The Mackenzie-Childs Farmhouse and Annual Barn Sale: What You Need to Know
Looking for an upstate New York destination for a girlfriend getaway? Aurora, a charming lakefront village, is the headquarters of Mackenzie-Childs, the home design company known for its whimsical checkerboard-patterned products. You can tour the Mackenzie-Childs Farmhouse and production facilities and shop for bargains during the legendary July barn sale. Read on to learn more, including the 2024 barn sale dates.
“Where’s Tim Burton?”
That was my first question for tour guide Patricia, as she opened the front door to the Mackenzie-Childs farmhouse and asked us to slip on paper booties.
From the exterior, the late 1800s farmhouse looks like any other that you’d find on a field in Smalltown, USA. But inside? The design inspiration comes from a zany riot of color, shape, pattern and texture. If asked to assign a name to the style, I’d go with “Tasteful Psychedelic.”
History of Mackenzie-Childs
Mackenzie-Childs is a home decor line featuring wild patterns and outrageous color schemes. The company was launched by husband and wife potters, Richard and Victoria Mackenzie-Childs, in the early 1980s in the tiny village of Aurora, located in New York’s Finger Lakes. It’s one of my favorite places to visit. The company filed for bankruptcy and was acquired by Pleasant Rowland, founder of the American Girl doll company, in 2001. There was some unpleasantness that followed, including the dismissal of the founders and a trademark lawsuit, but Mackenzie-Childs is currently thriving, operating the Aurora facility and several retail locations.
Made in Aurora
During my visit in 2018, I was disappointed that visitors couldn’t tour the production facilities at the Aurora location. However, tours are now offered, which means I need to return! The tours are held Monday – Thursday at 1 pm and you need to book online in advance.
If you can’t do the tour, a 15-minute video in the gift shop gives an idea of the level of craftsmanship dedicated to creating each Mackenzie-Childs piece. Designers create initial sketches and then work with ceramicists to create the production process which may include fashioning multi-part moulds for slip pours. Each piece is hand-cleaned, painted and kiln-fired in different stages and decorated with festoons, ribbons, decals and thingamabobs. Every artisan stamps his or her mark on the piece before it is affixed with an astonishingly high price tag and offered for sale.
Touring the Mackenzie-Childs Farmhouse
Also on the Mackenzie-Childs grounds is an outdoor cafe for light refreshments, a country garden set aside a pond and the 15-room farmhouse, which is open for free tours. I tagged along with a group of Long Islanders celebrating a 50th birthday and seeking design inspiration. Our tour guide Patricia directed us to the porch and then she ducked around back, so she could open the front door to formally welcome us.
Patricia joined the Mackenzie-Childs family after a career as a financial analyst. She originally considered joining the production team but realized quickly she wasn’t suited to life as a painter, since she can’t paint nor sit still and keep quiet for hours on end, as is required in the assembly facility.
She was an excellent tour guide, primarily because she’s a passionate collector. And her family is too. Her husband loves the Mrs. Powers line of wrought iron outdoor products because he remembers the namesake; she operated a local eatery. Patricia sent her son off to college with a set of Mackenzie-Childs plates in the company’s popular black and white Courtly Check pattern. As he was unpacking, one of his roommates exclaimed, “Dude! You’re into NASCAR.” He politely corrected them. “It’s not NASCAR. It’s Mackenzie-Childs.”
A Wonderful Wonderland
We wandered gape-mouthed through the Mackenzie-Childs farmhouse as Patricia pointed out the current and discontinued patterns on display: Tourquay, Frank and Mustard, Butterfly, Lemon Curd, Maclachlan. Each room had so much design inspiration going on though, you couldn’t really focus on one thing. I started to get a headache from sensory overload so I hung back to look at each room like a Seurat pointillist painting, letting all of the individual items blend into a pleasant whole.
The colors are appealing and the individual Mackenzie-Childs pieces, like the adorable whistling teapot, are like grownup dollhouse furnishings. The entire group swooned in unison when Patricia opened an armoire to reveal a complete mini-kitchen with sink, refrigerator, and storage. “I want that!” I hollered and then Patricia mentioned that the price tag was over $20,000! Yikes! I also wanted the adorable vanity festooned with rabbits. I considered grabbing it and trying to escape, but knew that Patricia would tackle me before I got to the landing.
When I Win the Lottery
I’m currently entertaining the fantasy of buying a rambling old farmhouse to putter around in. Why? Primarily to indulge my HGTV-inspired passion for interior design. I’d like the farmhouse to have 7 or 8 bedrooms that I could decorate in different styles: ladies’ dressing room, mountain lodge, beach cottage.
My visit to the Mackenzie-Childs farmhouse only added fuel to my real estate fire. Each of the bedrooms had cute names stenciled on the doors. I lingered on the front porch, contemplating the names I’d give my farmhouse bedrooms and fantasized about how good a frosty lemonade would taste while rocking and gazing at my imaginary chickens. I can’t afford to buy Mackenzie-Childs, but the dreams are free!
If You Go:
The Mackenzie-Childs Visitor Center is open year-round from 10 am – 5 pm. Regularly scheduled farmhouse tours last one hour and are offered daily at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Admission is free. Production tours (50 minutes) are offered Monday – Thursday at 1 pm.
Book your tour on the Mackenzie-Childs website.
The Legendary Mackenzie-Childs Barn Sale
The gift shop in Aurora offers the full line of Mackenzie-Childs products for sale. As noted, most of these items are VERY expensive. Once a year, the Aurora location hosts a multi-day barn sale, offering substantial discounts of up to 60% off.
This used to be a live event, held in Aurora. Die-hard collectors would camp out in a field to ensure early entry and the best selection. In 2016, 26,000+ attended the event.
Sadly, the in-person event will not be held in 2024. However, the deeply discounted online “barn sale” lasts for five days and you don’t have to camp. That’s a big plus for me since camping isn’t my thing. The 2024 Mackenzie-Childs Barn Sale Dates are July 18-22. Silver, Gold and Platinum Rewards Club members will have access to sale prices one day early on July 17. Select retailers, including the Aurora gift shop, will also offer the barn sale pricing.
Getting to Aurora
Aurora is located on the northeastern shore of Cayuga Lake, about 30 miles from Ithaca. It’s a fun stop to include on a Finger Lakes road trip. This scenic and historic region of New York State is known for its wineries and parks. Notable pit stops include:
- Watkins Glen: Site of the first US motor car race and one of NY’s most popular state parks
- Corning: The Corning Museum of Glass hosts live glassblowing demos daily
- Seneca Falls: Birthplace of Women’s Rights
- Ithaca: Stunning gorge trails wind through the Cornell University campus