The Collector's Guide
MacKenzie-Childs, the Nantucket Way
Courtly, Royal, Sterling and Rosy Check — how to tell them apart, how to mix hand-painted check with hydrangea blue, and every piece we've styled.
Know Your Checks
MacKenzie-Childs has been hand-painting enamelware and ceramics at a farmhouse in Aurora, New York since 1983, and nearly every piece belongs to a named pattern. Once you can read the patterns, the collection stops looking like a jumble of checks and starts looking like a wardrobe you can dress a kitchen in.
Courtly Check is black and white with gold trim — graphic, whimsical, the one everyone recognizes. Royal Check is its formal evening version. Sterling Check and Sky Check are pale blue and cream, which is why they slide so easily into a blue-and-white coastal room. Rosy Check is pink and cream, best for a garden table, a nursery shelf, or a spring brunch.
We visited the flagship farmhouse in Aurora and photographed the whole day — read the editorial here, or see the pattern living in a real room in our blue-and-white check kitchen.
Courtly Check
The black-and-white check that started it all — hand-painted with a wobbly, human edge and finished in gold. One piece on a counter changes the whole room.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Wine Glasses (Set of 4)
The iconic hand-painted black-and-white Courtly Check on a classic wine goblet — the collectible stemware I'd pour a crisp Sancerre into for a tablescape with white tulips and a black-lacquered tray of oysters.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Teddy Bear Cookie Jar
The iconic black-and-white Courtly Check teddy bear ceramic cookie jar with a gilded ribbon-tied bow — the whimsical heirloom I'd set on a marble counter beside a bowl of lemons and a stack of blue-and-white plates.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Enamel Tea Kettle (2 qt)
The whistle on the back burner on a cold morning — Nantucket sound, no matter what state you're in.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check Enamel Saucepan with Lid
Pretty enough to go straight from the stove to the dinner table — which is what every cook quietly wants.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Check 5-Piece Bar Tool Set — Stainless Steel
A five-piece bar set — cocktail shaker, jigger, strainer, mixing spoon and tongs — hand-finished in the iconic Courtly Check black-and-white with polished brass accents and a matching caddy stand. The bar-cart centerpiece I'd style beside a bottle of small-batch gin, cut lemons on a marble board, and a pair of check-rimmed rocks glasses ready for cocktail hour.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Stripe Decorative Pumpkin with Gold Stem
Black-and-ivory hand-painted stripes and a burnished gold stem — the graphic, grown-up pumpkin that reads as sculpture, not seasonal clutter. Perfect on a marble island beside a Royal Check kettle.
Porch & Garden
MacKenzie-Childs Scalloped Entrance Mat — Black Courtly Check, 24x36
A scallop-edged coir welcome mat framed in the signature black-and-white check with a thistle at its heart — the front-door moment I'd set under a navy door with a hydrangea basket hanging above.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Enamel Colander — Large Courtly Check
A hand-painted enamel colander on a pedestal foot with gleaming brass handles — too pretty for the cupboard, so I'd leave it on the counter piled with summer peaches and just-rinsed blueberries.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Enamel Salt & Pepper Grinder — Courtly Check
A refillable manual grinder with hand-painted check enamel caps and a little brass ball finial — the tablescape detail that makes an ordinary Tuesday supper feel styled.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Heart Pendant Wall Clock — Courtly Check
A scallop-edged check clock face with tarnished-brass numerals and a swinging gilded heart pendant — the piece I'd hang over the kitchen doorway as the whole room's punctuation mark.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Coffee French Press — Courtly Check, 32 oz
Glass and enameled steel in a gilded lattice cage with a hand-painted check lid — the Sunday-morning press I'd carry to the porch with warm scones and the paper.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Bistro 5-Piece Place Setting — Courtly Check
Mirror-polished stainless with hand-applied black-and-white check handles — the flatware that turns an ordinary weeknight plate into something worth photographing.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Bunny Salt & Pepper Set — Courtly Check
The classic black-and-white pair with gold-lined ears and little gilded paws — the shakers I'd keep out year-round on a checked runner beside the pepper grinder.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Dachshund Dog Figurine — Courtly Check
A long, low resin dachshund in the signature check with gilded paws and nose — the bit of wit I'd stand on a stack of books in the library or guard the end of a hallway console.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Enamel Mug Set — Courtly Check, 16 oz (Set of 4)
Generous enameled-steel mugs with hand-painted check and brass-toned rims — the four I'd carry out to the porch on a tray with a French press and a plate of blueberry scones.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Washable Runner — Courtly Checkered, 2.5' x 8'
A machine-washable checkered runner in soft black and cream — the piece I'd roll out along a galley kitchen or down a back hallway where wet boots and dog paws happen daily.
Sterling & Sky Check
Pale hydrangea-blue-and-cream checks with silver or gilt rims. This is the MacKenzie-Childs that belongs in a blue-and-white Nantucket kitchen.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Acrylic Pitcher — Blue
A shatterproof acrylic pitcher hand-painted in the palest hydrangea-blue Sterling Check — the porch-and-pool pitcher I'd fill with iced lemonade and mint for a Saturday-afternoon garden lunch.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Highball Glasses — Amethyst (Set of 2)
Tall crystal highballs banded in amethyst-and-cream Sterling Check with gilded rims — the show-stopping cocktail glass I'd pour a lavender gin fizz into for a garden dinner with hydrangeas everywhere.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamel Wine Cooler
A hand-painted enamel wine cooler in the palest hydrangea-blue Sterling Check with gilded rim and forged handles — the bar-cart-to-porch piece I'd chill a bottle of rosé in for a summer supper.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Double Old-Fashioned Glasses (Set of 2)
Heavy crystal double old-fashioneds banded in pale-blue-and-cream Sterling Check with polished silver rims — the cocktail glass I'd stir a bourbon-and-bitters into for a fireside night in navy velvet slippers.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sky Check Enamel Saucer
A hand-painted hydrangea-blue-and-cream Sky Check enamel saucer edged in gold — the tea-service piece I'd stack with a Rosy Check teacup for a garden-party place setting under a canvas of blue hydrangeas.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Sky Check Enamel Large Flower Vase (Light Blue & White)
Hand-painted sky-blue checks on a curvy enamel vase — the perfect just-right-height centerpiece for hydrangeas on the dining table without blocking a single conversation.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamel Tea Kettle (2 qt)
Hand-painted soft blue-and-cream Sterling Check enamelware with a turned wood handle, brass fittings, and a crystal finial — the whistling kettle I'd leave out on the range year-round for that instant Nantucket-kitchen moment the second the water hits the boil.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamel Pedestal Cake Stand
A hand-painted blue-and-ivory Sterling Check pedestal with a warm copper trim — the piece I'd set a lemon pound cake or a stack of blueberry scones on for a Sunday brunch table, hydrangeas tucked all around the base.
Florals & Art
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamel Tall Vase
A tall hand-painted Sterling Check vase with a warm gold rim — the shapely hourglass silhouette I'd fill with an armful of blue mophead hydrangeas and set on the console at the end of the front hall for the whole summer.
Lighting
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Candlestick Lamp with Ivory Bell Shade
A hand-painted blue-and-cream Sterling Check candlestick base with a crisp ivory silk bell shade — the sweet little bedside lamp I'd put a pair of on either side of a slipcovered guest-room bed for that shingled-cottage bedside glow.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamel Canister with Glass Knob
A hand-painted Sterling Check enamel canister in soft pale blue and ivory, finished with a gilded rim and a faceted glass finial — the counter or open-shelf moment I'd fill with sugar cubes or sea salt and let it stand as quiet, collected everyday jewelry for the kitchen.
Kitchen & Dining
MacKenzie-Childs Sterling Check Enamelware Mug — Light Blue (16 oz)
A hand-painted hydrangea-blue-and-cream Sterling Check enamel mug rimmed and handled in gold — the every-morning cup I'd pour a big pour of milky coffee into on the sunporch with the newspaper and a plate of blueberry scones.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Enamel Ice Cream Bowl — Light Blue & White Sky Check
A footed enamel bowl in the softest sky-blue check with a warm brass rim — the little pedestal dish I'd fill with vanilla and blueberries on the porch, or with sea glass on a bathroom shelf.
Lighting
MacKenzie-Childs Candlestick Lamp — Light Blue & White Sky Check
A hand-painted sky-check candlestick base with gilded rings and a creamy bell shade — the small lamp I'd set on a nightstand or a kitchen counter for that low, buttery evening light.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Enamel Triple Hanging Wall Hook — Blue & White Sky Check
Six antiqued-brass hooks with cinnabar finials on a scallop-edged sky-check plaque — the mudroom piece I'd mount by the back door for sun hats, tote bags, and dog leashes.
Royal Check
Deeper, dressier, more formal — the check for a dining room sideboard, a bar cart, or a lamp that gets turned on at cocktail hour.
Lighting
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Cordless Table Lamp
A rechargeable cordless lamp with a hand-painted royal-blue-and-cream check shade, crystal finial, and gilded pedestal base — the sweetest little glow for a bar cart, a bedside, or a picnic on the porch.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check 2-Slice Toaster
An everyday object treated like a small piece of art — exactly the kind of upgrade that earns its place on the counter.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Enamel Canisters (Set of 3)
Heirloom black-and-white check that turns the counter into the focal point — these get handed down, not packed away.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Two-Tier Cake Stand
Scones on top, blueberry muffins on the bottom — the centerpiece that turns Sunday breakfast into a proper occasion.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Wall Clock
Vacation-house energy: a clock on the wall, but nobody's really watching it.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Enamel Tea Kettle (2 qt)
Hand-painted blue-and-white Royal Check enamelware with a warm wood handle and brass fittings — the whistling kettle I'd leave out on the range all summer for that instant Nantucket-kitchen moment.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Large Practical Pitcher
Lemonade on the porch, fresh hydrangeas on the table, ice water at brunch — this one earns its keep all summer.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check 1-Gallon Cookie Jar
Fill it with chocolate chip cookies and watch every grandchild remember exactly where it lives.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Cork-Back Placemats (Set of 4)
Classic navy-and-ivory Royal Check placemats with a cork backing — the ones I'd layer under white ironstone plates and hydrangea-blue linen napkins for a proper Nantucket supper on the porch table.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Royal Check Mantel Clock
Navy-and-ivory Royal Check with gold polka-dot dome, a blue rosette finial, a brass Roman-numeral dial, and little gilded claw feet — the whimsical heirloom clock I'd sit on a white mantel between a pair of blue-and-white ginger jars.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Waste Bin — Blue & White Royal Check
Hand-painted cobalt-and-ivory check on enameled steel with a brass-toned rim — the one wastebasket I'd happily leave in plain sight beside a powder-room vanity.
Rosy Check & Garden Patterns
Pink-and-cream checks, hollyhocks and English garden toile — the softer, sunnier side of the farmhouse in Aurora.
MacKenzie-Childs
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Ceramic Bear Bank
A hand-painted ceramic bear in blush-and-white Rosy Check with a gilded bow at his neck — nearly ten inches of him, sitting on a nursery dresser or a guest-room shelf collecting quarters and compliments.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Everyday Small Oval Baker
A dishwasher-and-microwave-safe stoneware baker with a hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check scalloped border — the everyday piece I'd pull a bubbling berry crisp out of the oven in for Sunday supper.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Kitchen Canister
A clear-glass canister crowned with a hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check lid and a crystal-and-gilt finial — the pantry piece I'd fill with sugar cookies or vanilla wafers and set on a marble counter.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Teddy Bear Salt & Pepper Shakers
A pair of hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check ceramic teddy bear salt & pepper shakers with gilded ears — the sweetest little tablescape detail for a baby shower brunch or a nursery shelf.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Stoneware Pitcher
A hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check stoneware pitcher trimmed in gold — the tablescape piece I'd fill with peonies and garden roses for a Mother's Day brunch on the sunporch.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Enamel Teacup
A hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check enamel teacup with a gilded rim — the sweetest little cup I'd pour Earl Grey into on a rainy afternoon with a stack of vintage novels and a plate of shortbread.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs English Garden Toile Enamel Charger
A hand-painted pink-and-cream English garden toile enamel charger rimmed in gold — the layering plate I'd set beneath a white ironstone dinner plate for a strawberries-and-cream lunch on the porch.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Pedestal Tabletop Urn (Tall, Pink-and-White)
A tall pink-and-white hand-painted checked urn with scalloped details and a gold band — the statement piece I'd put on a mantel, center of a dining table, or flanking the front door with a mass of white hydrangeas spilling out.
Porch & Garden
MacKenzie-Childs Hollyhock Birdhouse
A hand-painted pink hollyhock-roof birdhouse with sunny striped walls and a sweet polka-dot base — the garden accessory that makes even the sparrows feel like they're vacationing in a cottage flower bed.
Porch & Garden
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Ruffled Bow Outdoor Planter
A pink-and-cream Rosy Check planter with a ruffled gilded rim and a hand-painted black-and-white striped bow — the porch-side jewel I'd fill with trailing white geraniums beside the front door for a sweet, storybook welcome.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Butterfly Trinket Tray
A pink-and-cream Rosy Check ceramic oval tray edged with three hand-sculpted pink butterflies — the vanity or bar-cart piece I'd rest a wedding band, a lipstick, or a linen-covered coupe on for pure whimsy.
Florals & Art
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Pedestal Flower Vase
A hand-painted pink-and-cream Rosy Check pedestal vase — the tabletop centerpiece I'd overflow with peonies, garden roses, and a few sprigs of raspberry for a Mother's-Day-brunch table on the porch.
Kitchen & Dining
MacKenzie-Childs Rosy Check Teapot Salt & Pepper Shakers
A pair of tiny pink-and-cream Rosy Check ceramic teapot salt-and-pepper shakers with gilded spouts — the sweetest little tablescape flourish for a bridal-shower brunch or a rainy afternoon tea.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Cherry Check Dinner Plates — Red & White (Set of 4)
Cherry-red-and-cream check stoneware with hand-painted banding — the set I'd lay for a lobster dinner on the porch with white linen napkins and a jug of blue hydrangeas.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Bunny Salt & Pepper Set — Pink & White Rosy Check
One rabbit sitting up, one settled down, both in blush check with gilded ears — the spring tablescape detail I'd tuck between tulips and white linen napkins.
More From the Farmhouse
Mats, trays, flatware and the odd whimsical thing that doesn't belong to a single pattern — all still hand-painted, all still built to hand down.
MacKenzie-Childs
MacKenzie-Childs Resin Bird Topiary Set, Wildflowers (Set of 2)
Two hand-painted songbirds perched on Courtly Check pedestals, scattered with tiny wildflowers and edged in gold — the pair I'd set at either end of a mantel or on a hall console beside a jug of blue hydrangeas.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Hydrangea Tea Kettle Cotton Dish Towel
A whimsical illustrated courtly-check teapot overflowing with blue hydrangeas, finished with a black-and-white check border — sling it on the oven handle and your kitchen is suddenly more cheerful.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Hydrangea Tea Kettle Dish Towel
Crisp white cotton printed with a watercolor Courtly Check tea kettle bursting with pink, green, and hydrangea-blue blooms, finished with a navy-and-green checkered hem — the tea towel I'd drape over the oven handle and never actually use for drying dishes.
Kitchen & Dining
MacKenzie-Childs Rabbit Collection Ceramic Flower Dessert Plates (Set of 4)
Four ivory scalloped flower-shaped dessert plates centered with a gilded-and-Courtly-Check medallion — the Easter-Sunday brunch plate I'd serve carrot cake, hot cross buns, and lemon curd tartlets on beside a jug of white tulips.
Home Decor
MacKenzie-Childs Patchwork Spice Mini Pumpkin (5")
Hand-painted resin in Courtly Check, polka dot, and pumpkin orange with a gilded curling stem — the five-inch pumpkin I'd set on a stack of books by the entry lantern or between hurricanes on a checked runner.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Utensil Caddy — Coated Carbon Steel with Brass Logo Plate
A sturdy birdcage-style caddy in dark coated carbon steel with a polished brass logo plate — the counter piece I'd fill with wooden spoons and whisks beside a checkered tea kettle and a jar of hydrangeas.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Cotton Dish Towels — Black & White Zig Zag (Set of 3)
Crisp zigzags, stripes, and a tulip-filled checkered teapot print — the set of three I'd drape over the oven handle for instant black-and-white kitchen charm.
Rugs & Mats
MacKenzie-Childs Coir Front-Door Mat — Awning Stripe, 24x57
An extra-long double-door coir mat in black awning stripe with a thistle-framed WELCOME — the covered-porch piece I'd lay under a pair of navy doors with boxwoods on either side.
Kitchen
MacKenzie-Childs Cow Creamery Ceramic Butter Dish with Lid
A checkered cow resting on a checked tray with gilded horns and hooves — the breakfast-table piece that makes toast and jam feel like an occasion.
Questions Collectors Ask
What is the difference between Courtly Check and Royal Check?
Courtly Check is MacKenzie-Childs' signature black-and-white hand-painted check with a slightly irregular, hand-drawn edge and gold or copper trim. Royal Check is the deeper, more formal cousin — a black-and-white check on a smoother ground, usually finished with a richer gilt band. Courtly reads whimsical; Royal reads dressed for dinner.
What color is Sterling Check?
Sterling Check is a pale hydrangea-blue-and-cream check finished with polished silver rather than gold. It is the easiest MacKenzie-Childs pattern to live with in a coastal or blue-and-white room, because the blue sits right beside classic Nantucket hydrangea blue.
Is MacKenzie-Childs enamelware dishwasher safe?
Most hand-painted enamelware is hand-wash only, and none of the gilded pieces should go in the microwave. The Everyday stoneware line — the Rosy Check and Courtly Check bakers, plates and mugs — is made to be dishwasher and microwave safe.
How do you mix MacKenzie-Childs check with blue-and-white decor?
Treat the check as the punctuation, not the paragraph. Keep the room in hydrangea blue, cream and natural texture, then add two or three checked pieces — a tea kettle, a lamp, a vase — spaced apart so the eye travels. Sterling and Sky Check blend into a blue-and-white kitchen; Courtly Check works best as a single graphic accent.
Why is MacKenzie-Childs so expensive?
Every piece is hand-painted, so no two are identical, and the enamelware is built on heavy steel with hand-applied gilt edges. Collectors buy it the way they buy ironstone or Nantucket baskets — expecting it to be handed down rather than replaced.
Keep Going
The Coastal Cottage Styling Guide
A 12-page Nantucket-inspired playbook — hydrangea-blue rooms, weathered cedar curb appeal, and the pieces I'd buy again tomorrow. Plus the weekly Sunday finds. Free, no spam.
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