The value of Beeken Parsons furniture is found in the integration of thoughtful design with an ecologically responsible and cost effective process.

Since 1983 we have designed and built joined, solid wood, furniture for a variety of clients with a wide variety of interests. Those interests include unique or specific aesthetic requirements, the source of the wood and the nature of its use, the impact on local economies, and quality of construction. Our institutional work includes projects with Vermont Law School, Norwich University, Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park, Dartmouth College, Middlebury College and others.

Lifecycle is a central theme in any analysis of sustainability. In furniture, longevity results from a successful merger of design, appropriate material use, proper joinery, and careful execution.

Our ability to develop sensible designs that accommodate an institution’s needs and vision is dependent upon clear communication with Architects and institutional representatives. Good furniture design must be more than simply aesthetics. For us, it is also appropriate wood selection, engineering, and manufacturing efficiency. It is meeting schedules, working to budgets, and making furniture that will be a source of pride for all involved.

Many clients are able to provide timber for the manufacture of furniture. This has several benefits; cost, educational opportunities and perhaps most important among them is “ownership” of a project is substantially deepened, something that has had special meaning for many donors.

The environmental impact of purchasing decisions is receiving increased attention. Seeing purchases as a statement of values and character is more common now than ever. We were one of the first Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certified businesses in the country (FSC-COC-038) and have maintained our certification since 1998.

The manufacturing system we use - one that begins in the woods and includes each step through the installation of finished pieces - depends on key partners, foresters, loggers, sawyers, kiln operators, joiners, finishers, and others with whom we have worked for years. Our partners are carefully chosen for their expertise, their efficiency, and their interest in participating in a process that has, at its core, a conservation ethic. That ethic demands attention to detail and high levels of craftsmanship at every stage. The result is furniture that reflects the nature of the resource, the craftsmanship of the region and the client’s interests.