You couldn’t miss the settee. It was all pastel colors of soft pinks, yellows and blues with marbled stone posts and flowers. On top of the wooden back of the sofa, painted birds sang from a small pedestal.
The handmade settee was complemented by two rush-bottom side chairs in equally bright colors with checkerboard arms and spindle backs, along with a glass-top table with a thick art-pottery pedestal. All three sat atop a rug with colorful geometric patterns and a checkerboard band.
They all made their little spot in the auction house feel as fresh and bright as spring. They were a welcome diversion from the chill in the outside air and the misery of another late winter day.
The chairs were made by MacKenzie-Childs, a company whose artisans create home décor and furnishings. The “floor cloth” – as it was described by the auction house – was by J. Knopf and inspired by Childs. They were all sold separately.
The auction house had wisely arranged the seating away from the aisle, because they knew that someone would sit on the settee and the chairs.
They were that inviting.
The set looked like a work of art to be hung on a wall instead of a spot for sitting and chit-chatting. Each piece appeared to have been done with so much care and were clean.
As I ventured around the auction house, I saw others like them that beckoned to spring. Over the last few weeks at other auction houses, I had felt the same sense of freshness in pieces waiting to be sold.
Here’s a sampling of what I found. Do they say “spring” to you, too?
