Blue satin
Next to the bright yellow satin lies the same material, but in blue.
Proust seems to use the fabrics’ features to symbolize the character of a specific person or location in this novel. The protagonist’s grandparents, for example, are upper class and conservative. Their conservatism can be seen in the fact that they disapprove of his marriage to a common woman.
The fabric on the furniture at the grandparents’ house seems to be symbolic of their personalities. The furniture is upholstered in blue satin, which was reserved for the elite, and thus symbolizes the grandparents’ refined background. The color also represents the grandparents’ social awareness and moderation, as ‘blue’ is an unobtrusive color which, among other things, symbolizes modesty and conformism.