Vintage Old Brass Pieces From Mexico

Family-owned and -operated furniture company Modshop not only specializes in creating what the founders call “home furnishings and accessories for your soul,” but it is also turning heads among Hollywood’s elite. The brand’s eclectic designs draw on Scandinavian modernism, 1960s flamboyance and Hollywood Regency as much as they do industrial and urban lofts-style decor — and almost everything else in between.

Founded by husband-and-wife team John and Taryn Bernard in Los Angeles, California, Modshop — which began with a single retail location in 2000 — is fueled by the Bernards’ background in fashion design. The owners create unique, on-trend modern furniture such as plush ottomans with polished brass frames, patterned credenzas in the Art Deco style and sleek lucite dining tables that appeal to a comfortable and relaxed lifestyle. Custom furniture is also a Modshop speciality, as the brand frequently consults with clients to create personalized furniture designs.

Over the years, Modshop has counted Hollywood’s hottest celebrities among their clientele. Music moguls Jay-Z and Beyoncé outfitted their New York City offices with 14 pieces of Modshop-created artwork, while the brand created custom furniture for talk show host Ellen Degeneres’s Hollywood Hills home as well as for the homes of media personalities and models Paris and Nicky Hilton.

Modshop has also taken on interior design projects for notable restaurants, hotels and retailers throughout the United States, such as Nordstrom and Valentino. Sushi restaurant Katsuya features numerous Modshop designs in its downtown Los Angeles location, and the company designed the interiors and guest rooms of the Palm Springs Hotel. In recent years, Modshop collaborated with interior design firm Davis Ink Ltd to create furniture and decor for numerous Southern California nightclubs.

Modshop has showrooms in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Miami and Chicago. The company's vibrant and fun designs are favorites of interior decorators and furniture collectors around the world.

On 1stDibs, discover an extraordinary range of Modshop seating, case pieces and storage cabinets, tables and more.

Whether burnished or lacquered, antique, new and vintage brass furniture can elevate a room.

From traditional spaces that use brass as an accent — by way of brass dining chairs or brass pendant lights — to contemporary rooms that embrace bold brass decor, there are many ways to incorporate the golden-hued metal.

“I find mixed metals to be a very updated approach, as opposed to the old days, when it was all shiny brass of dulled-out silver tones,” says interior designer Drew McGukin. “I especially love working with brass and blackened steel for added warmth and tonality. To me, aged brass is complementary across many design styles and can trend contemporary or traditional when pushed either way.”

He proves his point in a San Francisco entryway, where a Lindsey Adelman light fixture hangs above a limited-edition table and stools by Kelly Wearstler — also an enthusiast of juxtapositions — all providing bronze accents. The walls were hand-painted by artist Caroline Lizarraga and the ombré stair runner is by DMc.

West Coast designer Catherine Kwong chose a sleek brass and lacquered-parchment credenza by Scala Luxury to fit this San Francisco apartment. “The design of this sideboard is reminiscent of work by French modernist Jean Prouvé. The brass font imbues the space with warmth and the round ‘portholes’ provide an arresting geometric element.”

Find antique, new and vintage brass tables, case pieces and other furnishings now on 1stDibs.

Of all the antique and vintage case pieces and storage cabinets that have become popular in modern interiors over the years, dressers, credenzas and cabinets have long been home staples, perfect for routine storage or protection of personal items. 

In the mid-19th century, cabinetmakers would mimic styles originating in the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI eras for their dressers, bookshelves and other structures, and, later, simpler, streamlined wood designs allowed these “case pieces” or “case goods” — any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — to blend into the background of any interior. 

Mid-century modern furniture enthusiasts will cite the tall modular wall units crafted in teak and other sought-after woods of the era by the likes of George Nelson, Poul Cadovius and Finn Juhl. For these highly customizable furnishings, designers of the day delivered an alternative to big, heavy bookcases by considering the use of space — and, in particular, walls — in new and innovative ways. Mid-century modern credenzas, which, long and low, evolved from tables that were built as early as the 14th century in Italy, typically have no legs or very short legs and have grown in popularity as an alluring storage option over time. 

Although the name immediately invokes images of clothing, dressers were initially created in Europe for a much different purpose. This furnishing was initially a flat-surfaced, low-profile side table equipped with a few drawers — a common fixture used to dress and prepare meats in English kitchens throughout the Tudor period. The drawers served as perfect utensil storage. It wasn’t until the design made its way to North America that it became enlarged and equipped with enough space to hold clothing and cosmetics. The very history of storage case pieces is a testament to their versatility and well-earned place in any room. 

In the spirit of positioning your case goods center stage, decluttering can now be design-minded.

A contemporary case piece with open shelving and painted wood details can prove functional as a storage unit as easily as it can a room divider. Whether you’re seeking a playful sideboard made of colored glass and metals, an antique Italian hand-carved storage cabinet or a glass-door vitrine to store and show off your collectibles, there are options for you on 1stDibs.