The building’s monolithic scale and materiality are undeniably bold, so the interior curation focused on introducing human-scale elements throughout—bringing the warmth, tactility, and liveability.
Located within the lush, undulating landscape of Currumbin Valley in the Gold Coast hinterland, Finca Talluca is Grace Loves Lace founder Megan Ziems’ own family home—an expression of personal vision and enduring creative kinship. Five years in the making, the home marks a deeply meaningful collaboration between Ziems and her long-time friend Leigh McKeown, founder of Sydney-based design studio Ellison Studios.
Working alongside Byron Bay-based architect Harley Graham, director of HGA Studio, the brief for Finca Talluca was decisive, intimate and intuitive: to design a layered, expressive home for contemporary family life, shaped by trust and a shared design language. “Working with a creative like Megan was a natural process—she knew exactly what felt right for the home,” McKeown reflects.
Reimagined through an Australian lens, the architecture draws on the raw materiality of tropical brutalism and mid-century modernism, also shaped by the freshwater creek that borders the property. Ziems’ time spent in places like Portugal inspired a ‘summer all year’ sensibility—an enduring mood that influenced the home’s palette and tone. The Proper Hotel in Santa Monica, Los Angeles—a favourite of both Ziems and McKeown—also helped informed the home’s intending feeling of calm.
“Relaxed luxury through an Australian lens was an easy brief for us all to work within,” McKeown shares. “We both grew up near the beach, so we knew the interior direction needed to feel unfussy and appropriate.”
Anchored by a material palette of rammed earth, cream-hued concrete, and natural stone, the space is softened through the use of tactile and ‘liveable’ textiles and warm timbers that echo the surrounding landscape, bringing tropical elements indoors—such as the five-metre palm tree in the living space. “The monolithic stature of the building in scale and materiality is larger than life in every way, so the consistent narrative with the interior curation was the introduction of human-scale elements,” McKeown notes.
The Arch dining chairs by Ellison Studios.
As the true heart of the home, the sun-filled living space required a sofa large enough to comfortably accommodate everyone for hours at a time. The Float sofa naturally became the starting point for the interior narrative.
This creative synergy is reflected in every detail of the furniture and object curation, led by Ellison Studios. McKeown anchored the interiors with pieces that balance form and feeling, including the sculptural Float sofa, which informed the design of the sunken lounge, the rich walnut-framed Yoko bed, and the cream Glove leather occasional chair. “The morning sun streams into that room each day, so the Float sofa was the first piece that was decided upon,” McKeown shares. “We chose a highly textured fabric to increase that feeling of cosiness, and to contrast the monolithic architectural languages in that room,” he adds.
Iconic vintage pieces such as a 1970s De Sede patchwork leather beanbag, the Flos Fantasma floor lamp designed by Tobia Scarpa, and an original Brazilian rosewood Tacchini Costela chair were also layered within the interiors. “The approach here was not as much from a collector viewpoint,” McKeown explains. “This was a deeply personal project for Megan, so vintage procurement was guided more by emotion and intuition—as well as the need for practicality and durability.”
Collaboration and creativity lie at the heart of Ellison Studios, and Finca Talluca reflects the studio’s ever-evolving approach to design. For McKeown, the home presented a unique opportunity to shape a personal narrative—one that honoured the family who would live there, the architectural language established by HGA Studio, and the expert craftsmanship. “While interior projects aren’t the core of what we do, world-building is in our DNA,” McKeown says. “This was a true creative partnership—shaped by trust, freedom and a shared vision. It’s something we’ll always pursue when the right opportunities emerge.”
The Ellison Studios Float sofa, Glove occasional chair, La Bobine table lamp, and Isola side table in the light-filled living space.
The Luca console adds a playful pattern to the grounded material palette of rammed earth, timber, concrete, and crazy paving.
A freshwater creek borders the home, creating a natural swimming hole for the Ziems’ young sons—an everyday ritual and a defining element of the home’s quiet appeal.
Bold, sculptural lines harmoniously blend into the home’s landscape.
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