Harrington Designer Antiques
Main IDeaS
Harrington Antiques, a company created by Charsi and Ian Harrington, shipped colonial furniture from Sri Lanka. The couple had workers in Sri Lanka finding antiques which would then be restored and shipped to New York. The Harringtons used a house in Hampton Bays as their show house, in which perceptive buyers would see how the furniture could meld into their home. Charsi Harrington, an accomplished designer, designed many houses with the furniture brought over, for people such as Calvin Klein. The business ran for ten years until the Harringtons decided to retire from that line of business. It was a very successful and cleverly run company with a great attitude towards its customers. The Harringtons made sure that what they did made it fun for the customer adding to the experience.
Sri Lanka
The Harringtons worked in Sri Lanka six months of the year. They stayed in a villa while they were in Sri Lanka near where their workers worked. The Harringtons cared very much for the workers and looked after them. The workers were very skilled and knew what they were doing. In Sri Lanka the Harringtons visited old colonial homes and bought the furniture which appealed to them. They gave some of their findings to museums in the country. When they had found a large number of pieces they would return home and await the shipment.
The Sales
All sales took place either over the phone or with direct contact to one of the Harringtons' employees or the Harringtons themselves. The Harringtons liked to meet their buyers and this contact was a good sales tactic. The furniture was sold and shipped, but Charsi Harrington would also design homes with the Sri Lankan furniture in them. This was very popular in the Hamptons and indeed on the West Coast, even the Caribbean. This design helped the massive increase in colonial furniture mixing with modern technology and style. This style of design is very popular in New York currently under the name of Colonial furniture. Stores like Pottery Barn and Ralph Lauren Home recreate pieces to be put into houses in the same way the Harringtons did. Charsi Harrington helped Ralph Lauren in designing some of these pieces while the company was still running. The couple did not manage the company on their own. They had a partner, Rodney Weston, who had an important role, but was not as involved as the Harringtons in the selection of furniture. The company has been disbanded for over seven years.
External links
'Anglo Raj' Furniture for a Country Look The New York Times, Vogue, Home and Garden, Many other Books,