Inside The Lush Currumbin Valley Home Of Grace Loves Lace Founder Megan Ziems
Mid-century mood
By Natalie McGowan | 30th October 2025In the lush Currumbin Valley, Grace Loves Lace founder Megan Ziems has crafted a striking and luscious mid-century-inspired family home – a full-circle return to her roots. We chatted with Megan to find out more about this personal project, which was almost five years in the making.
What made Currumbin Valley the perfect home base for you?When I arrived in Australia as a young child, my family (who sailed by yacht from Europe) looked for a home that had the same freedom, space, and nature as being out in the ocean. They found a 10-acre property in Currumbin Valley, and we set up home there. Having no family or friends – as we hadn’t been to Australia before – we really created our own community and sanctuary. Having the best memories has meant the Valley has always had a very special place in my heart. And after 25 years of living elsewhere, I returned with my own family. My husband and I bought the property when our boys were only babies and toddlers – thinking it would be the perfect weekender – but the busier life in town got, the more we craved the peace and quiet of the Valley.
How did your background in fashion influence the way you approached your vision for Finca Talluca?Naturally, I drove myself a bit crazy with the amount of inspiration and ideas I had. We travel a lot, and with roots in Europe I am drawn to places I grew up visiting or staying with family. This wasn’t our first build, but definitely the one that took the longest – spending two years editing the design, layout, and finishes with our architects before we contracted our builder. It has been an almost five-year project to complete. I think being a creative meant that it wasn’t a “set and forget” project.
It was hands-on, choosing, changing, and deciding colours and finishes as we went on site – and in some cases not choosing anything until it was right, so a lot was testing new materials. Our project manager from Mactech Builders and the whole team got used to me asking opinions and doing test patches for every type of grout, concrete tone, render, carpet, stone… it was endless. We even changed the pool design as we went. That’s also the fun part – all the testing and seeing it in real life come together authentically.
What emotions or feelings did you want the home to capture or evoke?Peace, calmness, Mother Nature, down-to-earth luxury. I really wanted it to feel instantly calming and welcoming. We love to entertain, and our previous property was on a small block, so we were most excited to have a one-level home where we could be indoor-outdoor with loads of friends and family over, cooking, swimming, and just spending quality time together.
What was on your original moodboard when you started planning this home, and how closely does the finished house reflect it now?I didn’t have an exact palette or home that I was inspired by, but I had elements that I wanted to combine, and then a lot of it was decided on-site and changed as we went. I would say we had the perfect team to have a really strong plan and then be flexible and open to change.
Were there any non-negotiables in your brief to the architect and interior designer?Lots! I had a document that went through our fundamentals, and the two years of planning and time spent with our builder before we started meant that it became really clear what was absolutely non-negotiable. I’d say a big thing for us was the span of the ceilings, the simplicity of the glass windows, and the size and scale of each room, including the hallways. Having come from a three-story, 412sqm block that we had previously built on, I was always reminding the team that space was not an issue; I wanted it spread out and have breathing space between everything – including the pool and outdoor entertaining. I felt like I was always pushing it “out.” We also had strong desires for making the house really “silent” if we wanted it to be, so the solid nature of the build and the glass was important. The critical thing was to enjoy a one-story home that was very connected to nature, sustainable, climate-conscious, and with the ability to be off-grid.
Are there specific design features, details, or spaces that hold the most personal meaning for you?The pop-out hoods were a big excitement for us, as we had been inspired by a property we travelled to that had smaller versions on the wings. So we added them on a large scale, everywhere. They are for sitting “out” in the garden whilst being completely indoors. The kids are always lounging on them, which I love. The origami pop-out ceiling is definitely a feature we stare at and love every day, as you really feel like the trees and the Valley are so connected and not blocked. The sunken lounge with the huge floating fire was a room we were always most excited about, and we recently extended the floating sofa so that it now covers the whole section of planter wall it sits in front of.
Where are your favourite places to source furniture and art?My good friend Leigh has an amazing brand, Ellison Studio, where we got loads of new pieces. Other favourites:
Vintage markets in Barcelona
1stDibs
Auctionet
Tigmi Trading
Galerie Terminus
I also have a lot of my grandmother’s antique oak and stone pieces that I adore, and some beautiful vintage Spanish chairs. Our style is a bit eclectic. Plus, I have always collected ceramics, plates, and art when we travel, so those pieces scattered around the house carry the most memories.
Do you have a favourite piece of furniture or art in your home?Our good friend Josh at Mosh Joinery custom-made our office and dining tables, which are absolutely beautiful – he nailed the brief and the make. And our Ellison Studio float sofa! My favourite vintage piece would be our Tobias Scarpa Fantasma floor lamp, and the huge Akari lights over the kitchen island and dining table. A favourite art piece is a Joan Miró piece we bought in Barcelona.
Image credit: Anson Smart
