Barbara Barry Diamond

Barbara Barry intends for her furniture designs to connect people to the splendor of the natural world around them. Her lounge chairs, tables and other pieces reflect the influence of the Hollywood Regency style as well as Barry’s admiration for organic materials and the subdued color palettes of the great outdoors. Simple and calming, her furniture is quietly elegant and has garnered Barry renown worldwide as a leader in interior design.

A native of California, Barry was surrounded by artists from the moment she was born and credits her mother with instilling a strong sense of confidence in her. Barry’s mother, a painter, encouraged her to nurture her creative impulses. The designer initially pursued a degree in art — she is an active painter today — but quickly eschewed the norms of formal education, leaving school to travel through Europe.

While traveling, Barry fell in love with the wines and cheeses of the cities she visited, inspiring her to open her own cheese shop in Mendocino upon her return to California. Her predilection for interior design quickly began to show itself as she went about setting up and running her store, and Barry began drawing designs for her own furniture. She moved to Los Angeles and established her own design firm in 1985.

Working with small local businesses to get her pieces made, she became more passionate about expressing herself through her furniture and quickly amassed a following for her work. Today, for its thoughtful merge of clean lines, 1940s Hollywood glamour and the soft palettes of the sea, sky and foliage of her state, her understated furniture is an international success.

Barry is expressly opposed to the use of patterns, opting instead for solid neutrals that pair well with warm brass or vintage bronze lighting fixtures and allow for the colors in a painting on the living room wall to pop. She is focused on bringing harmony and order into a space, and her minimalist designs — acid-washed mahogany side tables, armchairs with dark stained rattan backrests — are sought after by A-list celebrities, politicians and leading manufacturers alike. Barry has created exclusive furniture collections and home decor for legendary brands including Baker Furniture, McGuire Furniture Company and others.

Find Barbara Barry decorative objects, seating, case pieces and more on 1stDibs.

Although traditionally used in the bedroom to store garments that would not be hung in a closet, an antique or vintage cabinet can easily find a purpose in rooms throughout your entire house.

The world's first storage cabinets, reportedly constructed in Renaissance-era Europe, were demonstrative of excellence in carpentry and the work of master carvers. These robust bureaus or sophisticated chests of drawers were typically built from common woods, such as oak or walnut. Although they were fairly uniform in structure and lacked the bright colors of modern-day furniture, case pieces and storage cabinets that date from the 18th century and earlier were often found in the homes of nobility.

Their intricate carvings and various embellishments — adornments made from ivory, ornate lacquer work and, later, glass shelvings — reflect the elegance with which these decorative furnishings were associated. Given its valuable purpose and the beauty of the early furnishings' designs, the storage cabinet is an investment that will never go out of style.

The practical design that defines the earliest storage cabinets has inspired the creation of household must-haves, like minimalist drink trolleys and marble wood bookcases. From hiding outdoor gear in the mudroom to decluttering your kitchen with a tall kitchen pantry cabinet, these versatile furnishings have now become available in enough sizes, styles and colors to accommodate any space. After all, these aren't your run-of-the-mill filing cabinets.

A sophisticated storage cabinet — wood storage cabinets with doors and shelves, for example — can serve as a room divider when necessary, while the right vintage wall unit or floor-to-ceiling cabinetry solutions can seamlessly become part of any space without disrupting the energy of the room. And although you may hide items away in its drawers, bookworms might prefer a storage cabinet with open shelving for displaying favorite books or other media.

One-of-a-kind solutions for the modern consumer abound, but enthusiasts of understated, classical beauty may turn to Baroque-style storage cabinets. Elsewhere, admirers of mid-century modernism looking to make a statement with their case pieces will warm to the dark woods and clean lines of vintage storage cabinets by Paul McCobb, Florence Knoll or Edward Wormley.

Sometimes the best renovation is a reorganization. If you're ready to organize and elevate your space, a luxury storage cabinet is the addition you need.

Find a variety of vintage and antique storage cabinets on 1stDibs, including unique Art Deco storage cabinets, chinoiserie cabinets and more.