This designer calls Virginia home but uses nature to firmly ground interiors to locations all over the globe
flower: Barry, I always think of you as the quintessential Southern gentleman, but in reality, you lived all over the world while you were growing up. How did that help shape your perspective?
I’m proud of my Southern roots, and I’m also lucky to have been exposed to so many different cultures early in life. I was born in Memphis, and all of my extended family came from Tennessee and Arkansas. Dad was a metals expert, and his work took us to live in places such as India, Korea, Pakistan, Japan, and South Africa. However, my parents always gave me a strong sense of what “home” felt like, even though ours was always changing! They brought that Southern sensibility no matter where we were. The container of furniture would arrive, and the same dining chairs and sideboard would be unpacked. What went on or with them would change, but the familiarity of those pieces lent constancy. It’s one of the reasons I believe that things with a classic line to them, a simplicity, and a relationship to the natural world will always belong wherever they are.
What ultimately led you to pursue a design career?
I was bitten by the decorating bug early. When we’d move from place to place, I was always fascinated by how we’d reinvent our interiors. But when I came back to the States to go to school at Ole Miss, I decided to study law. Interestingly enough, my dad said, “I don’t know why you’re doing this when your heart is in design.” I took it to heart, switched majors, and got my design degree. I moved to Washington, D.C., and worked for several firms, including one that did a lot of international projects. So I was continually on a plane again! And then, 16 years ago, I opened my own business. We’re now based in Warrenton, Virginia, but we design for clients all over the country as well as in Moscow, Beijing, and London. Even though the locations are varied, I’m constantly reminded of how alike different cultures can be. For instance, there hasn’t been a civilization in all of history that doesn’t celebrate flowers and look to nature for inspiration.
