A day in the life: Spencer Hall

After working in the horse racing industry in the U.K. for 20 years, Spencer Hall arrived in Barcelona three years ago. Inspired by the city’s architecture, installations and more, he has since been getting in touch with his creative side and is now creating eclectic tables from extraordinary objects in his workshop in Sants.

8:00-9:00 This is roughly when I wake up, depending on whether it’s been a chill night indoors or a more social one in a plaza somewhere. I check my phone for any overnight messages and peruse the days’ horse racing back in the U.K.

10:00 I shower, then breakfast on a peppermint tea and maybe some kefir with dates and kiwi. I’m addicted to kefir with fruit at the moment but on the weekend it has to be poached eggs with crispy bacon.

10:30 Off to the pool for 30 minutes of physical and mental exercise — I’m teaching myself to meditate whilst swimming! Not as crazy as it sounds. Breath in, breathe out ... A work in progress but I enjoy this time to clear my mind. (Works wonders for a hangover as well!)

11:30 Walk five minutes over the hill to my workshop in Sants, past Plaça d’Iberia, a gorgeous, serene square with wonderful architecture. Hopefully Ester — the fantastic ceramist I share the space with — will be there as she’s always happy and smiling. It puts me in a good mood to tackle any design flaws I find with my latest table, or something that hasn’t quite worked how I’d envisaged. That’s the beauty about doing something new: It’s always a challenge and I’m learning more everyday.

14:00 If I’m focused on something, I get into a groove and won’t stop at the normal time for lunch in this city. I find it better to keep on going until I’m finished or at the next stage of a project. Today I just completed a table made from very old wooden shutters, the type you find in the villages outside Barcelona, and I’m quietly pleased with the whole thing. The horse racing is starting in the U.K. and I’ll have a few WhatsApps or calls with my contacts over there.

16:00-17:00 Now I’m usually getting hungry so I grab some tapas from a local haunt There are so many great places to eat in Sants. I think the neighborhood is underestimated by most people living in Barcelona.

18:00 If I’m not back in the workshop I’m home checking the racing results. I may watch a race or two, then update my website with photos of a new table and add some written content.

20:00 My favorite time of day because I’ll either meet up with friends locally, pop over to Gràcia to catch up with my friend Begonia Pe (great photographer — check out the photos on my website!) who runs El Café Rock & Roll, or cook indoors with a glass of wine. I love to cook, especially with the more unusual cuts of meat like tongue or liver, which I get from my friendly butcher in Hostafrancs market. Try liver with cumin, raw red onion and fresh coriander ... delicious! Always accompanied by music, normally Indie from the U.K.: Joy Division, New Order, Stone Roses, Nick Cave — that type of vibe!

22:00 If I’m not out and about then I’m chilling with Netflix, then bed around midnight.

More about Renew Table Design

The tables Spencer produces range from unconventional industrial fan tables to more traditional wooden pieces. Each piece is unique, designed and handcrafted in his studio, with occasional help from the finest professionals in the region. For example, he uses metal that is precision cut and polished by local master metalworkers, glass from one of the longest running glass workshops in Barcelona and timber sourced from the finest suppliers of salvaged material in Catalonia. As well as designing and making original tables, he also offers clients the chance to design a bespoke table from start to finish.