rsquo;re sitting in a neutral rental, doom scrolling renos and wondering how everyone else got so far ahead, consider this your reminder that the before shots of someone&rsquo;s life are rarely on the grid.&nbsp;
<ul></ul>
<hr>
Thank you for listening ❤️
before you leave...
🗣️ Get in touch 
What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Home Beautiful community and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/homebeautiful/?hl=en">DM us on Instagram.</a>
👀 See more
<a href="https://alisaandlysandra.com.au/">Lysandra Fraser website&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/home-tours/alisa-and-lysandra-the-block-farmhouse-home/">The Famous Farmhouse Home that Lysandra and Alison made</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alisa_lysandra/">Lysandra Fraser on Insta</a><a href="https://www.jamestreble.com/"></a>
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/home-ideas/how-to-decorate-a-rental-home-australia-22660/">Great (easy) Ideas for Rented Apartments </a>
🙏 Our special thanks for making 'The Edit' our new home:
<a href="https://shadetrendz.luxaflex.com.au/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23125304318&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACcMuN6IiBsj6G_n_8E8c50GpwySv&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFsFUkw31rOzRF9wU6hG8mghdfAynrw_nq1rK837HdpD8e9h5S3nyLBoCeqsQAvD_BwE">Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains</a>
<a href="https://ozdesignfurniture.com.au/furniture/tables/coffee-tables/?loaded=1&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=21415529745&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC9A_Pa-UbUcY99mNrp5zmDd-cznX&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAuIDJBhBoEiwAxhgyFiFRHBgba954pNDZXlnrYPvcHIPZgbBzw6BEwGWBhHQW9_uP5S6xkRoCAKEQAvD_BwE">Oz Design - furniture Australians love&nbsp;</a>
Credits:
Edited by Propod&nbsp;
Production by Thomas Crnkovic&nbsp;
Our wonderful Home Beautiful team&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.homebeautiful.com.au/">Learn More: HOME BEAUTIFUL</a>
&nbsp;

There are so many choices that people have to make when decorating, renovating and building. But there is such joy in creating the homes and lives we all want. This inspired The Edit, a fresh new podcast from your friends at Home Beautiful that helps to make these daily decisions both simple and enjoyable. 
Hosted by Editor  Elle Lovelock, The Edit opens the door to beautiful homes and the stories behind them. Featuring well-known guests and respected experts, this video podcast is for everyone shaping their sanctuary - wherever you live, whatever your budget, whether you're a seasoned homeowner, a renter or just curating a special space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices and personal touches that turn your house into a home.

There are so many choices that people have to make when decorating, renovating and building. But there is such joy in creating the homes and lives we all want. This inspired The Edit, a fresh new podcast from your friends at Home Beautiful that helps to make these daily decisions both simple and enjoyable.&nbsp; Hosted by Editor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ellelovelock?igsh=MTZqd2NmajF6eGpjdQ=="> Elle Lovelock</a>, The Edit opens the door to beautiful homes and the stories behind them. Featuring well-known guests and respected experts, this video podcast is for everyone shaping their sanctuary - wherever you live, whatever your budget, whether you're a seasoned homeowner, a renter or just curating a special space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices and personal touches that turn your house into a home.

THE EDIT

What is a home maker these days? With so many decisions to make when it comes to your home, a show about your style, your sanctuary. The Edit is a fresh podcast from Home Beautiful that opens the door to unique homes and the stories behind them to inspire and delight those decisions.  With well known guests and the ultimate experts. It’s for everyone shaping their sanctuary—whether you’re a seasoned homeowner, a renter on a budget, or anyone quietly curating your space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices, and personal touches that turn a house into a home.

What is a home maker these days? With so many decisions to make when it comes to your home, a show about your style, your sanctuary. The Edit is a fresh podcast from Home Beautiful that opens the door to unique homes and the stories behind them to inspire and delight those decisions. &nbsp;With well known guests and the ultimate experts. It&rsquo;s for everyone shaping their sanctuary&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re a seasoned homeowner, a renter on a budget, or anyone quietly curating your space. The Edit makes those decisions simple and celebrates the everyday creativity, choices, and personal touches that turn a house into a home.

If You Grew Up Hiding Your House From Friends, You’ll Get This Episode With The Block's Lysandra Fraser

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/fa326977-3de5-4283-9b8b-af3500c58607/clips/0f0bd191-43dd-4a72-82e4-b425003d042a/transcript