Mundana: an urban refuge for design, objects with soul, and everyday pleasure

From fun yellow rubber ducks to Harrington jackets. From Pommery French mustard to SanMartí cannelloni and galets. Empordà jams, Llàgrimes del Canigó oils, Sicilian pistachio pesto or a touch of Japanese wasabi. And there are still pitchers reinterpreted by contemporary artists like Javier Mariscal or André Ricard, knives for mushroom hunting, spinning tops or board games that invite sharing a moment of pause, covers of The Barcelonian or bookmarks with character. In Mundana, all this variety of articles seems to coexist without apparent hierarchies, but an invisible thread connects them: they are objects with soul. Far from fleeting trends and fashions, these objects invite us to consciously enjoy the most mundane and everyday small pleasures.

Even before crossing the threshold of this urban refuge for design lovers and objects with soul, a sign warns that it is not just any store: No sales here. The sign greets customers in the midst of massive discount season, especially in big brands, and explains why: here, the quality of carefully selected products, nor the attentive and personalized service, is not discounted. Nor do they feel the need to liquidate stock, the products are timeless and survive season after season.

The soul of Mundana are Jaume and Anna Colomer, siblings and partners —or partners and siblings— with life paths far from design, but with a shared sensitivity and curiosity. She, a doctor in biology, directed a cancer research laboratory for years: a demanding and absorbing job, until at 55 she decided to turn her life around. He, creative director for different brands, with a trained eye to perceive the soul and history of projects beyond trends.

Both had shared for years the same concern: the need to find in the Catalan capital an establishment with which to identify and recognize themselves through the articles, a place where objects "tell stories, not only of those who produce them, but also of those who choose them, buy them and use them," Anna emphasizes. Not finding any store in Barcelona that met these characteristics, they decided to create their own. Thus Mundana was born in 2019, initially as an exclusively online business. However, the pandemic disrupted all plans and they had to undo the project. But they made a practical decision that would allow them to take off again: instead of looking for a space to store the objects they already had in their warehouse, they decided to display them in a street-level store, so that interested people could contemplate and acquire them.

This improvised solution became the origin of Mundana's current concept: a store to stroll through, a space to be inspired and recognize oneself through a wide variety of objects: timeless clothing pieces, small gastronomic pleasures or household items. After a first location of just over 50 square meters and almost three years in Gràcia, Mundana moved, in the summer of 2024, to the Eixample (Aribau, 34), where it has finally found its space and public.

Timeless classics, renewed with a contemporary gaze

They are iconic objects: classics that never go out of style, like Harrington trench coats or Rafael Marquina's oil cruets, but also unique and exclusive discoveries, from perhaps little-known but high-quality brands. In fact, Mundana advocates the concept of new exclusivity, which questions the traditional paradigm: "Exclusivity does not respond to high prices or restricted access. It does not mean that only a few can have it, but rather that it is the result of a personal and discerning selection, with objects that are not mass-produced," Anna defends. Perhaps only limited units of a sweater exist. Perhaps an object will never be made the same way again, but this exclusivity does not exclude, but rather invites enjoyment and discovery.

The selection, though eclectic, is clear. From small local artisans —like Christian García's bookmarks, Cristina Losantos' illustrations, or Marta Alonso's jewelry— to brands rooted in the territory —from IAIOS sweaters to Pallarès knives— and international reference brands, perhaps still unknown in the city: the Italian home goods brand Alessi, German HAFLINGER slippers, or even umbrellas imported from the other side of the world: from New Zealand, with the Blunt brand. The criterion is simple but inflexible: select the leading product in each category, always from an ethical and sustainable perspective. If the best mustard is French, it comes from France; the best pasta, from Sicily; and the best paprika, from La Vera (Extremadura).

This selection also responds to a nostalgia for an absence in the city: the iconic Vinçon store —which closed in 2015—, a benchmark in the world of design not only in Barcelona, but internationally, and where entering was not just consuming, but living an entire experience. "We are by no means claiming to be heirs of Vinçon, we don't deserve it. But we feel orphaned, despite having no biological connection, by that establishment which for us is undoubtedly a reference," says Jaume. For this reason, the project's founders are committed to the concept of a walkable store, a space where one does not necessarily enter to consume, but also to be inspired.

Thus, although Mundana began as an exclusively online project, today most of its customers prefer in-person interaction: direct advice, the narrative and stories behind each object, a leisurely purchase that rejects mass consumerism, in a space that invites strolling, with a carefully curated musical selection, sofas, and decoration designed to make one feel at home. Furthermore, all objects displayed at Mundana share the same essence and philosophy: enjoying everyday pleasures. "They are designed for the customer to surround themselves with items that improve daily life and invite small moments of enjoyment, as simple as preparing a fried egg with crispy edges," Jaume summarizes.

Mundana is also a meeting place. Book presentations, conversations, and temporary stays by artisans are held, turning the store into an ephemeral workshop, bringing their craft closer to customers. These events are called mundane appearances, which reflect this contrast between the elevated concept —referencing Marian apparitions and mundane pleasures— and their everyday meaning, inviting one to enjoy daily life.