The life and times we inhabit are complicated. The places we live in shouldn't be. That's the conviction behind Barbara Barry's work, whether it is in interior design, her numerous furniture collections, or her linens, rugs, or lamps. A native Californian and principle of her own design firm in Los Angeles, Barry turns instinctively to the quiet nuances of the natural world. Her subdued palette of ivory, sage, taupes, and creams reflects her background as a painter; when joined with soft, sensual forms, the result is a coincidence of elegance and tranquility.
Barry's vocabulary relies on a few basic building blocks: a respect for architectural form, the patterns of nature, an assured sense of line and proportion, and attention to detail. It's a simple program that works for luxury residential interiors just as surely as corporate and hospitality applications, not to mention California landmark houses designed by Wallace Neff and Richard Neutra.
The Chinese poet Lao-tzu advised us to embrace simplicity over 1500 years ago, but it seems we haven't yet gotten the message. Barry's work may help persuade us. "Simplicity is a discipline," she states, going on to show us how sensual minimalism need not be an oxymoron. -Akiko Busch
Barbara Barry's website
www.barbarabarry.com
