Painted Furniture

The year was 1983 and there was no painted furniture. Dishes were either formal china or every day pottery. And then there was MacKenzie Childs and everything changed. "We came knocking at the formal dinner party and crashed it," Victoria MacKenzie said. "We started with pottery since my husband and I both have degrees in ceramic sculpture. Then we moved on to ceramic furniture, and then to painted wooden furniture which allowed us a full play for surface decoration. We were the rebels. Today, college courses are being taught on MacKenzie Childs and an international auction house offered a seminar for collectors on purchasing MacKenzie Childs."

In 16 years, the company has become recognized as the source of modern heirloom collectibles. "Never before have hard goods in the home been given the status of paintings by gallery artists or the creations of fashion designers," MacKenzie noted. She attributes their success to their ability to bridge the gap between fine craftsmanship and a strong artistic message. "We may leap from tradition, but we respect history," she explained.

MacKenzie is surprised at the extent to which their humorous, surreal handmade designs have been copied. "Genuine pieces come from the heart and spirit," she said. "They have purity. We’re the court jester. Take a walk up the leg of one of our chairs. There is fun and hidden surprises. Our job is to put together the unexpected, to play and tease and joke while inventing new ways to shine."

While MacKenzie Childs is noted for their brilliant colors and multiple design patterns, MacKenzie, herself, has no favorite color. "Our eyes invite and love the colors of the world. We enjoy the surprise of coming upon a field of wildflowers and don’t say, ‘How dare a purple flower bloom next to a yellow one.’ The more you’re yourself, the more people admire you. If being yourself means decorating your house in one shade of green, that’s okay too. Children have a confidence and wisdom that’s innate. No matter how conventional we are, we each need a corner for the child in us."

To begin collecting MacKenzie Childs, she recommended starting with lamps, small tables, frames or a pedestal. One of MacKenzie’s personal favorite pieces is a train table used as a dining room table. "When someone says, ‘Please, pass the butter,’ it takes on new meaning," she said. Train controls are placed where the hostess sits. Armoires are designed as traditional bedroom pieces, as storage cabinets, as water closets holding a toilet and sink, as a library study carrel, holding a Murphy bed, or as an entertainment center, one of which she personally uses for puppet theatre. One piece of furniture may combine rattan, leather, ceramic, glass, stone, putty, wood, wallpaper, paint and fabric.

In decorating your home, MacKenzie advised, "Don’t be rigid. Don’t worry if this goes with that. We all need something to come home to. Your home is the place to break away from the world of gray and black."