Argington at BKLYN Designs

Having children often inspires and motivates people to make changes in their lives or execute projects that have long been brewing. When Jenny Argie and Andrew Thornton learned that they were expecting their first child in 2002, they undertook to design the furniture that their baby would use for its first few years. In short order, their DIY preparations for parenting turned into a small business, and their company, Argington, was born around the same time as their son.
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Argington now has a substantial collection of furniture, including bed frames, chairs, bunks, changing tables, and dressers; as well as a line of bedding. Driven by a desire to keep the kids healthy, Argington chose to make all of the furniture with FSC-certified wood, low-VOC glues, and non-toxic finishes; and the bedding with 100% organic cotton. Argie and Thornton, both midwesterners by birth, now live in Brooklyn with their two sons, and their products are sold widely.

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Next week, not far from Argington HQ, BKLYN Designs will be taking over DUMBO for a public showcase of 45 local contemporary furniture designers. Argington has been involved in BKLYN Designs previously, and this year they'll be running a retrospective of their work in the form of a traveling museum, set in the historic Jane's Carousel, an old carousel built in 1922 that has been restored and continues operations today in DUMBO. A set of miniature models of Argington's collection will be made for the occasion in limited edition, and they will be raffling off four pieces of furniture (a bed, a toy chest, a crib, and a changing table) to benefit the American Cancer Society. If you'll be attending BKLYN Designs next week, be sure to get yourself a raffle ticket (or five) for $10 each. The winners will be announced on May 10 and all proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society.

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And don't forget to look for Dwell while you're there! We are a proud sponsor of BKLYN Designs this year and will be running the Dwell Home Tour on Saturday May 9—a great opportunity to peek into some beautiful homes around the area.

Sarah Rich
When not working in design, Sarah Rich writes, talks and forecasts about food and consumer culture.

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