Formaje Founder, Clara Diez’s Madrid Home
Images by Ana Fernandez Laframboise
Clara Diez might just have our dream life – the cheese expert, entrepreneur & mother-to-be lives in a 100 year old apartment in Chamberí, nearby one of her two artisan cheese shops. Alongside her husband Adrián, Clara began Formaje in search of the finest dairy in the world, a delicacy they now share with loyal customers in their striking retail spaces and online. In the gentle weeks before their baby daughter's arrival, the pair graciously invite us into their home, a historic space that reflects their impeccable taste in this ‘classic, quiet and elegant’ corner of Madrid.
“Our house is a flat in an old building (more than 100 years old) that preserves the original structure: the hydraulic tile floors, high ceilings with their mouldings... it's a very special space. When we entered, we knocked down a couple of walls to join two adjoining rooms that in the past were two small living rooms: we wanted to make a bigger living room.
“The main parts of the house (the living room, the master bedroom) are bathed in light because they face the street, and that's fabulous. For me, natural light is very important. The flat is elongated, it has the classic structure of the old Spanish flats, which usually have a corridor that runs the length of the house, around which the different rooms open up.
Clara wears our 100% Linen Sleepwear Set in Kohl.
“The master bedroom is, without a doubt, my favourite space, along with the living room. It's large, with a small balcony, and spacious enough to accommodate a small sofa (my first purchase for this house) where I can sit and read, or sometimes write or work quietly. It gives me great peace to have a space in the room that isn't meant for sleeping, but simply for resting or relaxing."
It gives me great peace to have a space in the room that isn't meant for sleeping, but simply for resting or relaxing.
"I usually read before bed, so my e-book is always on my bedside table. You can also find a candle and an African carved wooden figurine, a gift from my father. This figure is like my ‘guardian’ at night. Also a small lamp, made by my father, who is a photographer but also designs objects."
The dining table is dressed with our 100% Linen Table Cloth in Natural
“There are several decorative elements that I am very fond of, such as some lamps designed by my father, a piece of artwork that my friend Sara gave me on my wedding day and that is in the living room, some decorative elements that we have collected on trips and that take me back to those places... lots of things!
"For me, decoration has to be associated with memories or people, otherwise it doesn't make much sense! I'd rather have a rather empty space than fill it with objects that don't mean anything to me. In fact, this is one of the reasons why I believe that decoration is a long-term process, because it is built over time.”
“I think I approach personal style in a very similar way to decoration: I believe it is a process of self-knowledge that improves and shapes itself over time. In the same way, I never overload the way I dress: I tend to prioritise the quality of the materials, the cut/shape of the garments, and neutral/earth tones, which are my favourites. I hardly ever wear prints because I enjoy plainer styles."
A selection of cheeses in store, and at Clara's home, alongside our 100% Linen Napkin Set with Embroidery Detail in Natural.
"Formaje is my personal project, started together with my husband Adrián. It is our personal creation, our way of life. It revolves around the celebration of artisan cheese, and is materialised through our shops, we have two in Madrid, as well as online. In the store, we offer a shopping experience based both on the quality of the product - we personally make a selection of cheeses that represent the best practices in artisan cheesemaking from around the world, especially Spain and Europe - and a retail experience, as our spaces are designed around the product.
"I am currently working on a research project to objectively measure the quality parameters of a cheese, in order to know to what extent it could be attributed the degree of 'excellence'. I love research work, although I really enjoy the more active part of my job; meeting people, visiting producers, and being in the shops.
We personally make a selection of cheeses that represent the best practices in artisan cheesemaking from around the world.
Clara's bed is layered in our 100% Linen Bedding in Dove Grey & Navy Pinstripe, and a Quilted Bed Cover in Khaki.
“I don't think I was really aware of what was to come until almost a couple of weeks ago... at least on a practical level! Mentally I've been getting used to the idea [of motherhood], but I've had a relatively comfortable pregnancy and decided to do my best to carry on living in exactly the same way, not limiting myself unless it was necessary for health reasons.
"So, all of a sudden I've reached month nine and I've barely noticed. But the house looks very different: we have re-built our office space to become the baby's room, and the guest room now houses an office space. I think the deadline has helped us a lot, knowing that when the baby arrives, everything should be more or less ready has made it possible for us to get things done on time."
"[I'm looking forward to] peace, balance, and learning how to shape and find balance in the new chapter that I’m about to start, being a mum."
“We moved into this house in 2021, just a few months after starting our own business in the same neighbourhood: it's a very central neighbourhood in Madrid, classic, quiet and elegant, I love it for that. Chamberí feels like entering a quite familiar area where you see many families, older people who have been living here all their lives, also many international residents... it has a good mix.
"Currently, however, the neighbourhood is undergoing a process of gentrification: prices are very high and many investment funds are coming in to open “soulless” commercial premises. This scares me a bit and I hope it doesn't end up driving away the original essence of the neighbourhood, which is unique and very special. ”
“In Chamberí there are many places that I often visit: Toma Café for breakfast and coffee, Alma Bakery (great pastries and bakery), Masa is a small bistro with a delicious selection of dishes, Dispatch has the best pastrami in the city... there are also classic places like the Chamberí market, which is very good, or local fruit shops. I love buying fruit at the fruit shop next to my house, which has been there forever. There is always good conversation to be had with Manolo, the owner!"
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