This house in Mallorca sits in a quiet, private neighbourhood with the Mediterranean in front and the Serra de Tramuntana mountains creating a dramatic natural backdrop behind. The raw beauty of that UNESCO-protected landscape became an endless source of inspiration for the house’s design, which was led by interior designer Katharine Pooley.
‘When I first saw the house, I was immediately struck by that sense of calm,’ she says. ‘It felt like a place with a very strong spirit already, and our role was to respond to that sensitively.’
Her clients were a family for whom the studio has completed multiple projects, meaning a strong sense of trust and understanding was already in place. They asked her to create an elegant and relaxed family retreat, with earthy, rusty tones throughout and an absolute commitment to natural materials, with no artificial fabrics or fibres. ‘Above all,’ she says, ‘they wanted the house to feel welcoming and inclusive – a place where every family member could enjoy the space comfortably, with interiors that felt beautiful but also practical.’
The guiding principle came from the clients themselves, who told Katharine: ‘the house, the walls, the light and the surrounding nature all need to speak.’ Every detail was considered with that in mind, balancing functionality with a deep connection to the surrounding landscape, while still feeling warm, durable and deeply personal to the family. ‘It was a brief that suited us perfectly,’ she says.
The house had been designed by local architects with a strong modern architectural sensibility, so the project was not about heavy structural intervention, but rather carefully responding to what was already there – enhancing the atmosphere and the relationship between the interiors and the landscape beyond.
‘The property incorporates subtle, rustic nods to the traditional finca style, and our role was to build on that,’ Katherine explains. Rather than imposing a direction, she says her approach was about listening – to the architecture, the light and the landscape – then layering in warm earthy tones, natural textures and considered details to create something refined, yet relaxed.
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Natural materials became the foundation of the scheme, with locally quarried marés sandstone – the warm, honeyed limestone so closely associated with the Balearic Islands – giving the interiors a strong sense of place. Stone flooring, timber clad walls and a mix of wood species create a quiet rhythm that runs through the home.
Craftsmanship was central to the material direction of the project, with Katherine’s team sourcing and commissioning pieces that celebrate natural materials and traditional making techniques, including bespoke furniture by local and British craftspeople. A substantial stone side table, crafted in Dorset, was finished with steam bent timber that wraps organically around the stone, while the dining table is a generous slab of raw sliced timber.
Light wells draw natural light deep into the spaces, while rustic rattan lampshades subtly nod to the finca tradition of rural Mallorcan living. Soft furnishings in natural fibres, including fabrics from De Le Cuona, add warmth and texture while remaining true to the homeowners’ request for no artificial fabrics. The result is an interior that feels timeless and durable, sitting naturally within its environment.
While the house appears spacious, Katherine found that some of the staircases and doorways were tricky to navigate when it came to installing larger pieces of furniture. One sculptural stone piece in particular really tested the logistics. ‘Because of its scale and weight, bringing it in through the house simply was not possible, so it had to be craned over the property, before being carefully lowered and manoeuvred into place,’ she recalls.
‘No matter how carefully you plan, some pieces require creative problem solving on site. The key is to stay calm, work closely with the specialists, and find a safe and considered way to bring everything together. In the end, those more challenging pieces are often the ones that give a project its real sense of individuality.’
The clients had been closely involved throughout the project and so the final scheme felt true to what they had hoped for, but, Katherine says, ‘I think there was still a real sense of excitement in seeing it all come together.’ Her favourite piece is the coffee table in the living room which was crafted in fumed English oak in a British workshop then inlaid with hand-stitched goatskin leather.
It’s not just the level of skill involved in making it that Katherine finds so deeply satisfying, but the role it plays within the life of this home; ‘Board games are a big part of the family’s social life, so it became a natural gathering point – beautiful, but also genuinely practical. That balance between craft and everyday usefulness was exactly what the project set out to achieve.’ katharinepooley.com
