A type of tree known as the sabina grows on the Balearic Islands. Tough yet flexible, its trunk is shaped by the elements, with the winds, sun and salt air twisting it into sculptural shapes. The house on Formentera owned by Clémence Pirajean and James Lees was made using its timber.
The couple, who founded the interior-architecture and furniture-design studio Pirajean Lees, start all of their projects with a narrative. Here, this resilient tree gave them their story. ‘We’re a family of artists,’ Clémence explains. ‘We spend a lot of time working in an organic way. That idea of who we are as people and how we evolve, and the sabina timber, was the driver for this design.’
Clémence and James first fell in love with the neighbouring island of Ibiza 20 years ago and owned a house there. They would take day trips on the ferry to Formentera and eventually decided its laid-back pace better suited their family’s lifestyle. Their home sits at the end of a dust track in the countryside, with a protected natural park separating it from the sea.
Clémence calls it a ‘healthy house’ – built solidly to resist the pervasive damp on the island. ‘We don’t realise how aggressive the sea air can be, but even in winter the house feels fine,’ she says. It was built in the 1960s by a Spanish man as a holiday home for his family. Following a divorce, no one wanted to go to the house, explains Clémence. ‘They fell out of love with it, which is a shame because it was very well built.’ For her and James, the goal was to return it to being somewhere multiple generations could enjoy spending time together and apart.
The island is protected, so radical changes to the property were a no-go, but this forced Clémence and James to work creatively within the constraints of the existing architecture. With their trusted builder Jamie, they reworked the small, disconnected ground-floor living areas, refurbished the joinery and bathrooms, and updated the dark 1960s tiles and beams to give the interiors a fresh feel, using local materials as well as working with artisans from the island or nearby Ibiza.
‘Functionality was important, but we also wanted an aesthetic that felt authentic to Formentera and respectful,’ Clémence says. Colour comes through the furniture, but only a little: ‘In the summer, everything is so bright outside – you’ve got the blue skies, the green of the garden – so a calmer interior was welcome.’
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Many pieces were made for the rooms specifically, including a long, curved sofa based on one featured at WOW!house in 2025. This version has been covered in an uplifting butter yellow Perennials fabric and scaled up to seat 12 – although it still feels cosy enough for two. ‘It’s a workshop,’ Clémence says of the house, adding that some of the custom designs may find their way into the studio’s furniture collection.
The house is ideal for large groups, and this is where Pirajean Lee’s experience in the hospitality sector proved invaluable. ‘It’s a different skill to organising something for four,’ says Clémence, whose knowledge of durable materials that can withstand restaurant life also came in handy. Bad weather can cut the island off, she explains, and finding someone mid-November to fix the kitchen worktop can prove difficult.
The couple first met when they were studying interior design, with Clémence going on to work at Studio KO on projects such as Chiltern Firehouse (‘That was a great learning curve, working with clients like André Balazs, who are so into the detail of the guest experience’). James studied film design, and directed movies and music videos, so ‘his approach is to sit in every seat of a house to understand: what is the view? What are you framing?’ she explains.
They founded their studio in 2017. ‘We stand for narrative interior architecture. The word “narrative” can be overused, but for us it’s essential,’ she says. ‘It removes us from trends and the obvious answer to a brief.’ Clémence comes from a family that’s been in hospitality for 40 years. ‘One of my first jobs as a teenager was cleaning the glasses and cutlery before service,’ she says. ‘We understand how food-and-beverage spaces should function. When we present a project, it’s not just beautiful, but it will work well.’
Their current clients would have been on their wish list a decade ago. They’re working with French hotel group Chapitre Six (‘It means chapter six, so they’re clearly on board with our narrative approach,’ she notes) and creating a members’ club for Ronnie Scott’s in London – a project that is particularly special for Clémence: ‘My grandfather was a musician; he old me about playing at the Royal Albert Hall and Ronnie Scott’s.’ She feels proud of making work that has become a reference point, such as House of Koko in Camden. Working with sushi master Endo Kazutoshi on his restaurant, Kioku by Endo at The OWO, was another dream job. ‘We love people who are passionate about what they do and align with our values,’ she says.
Whether they’re designing a residential project, a restaurant or their own home, this couple play to their strengths. ‘We have a lot of creative debates!’ she says, laughing. ‘Sometimes we veto each other’s ideas, but most of the time we collaborate to improve the idea. James is a design director, into the detail of everything, and I’m more of a creative director, focusing on the broader vision.’
The family love visiting this quiet island in all seasons; in summer, it’s still possible to find a deserted beach and Clémence hopes they will spend Christmas there. James favours the end of October, when the sea is still warm but the island is preparing to go into hibernation. Like the timber forming it, the house they’ve shaped has weathered many storms, but it is stronger and more beautiful for it. pirajeanlees.com
