Randall Barbera

RANDALL BARBERA is re-invention of antique trunks that are restored to perfection with impeccable hand-craftsmanship and redesign vision.

One-by-one, each antique piece is meticulously reworked and transformed into a complete stand-alone work of art, no two alike.   Old World original building techniques and tools are utilized in bringing these trunks into the present - by hand - in the same fashion they were built hundreds of years ago.  Brass plating will be used to replace worn steel sheets.  Fresh cotton duck canvas recovers trunk bodies previously adorned in weathered fabrics.  Original hardware is removed and brushed clean, then reattached (and often, rebuilt). Wood structures are hand sanded and then finished in tung oil.   Premium leather and rare wood are but a few of the newly applied materials that re-awaken the trunk into an exquisite, eye catching centerpiece for any room.  While elements of original design are judiciously and faithfully preserved, it is this renewing of all things old, and then infusing them with new vision, that makes a Randall Barbera.  .

“My trunks are one-of-a-kind works. On average, six weeks are spent on each project and a trunk is not considered “complete”, until every design possibility has been examined and then exhausted.  Punctuating the original design and then taking it one step further to enhance its’ personality is the ultimate goal.”

Randall spent his early years in the Northeast, where he collected, studied and absorbed considerable amounts of information regarding antiques and restoration. When he relocated to Southern California in the 90s, his passion for woodworking and antiques took over as he hand built collections of side tables that sold quickly.  At the same time, he again began collecting antiques and vintage trunks. Restoring them to original condition wasn’t the right challenge and the decision was made to re-invent.  Respecting original architecture, combined with freshly inspired designs to restore strength and add beauty was something new, different and exciting.  This inventory caught the attention of various top-end design firms in the Los Angeles area and these newly created designer trunks were sold faster than he could make them.

“Imagining something with a view towards what it can be, rather than for what it has been, has been the catalyst".

Recognizing potential is nothing new for Randall Barbera.  With a successful career as a personal manager for major recording artists now behind him, he first discovered and then developed the careers of many.  That same intuition and passion, for spotting value in a raw state, carries through in the redevelopment, redesign and repurposing of antique and vintage trunks.