Tour an Aussie Wedding Designer's Insanely Glam L.A. Flagship
Photo:
There's so much planning from the time you say yes to when you declare "I do," but one thing takes precedence over all else: the wedding dress. It's the top priority for any bride-to-be, and one Aussie brand is taking all the stress out of the decision-making process with its first U.S. flagship in Los Angeles's famous Abbot Kinney strip on Venice Beach. Grace Loves Lace founder and head designer Megan Ziems chose the popular district for its many similarities to its Down Under base. "It's cool, coastal, cutting edge, and laid-back, with a great global offering of luxury goods and amazing food," she told MyDomaine.
Once inside, brides are met with striking 19-foot ceilings, exposed beams, angular walls, and a ton of natural light flooding in through the large-scale glass windows. "Anyone who appreciates their architecture will really love the space," Ziems said. "It's tranquil and very inviting." In this exclusive tour, Ziems shares her insight behind the decorating process, along with her favorite piece.
Photo:
MYDOMAINE: Talk us through the styling process.
MEGHAN ZIEMS: We love mixing textures and materials, and our signature Grace Loves Lace look is timber, gold, copper, and leather mixed with soft furnishing and prints. We sourced beautiful Moroccan and antique Persian rugs, bespoke timber mirrors, teal velvet couches, and tan leather chairs with gold hardware. The overall look is very rich, luxurious, comfortable, and warm to be in, with a modern edge. A highlight of the space is the incredible copper pipe work dropped from the high ceiling; it's like a permanent art installment. It's stunning. We wanted the space to be relaxing—a place people want to be in—and we've definitely achieved that.
Photo:
Photo:
MD: What was your personal goal or directive for the space?
MZ: Like most creatives, I have a lot of different styles that I love, but I like to find a good balance of everything, which is difficult to explain. It was definitely a lot harder working from our base in Australia. I am personally drawn to color and do not find white open spaces very appealing to the senses. I love to add character and authenticity, mixing old with new. I like a space to tell a story. My brief was to work with the bones of the building and highlight the openness—the incredible ceilings with exposed timber beams—and make use of the natural light. In a lot of ways, it was a very easy space to work with. I wanted the gold and copper hardware to be a highlight, so hanging the pipes from the ceiling fitted the brief perfectly. It also allowed for the change rooms to be closed off and opened up without blocking off spaces. Privacy and space for our brides is essential, and we have it in bucket loads. It's very homey, and the opposite of clinical.
Photo:
Photo:
MD: How did you decorate the space?
MZ: The styling needed to bring warmth, luxury, and sophistication with a relaxed and down-to-earth laid-back core. We are, after all, Aussies. Keeping it open-plan and introducing the greenery, rugs, lots of beautiful seating, and beautiful fixtures tied it all together. We still have a little layering to go, but I don't like to rush the completion of a space. I am on the lookout for some amazing artwork to put on the walls.
MD: Why did you choose Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach as your first flagship destination for the U.S.?
MZ: Abbot Kinney Boulevard was the perfect street to land our U.S. base. It is in many ways the U.S. version of our Australian base in Sydney. Cool, coastal, cutting-edge, and laid-back with a great global offering of luxury goods and amazing food.
Photo:
Photo:
Photo:
Photo:
MD: How did you decide on the color scheme?
MZ: We wanted to work with the building's white, gray, and timber base, which luckily is Grace Loves Lace to a T. Introducing our signature gold, hardwood, and jewel tones was an easy go-to.
MD: What was the biggest challenge of this project?
MZ: Working from Australia!
MD: What were your greatest finds?
MZ: A favorite piece of mine is the really large antique teal velvet lounge, which arrived after launch but now takes pride of place.
To book an appointment at the new Grace Loves Lace L.A. store, visit graceloveslace.com.au
Photo:
Photo:
Photo:
