Specialists in Czech Mid-Century & Modernist Furniture and Design
Barnabáš Dohnálek - Martin’s grandfather, and the inspiration behind our business
WHO WE ARE
By Barnabas is an independent specialist online sales gallery for Czechoslovak 20th-century furniture and design, founded in 2016 by Amy and Martin Dohnálek.
Based in Brno, Czech Republic, we source, research and restore original furniture, lighting and homeware from across former Czechoslovakia for collectors, architects, interior designers and private clients worldwide.
We select each piece for its design integrity, craftsmanship and lasting character, then restore it with the aim of preserving what makes it special while preparing it for use in contemporary interiors.
The name By Barnabas comes from Martin’s grandfather, who lived through 20th-century Czechoslovakia and surrounded himself with well-made, meaningful furniture. His appreciation for objects designed to last continues to shape the way we think about the pieces we source and restore today.
With professional backgrounds in design and architecture, we approach every object with respect for its form, construction and original context. After a decade living and working in London, we returned to Brno - a city with a rich modernist architectural and design heritage - where By Barnabas is now based.
Martin and Amy Dohnálek, founders of By Barnabas.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
We believe Czech 20th-century furniture represents one of Europe’s most distinctive and still under-appreciated design traditions.
Too many well-made pieces have been discarded, altered beyond recognition or simply forgotten, despite the quality of their construction, materials and design. Our aim is to find those objects, understand what they are, restore them with care and return them to use.
For us, restoration is as much about preserving design history as it is about sustainability. Extending the life of an existing piece means reducing waste, retaining skilled craftsmanship and allowing original furniture to continue evolving through new interiors and new generations of owners.
We believe the most sustainable furniture is often the furniture that already exists - particularly when it was made well enough to last.
Buy less. Choose well. Keep it for longer.
Martin restoring a 1960s chair in the By Barnabas studio in Brno.
WHAT WE DO
We source original 20th-century Czech furniture and design, from modernist to mid-century pieces, alongside lighting, vintage homeware and collectible objects.
By Barnabas operates as an independent online sales gallery and design studio. Rather than maintaining a conventional retail showroom, we focus our time on finding exceptional pieces, researching their origins, restoring them carefully and presenting them with the historical context they deserve.
Each object is selected for its design quality, construction and character. Where restoration is required, we aim to preserve as much original material as possible while ensuring the piece remains functional and ready for contemporary use. For specialist work, we collaborate with experienced craftspeople, including furniture restorer Vladimir Pac of Restauro.pro.
Our smaller-scale approach allows us to work slowly and selectively, building a collection based on quality and authenticity rather than volume.
From our studio in Brno, Czech Republic, we ship regularly across Europe and to clients further afield, including the United Kingdom, the United States and South Korea, among many other destinations.
We work with trusted international carriers and specialist furniture couriers to ensure each piece is packed and transported safely. Wherever possible, we reuse and recycle packaging materials and favour restoration over replacement as the most meaningful part of our sustainability practice.
Martin with a restored 1930s Art Deco side table from the By Barnabas collection.
WHY BUY FROM BY BARNABAS?
✓ Specialist in Czech and Czechoslovak 20th-century furniture and design
✓ Each piece individually sourced, researched and carefully documented
✓ Professionally restored where required, with respect for original materials and character
✓ Original labels and manufacturing marks recorded whenever present
✓ Worldwide shipping with secure packaging and tracked delivery
✓ Trusted by collectors, architects and interior designers across Europe, the United States and beyond
If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at info@bybarnabas.com.
For further information on our terms and conditions click here.
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