Lane Perception is a lovely suite of midcentury furniture design attributed to Warren Church, Lane’s lead designer during the midcentury era. I spotted ads for Lane Perception as early as 1959, but I am not sure if the entire line was available then or whether it grew over time. This is actually story #5 about weebit’s apartment. She spotted these gorgeous Lane Perception side tables at the ReStore, and came to run and find me. We snapped them right up for her planned living room. But then, they didn’t end up fitting the final room plan, so this weekend I put them on craigslist.
These are long, low, leggy beauties.
Notice the “Wovenwood” panel on the drawer …
…the brass (?) balls on the curvalicious legs that give the tabletop a “floating” look …
… and even the attention to detail in the design of the back. These Lane Perception side table look great from every direction.
The set we found was in overall great condition, with some exceptions. See the top of the table, left, above? There is irregular oxidation/darkening of what surely was the original finish where — what? — someone left a tray or something. I priced them accordingly, given the condition issue, and to move for local pickup only. As usual, it’s fall, and I am recommitting to cleaning out the house. Wish me luck with that. Note: Ack, I would never refinish them, even with the irregular fading — the finish is to tough and shiny and beautiful. Decorate around the fading… As you can see, these side tables are a whopping 30″ deep — that’s a lot of room for side table stuff!
Googling around, I see there were many pieces in the Lane Perception line — living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture alike. I quite like them. The are an interesting combination of minimalist midcentury lines married with more decorative elements coming into play in the 1960s. The wovenwood detail in particular — nice! “My” set is the “Burnished Walnut.” I am not an expert on furniture construction, but golly, the things are sturdy.
American furniture makers — names like Lane, Drexel, Staney Furniture, American of Martisville, Baker / Milling Road — all made lovely, often transitional midcentury modern furniture. Prices were lower than big name midcentury makers, but golly, the quality seems awesome, to me at least.
This is a super duper great find. Not only are they unique, but they are a PAIR. When shopping vintage, it’s hard to find things in pairs. So much gets separated over time.
I have a stepped end table, a matching one to your, the long surfboard coffee table with the V legs and a beautiful high dresser in Perception. Originally bought them to clean up and resell but they never made it online! Lol
You hit the nail on the head about the manufacturers back in the day….well made, reasonably priced and meant to last. I also have pieces of Tuxedo from Lane, along with some American of Martinsville. I ❤️ Walnut furniture!
Ahh! I wish I lived closer to you! I have a gorgeous Perception buffet. One of my favorite pieces. I also have the coolest Acclaim “boomerang” hinged coffee table. These end tables would look *AMAZING* in my living room. Serious swooning going on here. Actually I think I might cry.
I think the dark patch could have been caused by a tray or cloth shading the surface from the sun. I’ve seen that before, where a leaf is darker than the table-top because it was kept in a closet. Sunlight lightens the finish. There might be a way to lighten the patch, but I don’t know what it is besides time in the sun.
My mom recently passed and she was still in possession of the Perception credenza, chest of drawers, mirrors and bed. I nearly gave them away! Something told me to Google the set. I’m
about to clean it and sell. It’s not my style, and no great sentimental value. Looking back I recall that we had the surfboard table in our home. When I think about all of the classic pieces she tossed when selling her home. Sheesh!