Toni Espuch is anchored to the contemporary world by objects from the past. The small and big stories, unusual or magical, that carry with them to this day. From that gracefully illustrated Chinese porcelain cup, originally manufactured with bone, of delicate thinness. Or the silk and wool Aubusson tapestries of the 17th century, where each cm2 involved two or three days of work. Even the ivory of the narwhal cetacean, sold in European markets for 300 years as the horn of a Renaissance marine unicorn, considered magical. And due to its high cost, it only entered the most distinguished and noble residences.
“Years ago I bought a narwhal at the Paris antiques dealer Galerie Berger, which measured 3 meters,” explains Espuch. The current one I keep is smaller in size. Yves Saint Laurent or Valentino also had them in their homes,” he adds in his double fascination with the world of fashion and how objects and their qualities are manufactured.
Although the narwhal trade is protected today, it can still be purchased. But it suffers from that patina of antiquity that seduces Espuch. Passionate about noble raw materials, he is of the opinion that “even if we want to, there are things that are no longer possible to make like an antique piece.”
Toni Espuch is the creator of the renowned Azul Tierra store: an expanded universe of furniture and objects from past eras and multiple places in the world. Where everything that suggests beauty to him has a place, created between the immense blue of the sky and the earth that sustains us. He opened the first store in 1994 in Alicante, his hometown. And later in 2004, Barcelona, ??where he currently resides.
Just above the splendid establishment is his new residence, in a royal estate from the late 19th century in Barcelona’s Eixample, which has just been renovated. Its dimensions accommodate well those furniture and pieces of enormous formats that Toni Espuch is so fond of. Cabinets up to 3 meters high. With doors of more than 120 cm. Kitchen islands or tables around which to gather numerous diners. Great sculptures and tapestries. “I think sometimes we make a mistake with the volume of the furniture,” he says. When there is space, those with volume make it more welcoming. “I am in favor of fewer pieces, less is more.”
However, if you had to choose from all the belongings in the domestic universe, opt for table service. Ornate glassware and tableware, antique silver cutlery… Items that are used and then stored in a closet. Espuch delights in the low craftsmanship of a hand-blown and faceted Baccarat glass. Or Moser’s valuable engravings (which a friend gave her when dismantling the family house), a firm that worked for European royal houses. They treasure the decorative arts of the 18th and 19th centuries and he is in favor of using them daily. “When people ask me: what if they break? I answer: well, it means you enjoyed them.” And he emphasizes how at this time you can find wonderful pieces of kitchenware. Well, during the last century, in our country families only wore them for a few designated days a year and they have reached us intact. “Use everything without fear. Are you going to take the glassware with you to the grave when you die?” Espuch reminds us in good humor.
From his new Barcelona home he was seduced by the flood of light that penetrates through the windows. And as a classic apartment from the late 19th century, it offered the possibility of unifying spaces without taking away their soul. Thus, the three rooms with compartmentalized galleries towards the interior of the block have been converted into a large living room with a continuous viewpoint. After the renovation, “I would say that the house is more than stately and forceful. With fewer rooms, fewer doors and more free spaces.” And something radical by leaving the industrial air conditioning installation visible, for the sake of better functioning and a minor alteration of the structure.
Today the roofs of a large part of the property show the old construction system with ceramic vaults, once hidden behind the ceilings. New European herringbone oak flooring and lime stucco walls instill a bright, relaxed and natural atmosphere. In the sequence of rooms that make up the house, the kitchen is part of a significant space. The large island, with a cooking area and water, was designed as a forceful solid block. Behind it is a piece of furniture from the 19th century, from a museum of natural sciences. Thanks to its greater depth, it is ideal for storing and displaying household items: glassware, tableware, table linens. It is a distinguished kitchen to receive, with an adjoining door behind which the service room is hidden.
Toni Espuch is a great defender of maintaining and protecting the legacy of the past. And the ceremonial. “I am more of a lover of reusing than throwing away,” he concedes. My furniture and objects are 200 or 300 years old. But above all I am in favor of giving them other uses and mixing.” He advocates a more creative use of objects. He is passionate about setting up a table, but in his own way. In it, an old bucket for cooling champagne can become a pot of cutlery or a jug of flowers. A pepper shaker from the 18th century in France became a pinch shaker for ginger and wasabi. Or his collection of silver chalices from the 17th century, now desecrated, served as glasses. He valued them for their beauty, but also for their ability to maintain the cold champagne. Always without the intention of provocation. “Today there are many possibilities to live surrounded by beautiful things,” he says. Although he regrets that traditions and customs are lost, and that in many restaurants they no longer put tablecloths.
Espuch started in the world of interior design at a very young age, “I helped my uncles who ran a spectacular gift, furniture and wedding list store in Alicante.” A later job made him an experienced traveler as a purchasing manager (furniture, textiles, fairs). Three decades of travels around the world feed his background as a great connoisseur of antiques and popular objects from the East, Africa and South America. Although currently, with the awakening of the Asian tigers, their awareness of heritage and the creation of museums, there is less opportunity for acquisitions. Although today the focus is on antique European furniture, visitors to Azul Tierra will find furniture and objects from at least two hundred countries.
