WHO WE ARE
We are Amy and Martin Dohnálek, a wife-and-husband team who founded By Barnabas in 2016, driven by a shared passion for timeless design, craftsmanship, and sustainable living.
We specialise in restoring and rehoming authentic Czech mid-century furniture, modernist lighting and vintage homeware, primarily sourced from former Czechoslovakia. Each piece is carefully selected for its design integrity, quality, and lasting character, then restored to be used and appreciated in contemporary interiors.
By Barnabas is named after Martin’s grandfather, who lived through 20th-century Czechoslovakia and surrounded himself with well-crafted, meaningful furniture. His appreciation for enduring design continues to inspire everything we do.
With professional backgrounds in design and architecture, we approach restoration with respect for form, function, and detail. After a decade in London, we returned to Brno - a city deeply rooted in Czech modernist architecture and design culture - where we now work and live with our children, Ruby and Alfie.
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
We believe that Czech mid-century furniture and modernist design represent one of Europe’s most overlooked design heritages.
In a world of fast consumption and short product lifecycles, we champion longevity, repair, and reuse. Many exceptional 20th-century pieces have been discarded or forgotten, despite their craftsmanship and cultural value.
Our mission is to rediscover and restore these objects, and to bring them into contemporary homes where they can be appreciated again.
At By Barnabas, sustainability is not a concept - it is our practice. We extend the life of every piece we restore, reducing waste while preserving cultural heritage and design history.
We believe in buying less, but buying better.
WHAT WE DO
We source original Czech mid-century furniture, modernist lighting, vintage homeware and collectible design pieces from across the Czech Republic.
By Barnabas operates as an online gallery and small design studio rather than a traditional retail showroom. By working primarily online, we are able to focus entirely on sourcing, restoring, and carefully curating original Czech mid-century furniture and modernist design pieces for clients around the world.
Instead of maintaining a conventional shop space, we invest our time in discovering exceptional objects, researching their histories, and restoring them with care and attention. This slower, more considered approach allows us to offer a highly personal experience and a collection shaped by quality, character, and authenticity rather than volume.
Each item is carefully restored to preserve its original character while ensuring it is functional for modern living.
From our studio in Brno, Czechia, we ship regularly worldwide - including France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Korea.
We partner with trusted logistics providers such as FedEx or UPS to ensure safe international delivery. Sustainability is central to our operations, from recycled packaging materials to monthly carbon offset contributions through Tree-Nation.
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.