A 1954 issue of Life magazine stated that Freda Diamond had “probably done more to get simple, well-styled furnishings into every room of the average U.S. home than any other designer.” Diamond built her career as an advocate for high-quality, low cost design that met the needs of consumers. The daughter of a New York City costume designer, Diamond studied decorative designs at the Women’s Art School at Cooper Union and then worked for William Baumgarten, a top New York furniture store. Looking to do more, “real work,” Diamond set up her own design consultancy firm in 1930. In the late 1930’s, Diamond designed furniture for companies such as Herman Miller. In 1942, she and Virginia Hamill were hired by Libbey Glass as the company attempted to diversify its design team in order to meet the demands of a changing consumer market. At Libbey, she thrived as a designer who created products that met the functional and aesthetic needs of the middle class. She continued working at Libbey throughout her life taking on a mentor role towards the end of her career. When she retired in 1988 her client list included Sears, Roebuck, Lighttolier, General Electric, Herman Miller, G. Fox & Company and Los Angeles’s May Company. Her work is held at institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and many more.