True custom furniture, hand-forged and hand-carved in Americus, Georgia.
Our Behind the Brand series continues with Old Biscayne Designs—a name that has come to define what true custom furniture manufacturing looks like.
Two Cultures, One Standard of Craftsmanship
Old Biscayne Designs was founded in 1990 by Nick and Gretchen Gabrielli, who blended Nick’s Argentine heritage with Gretchen’s Southern sensibility to create iron beds and wood furniture inspired by European antiques. What began as an enterprise buying and selling European antiques out of Buenos Aires grew into a multi-factory manufacturing operation, handcrafting furniture to each customer’s exact specifications. Every design is signed with the Gabrielli name and year of creation—a mark of the uncompromising standard behind each piece, and a signature that Old Biscayne has carried since day one.
Furniture Built for One Room, One Person
Old Biscayne’s process runs the full spectrum of the craft—iron work, foundry work, hand-carving, and hand-crafting—all coordinated to produce one-of-a-kind furniture designs rather than catalog pieces. Every project starts from a designer’s specific vision, and every piece is built to that vision alone. It’s a slower, more collaborative way of working, but it’s exactly what allows Old Biscayne to deliver furniture that couldn’t have come from anywhere else.
The Ayden: A Custom Story, By Name
That collaborative spirit is nowhere more evident than in “The Ayden,” a custom bunk bed Old Biscayne built for one of our designers. The piece was designed to the client’s specifications from the ground up—and in a gesture that speaks to just how personal this partnership has always been, Old Biscayne named the finished design after Alexis’s daughter. It’s a small detail, but one that captures exactly what sets this manufacturer apart: furniture that’s not just customized, but personal.
So Why Old Biscayne? Alexis Explains
We’ve loved growing our 20+ year relationship with Old Biscayne because they continue to do what so few manufacturers can: true custom. From hand-forged iron and hand-carved wood to pieces built entirely to a client’s specifications, customization is woven into everything they create. Our designers know they’re not choosing from a catalog—they’re creating furniture made for one specific room and one specific person.
— Alexis Varbero, Owner & CEO, Schwartz Design Showrooms
Ask your Schwartz Design Showroom representative about Old Biscayne Designs to learn more about their custom capabilities and bring their craftsmanship into your next project.
Stay tuned for the next installment of Behind the Brand, where we continue sharing the stories behind the manufacturers shaping exceptional interiors.