Hi Everyone,
Nearly seven years ago, I wrote a blog post, the shocking Truth About Restoration Hardware. Just before that post came out, they switched their name to RH, but now it says RH on their website. However, RH sounds a little pretentious. I prefer the more affectionate-sounding word “Resto.”
Did you know? RESTO is an acronym for:
Ridiculously Expensive Stuff To Order
When I innocently wrote the post in the summer of 2016, I was unprepared for the tsunami of interest in RH. What’s interesting is that in the ensuing years, their stock prices soared through the roof. Good for them! I admire the things this company does right. We’ll get to that in a sec.
Please also understand that what I’m about to say is based on my opinions, and are not meant to be a statement of fact. You might see things differently, and that’s okay.
However, if you remember the 2016 post, and please feel free to refresh your memory by reading it, you might recall that back sometime (before the flood), in the mid to late 1980s, I lived a mere stone’s throw from the RH of yore. In those days, they actually sold a lot of hardware. The store was the retro version of Pottery Barn when they used to feature— pottery.
When I moved to the Boston neighborhood of the Back Bay, I was fully aware, in brilliant irony, that I lived a short 4-minute walk from one of Resto’s stores. Forgive me– “galleries.” Although, there’s nothing to forgive, as one cannot purchase anything in the store and bring it home, not even a candle. Therefore, “gallery” is, perhaps, a better descriptor.
What RH does better than any other retailer is marketing their stuff.
They are selling a lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that appeals hugely to many affluent young Americans, particularly those in their 30s – 40s.
Everything about their branding feeds into the mystique of this company.
1. The enigmatic initials RH evoking sophistication and style.
On one of Cale’s visits in the last year, he innocently said, “Hey, Mom, we need to go visit the RH Museum over on Berkley.”
I said, “RH?” Darling, that’s Restoration Hardware. (trying not to laugh) But, yes, it used to be the Natural History Museum. I can understand how you might not realize what RH stands for.
Let’s continue with what RH does to entice its customers.
2. Their use of luxurious-looking materials. Yes, on the outside, many of them are. However, beyond that, from what I’ve heard, appearances can be deceiving. I’ve heard dozens of stories of poor quality and expensive pieces falling apart shortly after purchasing. However, I gather enough of it stays intact, as they are still selling it.
3. RH’s glossy, exquisitely photographed catalogs, where you can purchase their wares, present their products in the best light. Other companies can learn from their example.
4. The sheer scale of most of their furnishings makes everything seem larger than life and thus luxurious.
5. Their excessively flamboyant, beautifully appointed galleries are often found in historical buildings.
All these elements give the consumer the illusion that what is being sold here is “important” and thus something of great value.
6. RH’s “exclusive” members-only pricing, where for a relatively nominal annual fee of $175.00, one can purchase everything at 25% off– all of the time, including sale items. That’s because their markup, I’m presuming, is quite high. I mean, the money has to come from somewhere to pay for the expensive real estate.
Ahhh, but there’s a catch. Actually, it’s several catches. ;] It’s in their Terms & Conditions.
- You must agree to receive all of their marketing crap via email. Can you opt out? Well, by law, one has to be able to opt out. However, they say it takes ten days to process. Sorry, not sorry, but that’s bullshit. It doesn’t take ten days. It doesn’t even take ten seconds. It is supposed to be automatic the instant you hit “unsubscribe.”
- You also are agreeing not to sue them for any reason.
- Another perk for forking over the $175 is you will not be allowed to return anything– ever. Yes, that’s what it says!*(*I stand corrected. As pointed out to me, they meant that the FEES are not refundable. However, their wording, I feel, is ambiguous: “All sales of the member’s program are final.)
In addition, this annual fee will automatically be renewed every year without your knowledge.
That is, unless you specifically go into your settings and ask them to stop. They are banking on a certain percentage, not doing that, AND not noticing that the charge has gone through. But, if you do opt-in to receive notifications, your membership is about to renew, in this case, you only get three days’ notice. This is, instead of the ten days it takes them to process your opting out of their marketing.
So, of course, you know what’s coming, right?
Yes, indeedy. Laurel took a little field trip to the RH Gallery on Friday with my mobile device in hand. I wanted to see for myself what this place is all about.
But, before we go inside the bastion of gray, a little background.
RH’s swanky location in the heart of the Back Bay is housed in one of the oldest buildings (1863) in this area, built on landfill in the 19th century.
For decades, it was the building known as the Boston Society of Natural History. Or, the Boston Museum of Natural History. You can read more about it here.
It was the sister building to one of the Rogers MIT buildings before MIT moved to a far larger campus in Cambridge around 1900. The Rogers building no longer exists. However, the museum, which also moved to Cambridge, became home to some retail stores, such as the defunct Bonwit Teller.
I’m not sure of the entire history. However, Resto took over the building in 2013.
And, then, renovated it to suit their image. Naturally, since it’s in the heart of the Back Bay, they were up against the BB Architectural Committee for approval of all exterior changes.
Above is the eastern facade of the building, facing Berkeley Street. BTW, this is not the first time I have shared a pic of RH. You can see a lovely nighttime shot on New Year’s Eve, 2021.
The main entrance is on the north side of the building, on Newbury Street. That makes sense since it gets more foot traffic than Berkeley Street. The glass and steel Portico serve two purposes. It makes it clear that this is where to go inside. And also, it’s a preview of what you’ll find a lot more of inside the store.
Up the stairs, I went into a vestibule, and then, through these iron doors. Aside from the crystal chandeliers and velvet sofas, it has all the warmth and charm of a minimum-security prison.
As soon as I entered the main gallery, I was greeted by a friendly, guard, young associate. “Welcome to RH, he said.”
Looking around, I gave him my sweetest smile and said, “What a beautiful store— is it okay if I take a few photos?”
“Sure,” he said, But please look up.
So, I did.
After a brief convo with the nice salesman, I spent the next 80 minutes walking through every section of the store. Sorry, I keep forgetting, GALLERY’S four floors. That includes the basement, where the baby-teen furnishings are detained. I mean contained.
So, let’s take a look around RH Boston.
Indeed, the architecture is stunning. Of course, it is. That is why this spot was selected. That, and its location in historic Back Bay, and close to the South End and Beacon Hill. The latter is where nothing from RH except a lamp or a mirror will make it up any staircase or fit in an elevator if there is one.
This furniture– well, most of it, is MASSIVE.
Well, most of it is. The super deep seats (35″ deep without the cushions!) are for those who are either at least seven feet tall, or those who prefer to use their sofa as a bed. They are not for the average-sized human who wishes to sit and converse or watch TV in the classic “couch potato” position.
I sat on a number of these very deep sofas.
For those of you who complained about slipper chairs, you must never go anywhere near one of these monsters. They will eat you up in one giant gulp.
You have been warned. ;]
However, there is an option to purchase normal-sized furniture. Although, most of that was found in the kids’ section. I’m not joking. You will see later on. Still, I did find one quite comfortable, not bad-looking sectional. (above) They have the gall to call it “petite.” It is not little. The overscale pieces are called “luxe.”
But, what bothers me more is that the sofas either have no legs or at most a stump of a block leg.
The best and classic high-end sofas typically have a leg of at least 3″ (usually higher) or a skirt. Yes, even a sectional. Don’t believe me? Please take a look at Serena & Lily’s sofas. With the exception of one or two, they all have real legs. The ones with a skirt have real legs under the skirt.
I do love the looks of this dining or occasional chair. Is it comfortable?
Not terrible, but not great, either.
Maybe a small pillow for the back would help. It is also quite hard, for an upholstered piece. However, it’s on casters. In fact, I almost started skating across the slick concrete floor.
I love this floor with its huge four-foot+ square sections scored on the diagonal. I’ve admired this look for the last 35 years since I saw this done by the legendary architect, Michael Graves. You can see Michael Grave’s cool concrete kitchen floor in this post about the best kitchen floors.
One thing about the gallery that I loved was these smaller, more intimate areas. But, gosh. Everything is gray, greige, brown, beige, white or black.
However, Resto does have a good balance in most of the vignettes, along with gold accents.
Even the trees on the top floor look silvery. BUT, that prison bars elevator. I seriously despise everything about it. It’s a freaking cage, for God’s sake. Yuck.
All of the chandeliers are HUUUUUGE! MASSIVE! If you don’t have 14-foot ceilings– minimum, don’t even think about any of these. And, no, that is not a mirror image of the seating area. Look closely, and you will see the differences. The rooms go on and on.
Here’s the obvious thing.
This is Boston. Nobody has a place in the city that can accommodate this scale of furniture. So, why do they have so much of it? You absolutely cannot conceive how huge the scale is, in these ginormous rooms.
So, this has been a glimpse of all three floors of the Boston Restoration Hardware. I could show you much more, but it does get redundant after a time.
Incidentally, the first floor is designated as “Interiors.”
Floor two is “Modern.” The third floor is outdoor, along with the design atelier. I don’t see an appreciable difference between floors one and two. All of it is contemporary.
Since I always take the steps when possible, that is what I did to get from floor to floor.
Could they have made this stair railing any uglier?
No, they could not.
What kills me is that someone stuck some classical rosettes on the stringer. What, to pretty it up? Make it more classical? Hilarious!
However, looking down from the third floor, this view is pretty cool. And, no, I am not leaning over the railing. I have long arms. :]
Above are some of the outdoor furnishings, located on the top floor.
A lovely view from the 2nd floor.
Above is the design atelier where you can have a choice of cheeseburger, cheeseburger, or cheeseburger. Okay, there’s a little white, beige. and gold. (That must be the cheese.) ;]
But, then, I did spy a touch of teal. However, I did not see a lick of it or any other color, not even on a vase, anywhere in the store. Sorry, I’m done with “gallery.” Who are they kidding? It’s a freaking STORE.
I do like this shot taken from a third-floor balcony.
But then I turned around and realized that I had been incarcerated. This was all an elaborate setup!
Somehow, I managed to escape, and finally found the stairwell to the baby and teen detention center.
Phew, now I’ll get to see some color. Right?
Well, so far, only as an accent on the many pipes down on this level, and EXIT signs.
As you can see, no expense was spared to make this a warm, welcoming place to take the young uns.
They even went so far as to put in a baby gate. I love that kind of attention to detail.
Oh, gawd. I was met with this obscenely ostentatious vignette for the most spoiled little princess on the planet. Still, being a grown-up princess, I couldn’t resist trying out one of those things.
This one’s just right. Finally! I wonder if it comes in gray?
The boy’s barracks.
It’s never too soon to introduce one’s babies to a one-note gray world. But, be forewarned that they will rebel with riotous color, the second they’re out of parental control.
Infant detention center, for toddlers who refuse to sleep or use the toilet.
Okay, it’s time to pack up and leave our RH fantasy world, along with Laurel’s silly commentary.
In my final analysis, I’ve only been in one other over-the-top RH, and that was in Manhattan in 2018. But, these and the ones I’ve seen in photos look like the lobby of a large boutique hotel that’s trying hard to be urban, and trendy.
And, this is the thing. While gray is classic, the way they’re using it at RH is trendy, not classic.
Above is Furlow Gatewood’s exquisite dining room using gray in a way that is timeless.
So, as RH has done, in the past, maybe they’ll reinvent themselves. I think they’re going to have to, because I believe their palette is starting to overstay its welcome; I believe it already has.
It’s images like the one above that beckon me to call their style “prison chic.”
While I don’t hate everything about this RH penitentiary, the railings and elevator are seriously a massive failure, and disturbing additions to this exquisite classical building.
Remember the beautiful railings in the former Marshall Fields in Chicago?
Laurel, I thought you were going to share all of the Resto stuff found on Ali Baba.
Yes, I could’ve done that. I believe you can still find a lot of RH on Ali Baba. And, no, I’m not advocating that you purchase that stuff, either.
I’m also not saying, “Don’t shop at R HARDWARE.”
In fact, if you guys have any interest, I will accept the challenge to put together what I think is a beautiful room using only furnishings from RH. I think I could do that and do it for a room with an eight or nine-foot ceiling.
I could also follow it up with a lower-cost resto version.
That would need to be two posts because both will take a while.
Of course, it’s also fine to let RESTO take a rest.
Note: As of October 15, 2023, I have turned off the comments due to several people who left rude, insulting remarks to other readers. That is not allowed.
xo,
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97 Responses
@ Lisa D – For the record, RH started in Eureka California not Berkeley. It was a small, fun, unique and quality-centric store. As you mentioned, it existed to help those restoring Victorian houses and other buildings.
Why are the comments submitted being hidden from this page? I submitted a positive comment on RH that never showed up and I just got alerted that another person submitted a positive comment this morning in response to @PamelaJohnson’s belittling review and it’s also not showing up… hopefully it’s just a selective IT issue and not a reflection of the author’s biases
It is very sad that most American’s cannot see style to save their lives (I guess that’s why we designers have a job!). RH is the ultimate in crap. Sloppy sofas with poor construction, boring boring boring. For the client who was so impressed with their “free” designer, they should offer you white glove service as they are selling you ugly, poorly styled, overpriced and badly made furniture. I will except their rugs as I do like some of them. I am a supporter of both American, Scandinavian and Italian furniture, which offer the kind of quality AND style that my sophisticated customers are looking for. In addition, having had many clients who bought Asian made items and got skin rashes and other issues from the chemicals used in production, they learned their lesson, sadly, the hard way. Imagine exposing your children to that invisible, but very real danger. You don’t have to be a millionaire to buy good furniture you just have to do some homework and hopefully WILL ask an independent design pro to assist. I mean a real design pro, not someone who sells furniture, has a commission in their stake, and labels themselves a “designer”. It’s knowing exactly how furniture is made, as well as how it looks, that will ensure a good purchase. RH fails to be transparent about sourcing; the poor styling and proportions are evident at first glance. I am thankful that none of my clients have had any thoughts about buying from them. The gray childrens’ room says it all. Look for dovetail joints darlings!
OK this all makes me so sad. First of all I purchased all my home furnishings through RH in 2020 not a great year to buy furniture anywhere. THE RESULTS WERE AMAZING. I could not be more pleased. I was given an amazing RH designer who got me and my furniture pieces that I wanted to incoporate in my new home in Naples, Florida. I had previously used RH for all my furnishings in Driftwood, Texas. The complimentary designer rocked my world. She was a rock star. She went above and beyond with video and 3d presentations and elevations. She worked with my builder and electrician in both homes. When my house build was delayed they kept my furniture in their storage for months at no charge. We were assigned three team members up until the install date. When the day came for install an ARMY of professional staff in white gloves showed up at our home and set up a pressing station in our garage for the linens and coverlets and made everything incredible. Professional and on time and they even helped me choose paint colors for my home ahead of time. I have had a few minor issues with a few pieces and even years later they have sent me new pieces NO questions asked FOR FREE. I am a raving FAN. My house looks like it could be in Architectural digest and my last furnished home sold in one day with multiple offers furnished. RH knows how to make a neutral, sophisticated, lovely comfortable home that you can then add individual magic to. I am building again in a new state and would only ever use RH. This company is made up of passionate and talented individuals. Not to mention their restaurants are AMAZING. Sorry your review makes me sad because I feel that you seem to want to say how bad they are but I am a customer who loves them and my neighbor down the street also decorated her entire home with RH and she loves them. Even the people at the 800 number are kind, smart and know how to help. In a nutshell someone is doing something right at this company. Maybe Interior designers are just scared. I have never met nicer people from the delivery guys to the top management. They made it right at every turn. I buy everything from them now and my house is beautiful and magical and comfortable.
Hi Cynthia,
I’m thrilled to know you’ve had a wonderful experience with RH! I do not wish to see them fail; not at all! I am only reporting what I observed. One needs large rooms with high ceilings to pull off the look. Not everyone has that, so I wish they provided more variety in sizes and color.
I actually like their Maxwell sofa a lot but I cannot stand the Cloud sofa. It sets so low to the ground and is such a sloppy looking sofa.
My former boyfriend and I used to live in Boston and one day took a tour of RH as I lived in Back Bay and we wandering the neighborhood. He’s a European aristocrat with some taste—not an advanced knowledge of design but a general understanding of what is and is not good quality/form/function. When we walked into the store he couldn’t stop himself from cringing at every corner and remarking that it was a “mark of American tackiness.” And this from a fairly reserved individual! I think he was referring specifically to the size of the furnishings, the poor design, the grey throughout. It was so amusing. I hated it as well. How much better it would be if it was once again transformed into a museum.
I would love to see this: “if you guys have any interest, I will accept the challenge to put together what I think is a beautiful room using only furnishings from RH. I think I could do that and do it for a room with an eight or nine-foot ceiling.”
Prison bars aside, I very much like the RH style — and I’m in my late 50’s. But I hate that their furniture is made in China. Would love to see your take on it and some US based options.
I walk through my local RH every once in a while – missing the warm furnishings and brass hardware days. I will say that the people working there are very friendly and helpful. One told me to shop a local rug/carpeting store when I picked up a carpet sample. She suggested their rugs were of inferior quality. So there’s that – and I hope this means they are a good employer (at least in their US stores, who knows of the factories aboard manufacturing their furniture). This seems true of the William Sonoma companies in general. Their Boston gallery – gorgeous architecture!! Thanks for sharing.
All that lifeless gray reminds me of visiting East Berlin a few years ago. Still so much if it is gray & depressing leftover from the communist days. And right across the Spree River on the other side of the wall is West Berlin with the pretty houses & colorful flower boxes. Give me color any day!
Philly is ‘gallery-less’ but we do have several regional RH Outlets and a small RH retail footprint in a big local high-end mall. I agree generally with the gallery sentiment and the catalogue is just not targeted well, seems more about ‘branding’ – that said I’ve bought a fair amount of Resto furniture. Not the modern lines, they are too large / modern for many of the more traditional homes on the Main Line where it would likely be a struggle to get pieces to the 2nd floor… the pieces I have gotten are super and great for kids, the tables take a beating and still look great. Our natural oak St James table opens out to 144” in the family vacation home and seats 10-14. Madeleine chairs with cushions (I’m sorry they discontinued these). Beautiful matching sideboard. All bought at an RH Outlet. My experience with the quality is that it is unsurpassed and the pieces I’ve picked up (mostly through canvassing the local outlets and sales) are commensurate or better price-wise relative to RH’s competitive set. Let’s be honest – furniture is expensive, however RH also holds its value much better than most other ‘brands’/manufacturers. I just purchased an RH washstand with calacatta top for a bathroom remodel and sconces. And it is my bedroom furniture! Yes, not inexpensive, but the quality is beautiful, the style is timeless, and the sconces are transitional which is what I need for my age 1959 home. So, I love the brand, the quality, the white glove delivery, the customer service interaction, and would say like anything one needs to pick one’s shots. And look for sales 😉
I used to have a house full of Restoration Hardware furniture, paints, drapes, curtain rods, solid cherry furniture, games (yes, they used to have really great Christmas gifts including holiday CD compilations!) etc, and my husband and children and I used to love to go to their stores in Atlanta. We collected it over time and I have to say that the quality of everything that we had was top notch, and well priced, but this was about 16 years ago. It is so sad for me that they decided to go in the direction they did. It is so “exclusive” and not about quality. Bummer for sure.
I’ve never commented before but that was the funniest post you’ve written to date! I knew it would be good when you said it had all the warmth of a minimum security prison!!
I almost spit out my tea too when you wondered if the pink chair came in gray!
How I hate gray. Always did. Glad it’s going by by.
Thanks for the huge laugh, appreciate your wit as much as your talent!!
Hi Laurel, love your posts and I just received that enormous catalogue (for the trade clients) that was tossed immediately in the trash. A client did purchase the Jupe dining table during the pandemic when we were virtually stuck ordering online and RH delivered in 4 days!!!! Honestly, that dining table is way cool in both finish and operation (goes from 59″ to 72″ when fully open) and the client is very happy with it….so far. In the past years, I have a couple of their floor lamps and a gorgeous crystal one that I love. I have been to the “gallery” in Palo Alto and it definitely appeals to the Silicon Valley tech people mostly bc it shows a more contemporary vibe.
I am no fan of RH, but it is the membership FEE that is non refundable… not merchandise purchased using the membership.
Hi Sue,
I am referring to this line that I am copying and pasting:
“ALL SALES OF THE MEMBERS PROGRAM ARE FINAL.”
I take that to mean that items are not returnable if purchased through the members program, unless it arrives damaged or flawed. However, reading further, I see they are talking about the card. I would’ve put it a different way, so as not to be ambiguous. Maybe like this: “Member fees are not refundable and are final for the period of one year.”
Otherwise, all sales sounds like everything they are purchasing is final.
THANK YOU for validating all my opinions about RH, with humor and sarcasm by the boatload! Sorry to say, I was sucked in by the marketing mystique working with a designer who specified RH “ready-made” draperies .. total disaster. I was on a tear, though, and thought I’d get MORE MORE MORE, so went for the sheets and towels, but when looking at the bath mats, the salesperson discreetly told me to go to IKEA! I now count this as one of my “learning” experiences.
Thank you for the luxury shopping guide for RH. The comments are excellent also. When we downsized in 2002, our RH store carried some wonderful pieces of furniture, stunning lamps and gorgeous linens. I purchased 8 towel sets in 2 colors. …Turkish towels that were thick and beautiful. They are still as thick, colorful, strong and in excellent condition for 21 years of constant use! Quality has a price. Never, ever have I had towels last and look this good. Will I buy again? Yes!
The store (gallery) in Chicago is in the beautiful building known as the Three Arts Club, which was a very lovely residence for women studying the three arts at various schools (like The Art Institute) that provided rooms, elegant meals, teas on Sundays with appropriate music from students, etc. My mother lived there during WWII and loved it! Rooms were decorated & the staff (staff?!) cleaned daily & even picked up hair pins. It was unused through much of 60s on & was a wedding venue. When RH bought it there was an uproar, as the building is smack dab in the middle of the Gold Coast – the smartest residential area of Chicago. Well, I was disapointed – it was too industrial for me & the human traffic was awful. Does anyone remember the RH collection of faux French Provincial unfinished – done in coarse linen & exposed staples & upholstery cord? Horrible. Expensive. The only thing they really produce are the catalogues, too big, too heavy. They are a drain..
Hi Linda,
Yes! The “deconstructed” look, and charging more for what’s not there. It’s like the new “designer” clothes that comes torn and with holes in them. That stuff is wildly expensive too! Hey, just go to Good Will. No wait. Good Will won’t take clothes in that condition. lol
We discovered RH back in the ‘90s when they focused on well-made “retro” or classic versions of everyday items. We had little money then, so everything we bought there (a mailbox, house numbers, a soap dispenser for our master bath, a linen shower curtain) were a big deal to us.
I around 2010 we did our biggest RH purchase—a queen-sized “French Academie” bed for our newly-renovated guest room. The bed was not actually on display in the store, but I loved it so much that we waited for a sale and ordered it sight unseen.
That bed works wonderfully with our vintage stuff and makes me happy every time I look at it. Our guests love it, too—my daughter-in-law once said it’s her favorite thing in our house—ha!
Unfortunately, RH is something completely now—it looks like everything there is designed for homes in California or Texas. Big, gray, bland, overpriced. I considered RH for some plumbing fixtures for a home we are currently building, but they have gotten crazy expensive and the shipping costs are over-the-top!
Hey Laura!
Just wanted to drop a quick message to say how much I loved your post! It was the perfect distraction from my boring work on a Monday morning. Your pictures are great. and I like the away they combined classic and modern elements.
Even though I haven’t been to the there, I feel like I got to experience it through your post. Thanks for sharing your incredible talent and passion with us all. Can’t wait to read your next post!
Nancy
LOL. About spit my coffee out of the picture of you in the kids section sitting in the big pink chair and your comment “I wonder if it comes in gray” LMAO hysterical
Stellar post! I was appalled when RH took over that elegant building in Back Bay, it is such a mis-match! That venerable building should house a museum, an art gallery, a library or the Boston design center. In the 90s RH was on Boylston street and it was a pretty decent store with some nice, ‘normal’ things, but that was back then. Their massive marketing of overpriced, cheap quality China made furniture certainly works and sadly, it left an imprint on how young generations think of furnishings and what interiors and decor should look like and it shapes their sense of style, tastes and expectations. This trend is also reflected in the home staging industry, many houses that come on the market these days are staged ‘RH’ style, all look the same cookie cutter, grey soulless look, lacking character or individuality, beautiful lines or charm. Unfortunately, even old respected American furniture makers started mimicking this style, because this is what now young people demand after being trained in the RH style for so long. Ethan Allen used to have beautiful classical collections, elegant things, so did Stickley and others, but in recent years their classical collections are all disappearing one by one and they all start looking more like RH, Pottery Barn et al. There are tons of better options at the same or even lower prices than RH. To name a few, if you are looking for modern, Mitchell Gold is all USA made furniture at decent prices, Cococo Home, excellent for sofas, Lee Industries is great value, nice designs, US made, EA still has a few good pieces if you look close enough, and many others, one just have to do a bit of legwork, but it is so worth it. I admit, I have a pair of sconces in my BR from RH bought many years ago and 4 dining chairs because we needed things for our second home urgently, so there it is. The chairs are actually glued together and there are glue spots on the linen, the delivery guy had a couple of extra chairs in his truck and let me select the 4 ‘cleanest’ ones for a decent set. I cannot wait to replace them with something vintage and classy from Chairish! I think this article should be sent to the major newspapers, it’s so excellent, so timely, so needed!!!
Thanks so much, Sylvia!
I have never cared for RH vibe. It always feels dreary like the movie Water World which I did not like either. I do remember back when they sold hardware and thought it was cool store in Palm Beach, but very pricey. I’m a color gal so even their catalog is boring IMO. You said it best, redundant.
I still have a pair of gorgeous traditional crystal lamps with French wiring and silk shades that I purchased years ago at Restoration Hardware, in addition to a beautiful silver sage duvet cover and shams (and accompanying linen throw pillows) embroidered with bees that still look great. Yes, the store has changed quite a bit, not necessarily for the better, but I think quality furniture in general has become more and more difficult to find. I purchased a sofa and pair of swivel rockers from Ballard Designs three years ago and now the rockers, with light use, make a clanking sound every time they move that is about to drive me insane. No one has been able to diagnose nor repair the problem and Ballard was no help at all. It’s interesting that you use Serena and Lily as an example because I find their merchandise extremely overpriced (even at the outlets in California) and the quality is sorely lacking. I purchased an Ethan Allen bed, nightstands and dresser ten years ago that are very nice quality and were reasonably priced. Other than that, I don’t know where the average person is supposed to find quality furniture that lasts and doesn’t break the bank.
15 years is not an unreasonable life for a piece of upholstery. Especially if it is used in an area that gets a lot of traffic and is not just a formal living room.
Although I will admit my living room sofa, which was originally purchased for my parents in the early 60’s and reupholstered in the 70’s, is still in use. And the linen velvet from Brunschwig et Fils has aged beautifully.
Restoration Hardware started in Berkeley, CA, by someone who was actually restoring an old house and could not find the hardware and various other accoutrements appropriate for the restoration. Thus a business was born. At the time of it’s inception it was wonderful, and carried many unique items. It has obviously been sold, more than once, and has evolved into just another mall store.
Thanks for the chuckle!! Now I know why there is so much of this stuff for sale on Facebook marketplace-buyer’s remorse.
Thank you, thank you Laurel, for the photo of Mr. Gatewood’s late digs. I was gasping for air and wanting to rattle the bars of my prison until I came to and realized I could get away from the RH dungeon. Truly horrific; I wonder who thought it would be a good idea to suck all the life out of every space.
Enjoyed the chuckle and have to comment that I originally found your blog after I purchased an RH sofa about 5 years ago. It was terribly uncomfortable and always a wrinkled mess…and I wondered if it was just me or was it really a piece of junk. I began googling RH and your blog was at the top of the search. You affirmed everything I was experiencing with that sofa and even helped me laugh about it. Good news is I had no trouble selling it online. Even when I told her the sofa wasn’t comfortable to me, the woman who bought it didn’t care and was thrilled to have an RH sofa. To each her own! I’ve learned so much from you through the past few years and appreciate the expertise, time, and humor that you pour into every post 🙂
I bought a chesterfield sofa from RH about 15 years ago. Got the “extra deep” version, which was made-to-order. Today, the down-wrapped cushions are a mess (the foam has deteriorated), and the webbing of the sofa (on which the cushions rest) is sagging on both sides. So even if the cushions hadn’t deteriorated, they would still slump due to the sagging of the webbing. It was beautiful and very comfortable for a while – just not long enough to justify the cost. So yes, beware. I’m glad I know better now. I will say that the draperies and rods I bought from them were very nice quality – nice heavy weight linen panels and substantial sturdy rods – and look wonderful. But the hit-or-miss nature of the place is just maddening.
I lived in Sausalito, CA in the early ’90s when Restoration Hardware was just starting out. They had a small shop in the Corte Madera shopping center. It had garden things, books, a bit of furniture that was Arts and Crafts style, some lamps, mailboxes and house numbers and a few small tools. It was delightful. It’s stunning to see where it has ended up from their beginnings. I hate it and never go there. It’s a ridiculous store.
Wow, I remember reading an article in a trade publication about the RH concept. I remember thinking this guy is either a nitwit or he’s on to something. Unfortunately, when I went to the Gallery in Napa Valley, I looked at my husband and said what are they thinking-ok a club for people, but not sure who?! Clearly they’re hooking someone. Maybe people with more money than taste. Your article was right on! So funny. All I can say is Somebody drank the Koolaid! Present company excluded.
There is a “gallery” in my local upscale mall, but it is, of course, just the standard rectangle storefront. I haven’t been inside as you have effectively vaccinated me against the brand. Unless someone like you does grey, I am not interested. Also, I now have a tiny house.
I might go in sometime for a laugh a la Laurel. To get to the Apple store, one has to pass by RH. It looks like it wants to be a vault but is really a cold, dark cave.
The majority of readers don’t seem to want you to do a follow up, but I think it would be interesting and informative, especially if you did the bargain price version. It might eventually circulate around and help RH victims rehabilitate their spaces.
If nothing else, it would give us pictures to show around in the vein of “don’t do this” but you can “do this.”
I do love those silvery leaved olive trees though. They look great with my favorite color palettes.
Thanks for today’s chuckles.
We have a RH dining table in our wine cellar. It has wheels so we can roll it out into a patio for Al fresco dinners( have we done that? No). Would I use it in a dining room? Never. The wood top is so distressed you would be hauling out the vacuum every time you ate to get the crumbs out of the crannies. It does though fit the look of the room it is in and we put on a tablecloth for tastings and charcuterie boards. 3 of 6 bentwood chairs came with damage and were immediately replaced with no questions asked. They have held up well.
We bought a RH coffee table for our family room because it was large and rectangular. I sent a photo to my son who politely asked if that was rebar in the base. It is. I think it works though because it counters all our old dark wood furniture. Younger folks always come in and tell us how much they love it. Think it is a generational thing.
My son lives in Boston so I know rooms are small in most apartments and houses. That furniture would look ridiculous there. Like putting furniture from Santa Fe in a Florida coastal home. It just looks weird.
Luurel,
Can you tell us in your years of seeing upholstered furniture, what companies like, Ballard, Pottery Barn, West Elm, etc “do” have a quality product when stripped down to the bare frame?
I have a few dining chairs from them and a media unit and I have to say that I do like the finishes on some of their case goods but what drives me nuts is that with all their offerings, you cannot see it in person because they use the same furniture in their vignettes. I understand that is the vibe but for someone who wants to see things and sit in them, I find it so annoying. And I do agree that it is overpriced and not that well made. I used to rep for a fabric company that also had furniture and when they took apart an RH sofa it was apparent that is was a lot of crap.
Dear Laurel:
I actually enjoy taking a tour through their Gallery here in Seattle, which was actually custom built for them. I agree that the scale of most of the upholstery is inappropriate for a lot of people, especially as we age. The look is seductive but often it’s a struggle to get in and out.
As a designer, I used their hardware and lighting back in the day, when it was well-designed, well made, and a bargain.
As someone educated at the University of Washington Interior Design Department in the 60’s and having worked for one of the great interior designers, Jean Jongeward, I still love natural linen and putty paint. Amusing to see, 60 years later, the predominance of a palette that seemed so chic and striking then become a cliche.
As far as their pricing goes, you need to look at the very high end lines like Christian Liaigre and Holly Hunt they used to, and still do, knock off shamelessly, at half the price.
Just a note, legs can be and often are, where an upholstered piece fails, visually.
Enough maundering on.
Merv
And to be honest, their Ephraim cabinet pulls that I used on my kitchen cabinets are very well made and surprisingly affordable!
The only items I like from RH are their sheets–464-TC percale, queen size large enough for deep mattresses!
I laughed all the way through the article….I could almost hear you say “Oh gawd” when you saw the big pink chairs in the children’s section!!! Agree…..more hype than value!
Thank you, Laurel.
My personal experience with RH customer service has been exceptional! They literally have bent over backwards to accommodate my purchasing dilemmas throughout the years. White glove delivery with a team, returned and replaced furniture pieces without even blinking an eye, no delivery charges when asked… I could go on. I just love the way they treat their customers- par excellence. Yes, their products can be “out there” for some of us- but I pick and choose what accommodates my lifestyle and home decor. As consumers we have to do our due diligence. They truly have some great design pieces. Their marketing strategy works…their distinct style is what makes the world go ‘round. Yes, some of their color schemes can be ‘doom and gloom’ but then you turn around and spot this diamond in the rough and it lights up a decorators heart. They are very very good at what they do.
*Kim- Fyi RH ready to hang drape panels are NOT worth the $; machine stitched! I would only purchase if interested in re-utilizing the fabric.
Oh noooooo! I just purchased a Wyeth Bamboo Dining Table to be delivered in June. I absolutely love the look of this table and it works with a banquette. Now having buyer’s remorse. Should I return I before I even receive it?? Do you or anyone have a reviews on this particular table or should I just face it that it will also be junk? HELP!!!!!
I have never been in a Rh store/gallery but enjoyed your amusing tour. Now I know enough to stay out of one if ever I have the chance to visit. Their style reminds me of “Commie Chic” from the Soviet era. Plain, boring, industrial, and gray. I am in need of new furniture but any furniture store I have been in within the last 10 years only has massive, overpriced shlock.
I like OKA. That is all.
You are right, they do sell a lifestyle…kind of like bloggers. Do I get sucked into either? Not to buy but to look.
Not sure why they felt the need to transition to Dystopian Chic. Their old concept had something for everyone and was a joy to visit. The present incarnation is a great example of how visual merchandising trumps everything, including practicality and common sense.
ReallyHeartbreaking… is what happened when they rebranded. I had great luck there when silver sage was on the walls and stocking stuffers were encouraged. That small leather professor chair was useful and the hardware was better than other in store selections. For a hot minute the outlets were real too. Please Laurel , do show how you’d make these schtick and mortar death stars viable.
Thanks for a fun post. As always!
I’m with you on hating 98% of their stuff and that store looks hellacious. However the advertising must be working on me subliminally because I’ve bought a few things from them in the past few years: a daybed for my daughter, a pair of dark wood bookcases marked down on clearance from the “baby and child” section (i.e. normal sized, living room pieces— which apparently only babies would desire!) and a bunch of their St. Germain rattan chairs to lighten up a dark antique table. The chairs are cheap and cheerful classics, and I doubt they’ll hold up for decades but they’re lightweight and easy to whisk around. I for one would be intrigued if you did a RH-Laurel room, because if you made that horrid puce “color of the year” work, clearly you can do anything!
Laurel, your article is very timely for me. My husband and I just returned from a trip to Napa valley. We were staying in a lovely hotel in Yountville and my hubby said that there was a good, casual restaurant right next door with good reviews. It was this past Monday, not a busy night in Napa so we didn’t have reservations. Unfortunately we made a right out of the hotel and walked into an oddly decorated restaurant. They sat us immediately and we ordered drinks. I then realized that we were in a RH restaurant with an attached gallery! Having read your article way back when and having never liked RH furniture for all of the reasons you mentioned, I gulped, but hoped for the best. I was aware of the RH “compound” in the former meat packing district in nyc (we’re from LI) and RH’s expanding their lifestyle brand into hotels/restaurants. When we had entered the restaurant we both looked around and immediately asked to be seated outdoors. The interior was all very dark and modern, but with VERY large traditional crystal chandeliers. Even my hubby thought it was ugly and bizarre looking. The outdoor seating was much nicer. I didn’t expect much of the food at that point, but we ordered simple dishes which were actually tasty! After dinner we walked past the “galleries” (which were locked) and remarked how everything was HUGE and not to our taste. I am amazed that RH remains successful. Anyway, long story short: Please don’t waste your time and talent on an RH room layout.
My husband and I were in town for the Boston Marathon and visited RH. The first thing he said when we entered the elevator was, “This place feels like a prison.”
Your review of RH is spot on! What used to be an interesting store with some unique and lovely items turned into the biggest, most boring and enormously overpriced company ever. I bought my dream bed there eleven years ago, a carved black stunner that just makes my bedroom all come together beautifully. It is solid wood, and we are still just as happy with it now as we were upon delivery. It was a stretch of my budget on sale then for $1750, now it seems like the bargain of a lifetime compared to their current crazy prices not to mention I wouldn’t want anything they’re selling now. Add to this the incredibly boring, stupidly wasteful stack of catalogs that arrive unwanted. I apologize to the mailman each time they arrive even after unsubscribing twice.
I’m a millennial and probably the target audience for RH but I’m from Europe. It’s easy to get past the glitter- sorry grey here- when you have zero (emotional, buying, etc) history with a brand. In fact I was able to “judge” most brands for what they truly are.
When I moved to the US, I was in need of a sofa. It was the hardest thing I had to find (after a mattress). I naively thought that with the US “manufacturing” power and the number of people living here, I would have lots of options in terms of choice and price range. Well, it turns out not to be the case at all! Barely any place to see the furniture, awful stores (Macy’s, etc), poor quality and/or way too expensive.
One way to judge RH (because I did not know the brand at all) – or any major retailer- was to go on Craigslist or similar sites and look at the state of the used sofas (especially linen). Turns out after just a year of use, they all looked so wrinkly and slouchy like they had 10 years of use, except perhaps the Chesterfield leather types. I simply knew I could not spend that much on a new one (or used for that matter!).
Good morning! I enjoyed this post so much and totally agree with your assessment. The saddest section to me, was the nursery. As I am expecting my first grandchild, I’ve been noticing options and trends for new parents. The dull colors in your photos are simply depressing. I would imagine walking into such a room would even dishearten a new mom! There is a way to incorporate calm colors but still make it a cheerful, happy room.
Yes, a perfect store for the 30-40 year old wanna be who has little appreciation for truly good design and is dazzled by the architecture of the RH store and elaborate marketing of RH. Their plan of exorbitantly over pricing their products to create an illusion of quality and good design has been very successful!
I’m with Cathy in offering another perspective. Over the last ten years I have purchased quite a few items from RH ranging from upholstered pieces to case goods to outdoor furniture. Of 15 items purchased in that time one of the upholstered chairs had a fabric fail. I got many pieces on sale or selected competitively priced pieces only. Yes, some of the designs are overwrought so don’t buy those! And definitely agree that during the height of the god awful supply chain crisis they were one of few vendors I could count on for in stock, neutral pieces. At the same time RH was consistently delivering on items ordered, Ballard Design was dropping the ball on timely delivery of several upholstered pieces. Not to mention I have host chairs and a sofa ordered through a designer from Lee Industries that are so uncomfortable I would just as soon light them on fire. The point is one can make poor choices almost anywhere.
I loved this post!! You hit the nail on the head. Sad commentary on the 30 and 40 year olds, just sheep following the ridiculous trend of oversized poorly designed furniture.
As a retired interior decorator I would cringe when people suggested using RH. My husband is a contractor and warned his clients not to get RH vanities and lighting, because of the poor quality.
Thanks for exposing the rules for using their “discount” program!
Your blog today help me feel that I am not crazy. I have been looking for a small couch for a small beach house and have been in about 10 furniture stores and found the same thing you have found, huge couches that to deep to sit on and beiges colors and told to pick out a color from little piece of material. Most of the stores only have 2 couches to show me after I tell then the size. My husband has said he rather talk to a car salesperson than a furniture salesperson, that how bad it is.
Thanks for always teaching me something new and always look forward to reading your blog.
I always assumed they were marketing primarily to people in Texas….
I actually have enjoyed the products I’ve purchased from RH. When it comes to the hard working furniture pieces in my home I’ve used well respected furniture brands. But, I’ve found RH to have some very attractive consoles, tables, cabinets etc. They are very heavy and have held up well in our home. Some of their products are very expensive but there are other items that have been great value. For instance I purchased a dining table and chairs upholstered in linen for our vacation home in Florida. Chairs at the time were $250 each. That home is used by family and friends year round for 8 years and you’d have a hard time finding wear on the table or stains on the Belgian Linen Sand chairs. During the horrible supply chain issues post covid (we were building a home) RH saved me many times when I needed furniture pieces. I’ve found some items very inexpensive on sale and have ordered and reupholstered them (dining chairs, benches). I’ve also found some outrageously good prices on hand knotted 100% wool rugs in their sale selection online. My local gallery is helpful…. I have the membership and can return anything I order. In fact I ordered two large 8′ cabinets and the scale looked off when they delivered…. so back they went at no additional charge. I’ve gotten some beautiful sconces that I’ve used in powder rooms via the RH baby and teen (check it out… the lighting and selection can be cheaper!) I guess my advice is be open minded and you’ll find some classic pieces that work in well in a traditional home. My home looks nothing like an RH gallery (very traditional with french influence) but the pieces I’ve used work very well and look great!
I did see a gorgeous crystal lamp in the girl’s section. I did take pics of it, but it’s difficult as it is, putting a post like this together. I took a lot of photos!
It’s also true of Pottery Barn, that you can buy some terrific things that are totally fine for an adult, but for a lot less $$$.
We bought a dining table from RH some years back that was made from “reclaimed wood” from some ancient church (or somewhat) in England —that’s how it was advertised. I hated it—got slivers from it, it was wayyy too clunky and dark and rough. After a few years I decided to cut my losses and sell it on Craig’s list. Someone came to look at it loved it and bought it and asked if we could take it apart to fit in his car. Well, wasn’t it interesting to find the smallest little sticker on the underside of the tabletop that said “made in china”!!!! This was before I discovered you and read your first post about RH. 🙄
I still use the bright and beautiful Christmas tree lights that I bought at Restoration Hardware years ago.
The old store also introduced me to useful products such as Simichrome Metal Polish and Ritz Window Cleaning Cloths which I use to this day.
I started collecting Art Deco furniture even before then. I went to a RH store not long ago and there were near copies of several pieces of my furniture, but on hormones. It was a shock and not a pleasant one!
Laurel, it’s Sunday morning and I’m drinking my coffee and spewing it everywhere as I laugh through this post. You are in fine form today, and I’m probably laughing the most because I agree with all of it. Like most of us, I really liked restoration hardware when it offered normal sized furnishings and you could often find some retro games and knick knacks that were fun. I actually blame them for the gray trend taking over, because their yellow pages sized catalog that came out in 2007-8ish seemed to kick off the trend of everyone thinking that that was the cool look that they had to copy. I also used the silver sage paint and several of their other paints in beautiful colors back then, and I got so many compliments on my home from them. They were well thought out colors and good quality paint back in the day. I don’t think I would really be interested in you trying to make those things into a lovely room. To me it would be more fun if you did it with Ballard, or even pottery Barn. We just got a Ballard store this year and it’s really fun to walk through with all of its color. I’ve long been a catalog shopper of theirs so it was really exciting to get a brick and mortar store.
I hired a lovely decorator to help with a few things in 2016. We went to RH for a ‘“meeting” to buy bed linens. It was all so over the top. The breathtaking way the associate held up….fabric swatches. When I asked if I could see the blanket and sheets on a bed, the trip upstairs was like I had won a golden ticket to a far off land. The products I purchased with the decorator’s discount arrived smelly & wrinkled in torn packaging. The linen duvet cover had 9 of 11 buttons missing. It was comical. I have never returned.
RH has a monster size/style building in Atlanta as well. Overwhelmingly grey. I too couldn’t wait to leave. I sadly found the overall feel depressing.
Sadly, even the Pottery Barn near me has gone the grey route with sofas and floors. None of them seem to realize that grey/greige is best used in small doses and backgrounds. I wonder how they will address the coming beige trend?
Loved your post!
I purchased “exterior” lighting for my house and garage and every single fixture lost its finish within 2 years. I also own a pair of incredibly uncomfortable slip covered dining chairs. But the worst part of being on their mailing list was the catalogue full of unsmiling, smug and annoyed(?) “makers” and what I would today refer to as an “AI generated aesthetic”. Unsubscribe!
I was so sad when they changed their business model and gave up their pretty colour palette for this. I used to love going in their stores in the 2000s and see all the pretty, soft colours of their linens and paint. Then I began receiving their “box of paper” catalogs that had all the colour sucked out of them with strange phrases and opinions from “Gary”. That was the end for me. I see I haven’t missed anything! Great post.
P.S. all of a sudden I stopped getting your emails. Not in trash or spam either. Just wanted to let you know in case I am not the only one.
Hi Penny,
Ugh, I’m so sorry. You’re one of a fairly long list that’s growing daily. We’re working on it. I did see that you had resubscribed.
You’re just so funny!!
Great post! Maybe it’s a signal that the tides are turning and the RH gestalt is falling out of “style”, given that I didn’t notice one other person in the “gallery” while you were taking pictures.
Hi Arline,
Well, it’s a very big store. However, you’re right. There were few people there and it was late on a Friday afternoon, on a mild spring day. One other thing I didn’t mention is that there are parts of the store, that are also sparsely furnished. In other words, the store is really too big. But now that I think about it, I was down in the kid’s section for about 20 minutes and didn’t see anyone else the entire time.
I think some of their furniture is great lookin. I compare it to a good looking man, handsome on the outside but nothing u would want on the cheap inside. Won’t last long once u discover no quality which should happen on the first date. RUN.
Haha. Good one, Diana!
As a long time follower of your site, I loved seeing the exterior photos of the building. I worked at New England Life, next door to Bonwit Teller, in the 70’s before the NEL building had its massive renovation. (You can see the building in the old photo in your post.)I bought the bridesmaid dresses for our wedding at Bonwit, it was a lovely store. The building has always been a favorite of mine. Several years ago we ordered hardware for a kitchen remodel from RH. Because we had ordered it from their catalog and had not seen it in person, we visited the “gallery” to look at it. When we attempted to take a photo, an employee told us we could not and stood there to make sure we didn’t. You would have thought it was a national secret! Glad he was not there for your visit. Thanks for sharing the photos and hilarious commentary. I look forward to your posts, and appreciate your analysis of so many aspects of design.
Hi Marilee,
That’s why I asked. I didn’t want to assume it was okay. But, I agree with you. I remember that people in New York City were in a deep funk when Bonwit’s closed their doors around 2000.
Ugh. Looks more like Brutalism trying to look “classical” and failing.
Hi Brigitta,
haha! Well said!
Ghastly. All of it. One of those stores that looks interesting on the outside, but if it had a revolving door, I would go in and out the revolving door in one circle when I got a glance at the interiors and merch. Don’t waste any more time on this schlock. It’s a bore.
I used to manage a Restoration Hardware store (just as they began the switch to RH and ‘galleries’…don’t judge, I was a newlywed in the years following the recession and that’s who was hiring 🙂 My sister memorably called it ‘working inside a carton of oatmeal’.
The CEO, “Gary”, was a wannabe Steve Jobs and the weekly sales calls were something else! It was a very pretentious work environment and ultimately, I could never drink the grey kool-aid and left when something better came along. But yes, the product was ridiculously sized and poor quality…I had worked for a traditional NC furniture maker prior and was hired for my design/furniture background, so once I saw what I would be selling ‘in action’ it was quite a letdown.
Thanks for a view from the inside, Elizabeth! And no, I don’t judge. I was looking at their sofas earlier. A few of them in the catalog are actually quite nice. (in the smallest size) My eyes were popping out of my head. I knew they were expensive, but, but, but… I priced one of the sectionals and it was a hefty five-figure number.
Laurel, good post. A friend of mine decorated an entire room in her new place with RH and it was SO uncomfortable and didn’t do anything for me aesthetically either. I did fall in love with a light fixture there many years ago, but found something similar for 1/6 the price at Ballard Design on which I get lots of complements. I also have a coffee table from there which fits well in my space and looks good, but you are right, it is ridiculously heavy if you have to move it. And lastly, while I have never bought them, I think the linen draperies are quite nice. I would actually be interested to see what you would put together with their stuff for a normal sized space!
Uggg. I went to Resto at the mall in Holyoke, MA in 1995 when they had hardware & other things. It was an interesting store to visit especially since I was restoring an old house. I loved their soft, kind of Shaker, paint colors and used them in my house, especially Silver Sage. Would be interested in matching paint to the old Resto colors – they have expanded the line now and only sell to people who use their designers. By the look of it, they could limit there choices even more.
Interesting humorous RH review! Agree on pricing—- RH has gone price crazy / beyond their quality worth in the last couple of years. I have enjoyed some of their decor and lighting products in the past but have passed on more recent options due to pricing and quality. A marble modern line vase I bought at RH for 110 $ four years ago is now over 400$! Do not agree any company should renew memberships without advising and consent…. Wonder how greed and ethics enters the company’s values? I strive to make consumer choices withcompanies that demonstrate service, quality, doing what is right… one of the reasons I never shop at Target either! Thx Laurel!
Hi Laurel,
This is sad. In the late 90’s early 2000’s there was a Restoration Hardware store in my town. The walls were painted the prettiest shade of blue green gray. A lot of white trim & moldings. And the items they sold were wonderful.
It eventually closed & I was sad to see it go. The things they sell now aren’t my cup of tea.
I am beyond sick
Of gray, greige, beige, linen, sand…
So, do not waste your time with an RH done the LB way. While you could make it look more Furlow—I just can’t feel anything but depressed looking at it. And yes, I know the color gray is classic, exists in nature and has been executed well. But the overload for the past fifteen years in the home furnishings market has executed my patience for all of it!
Quoting my grandmother (who would be 124 years old).
“All of that taste, and all of it bad”
“A fool and his money shall soon be parted”
we can only hope that RH will be taken over by a bunch of “Grand Millenials” who will set that place straight with some good, old fashioned color!!! What if our world outside lacked any color??? Surely that would be hell on earth!!!
Thank you Laurel, love your articles!
Hi Laurel, I get what you are saying about the scale of the furniture. There are some lighting fixtures,I have to admit, I’m infatuated with. The prices are crazy. I see a lot of the fixtures on Alibaba as you mentioned. Is it safe to order from them?
Hi Karen,
I don’t know if Alibaba is safe or not. Maybe google it and see what others are saying.
Very good article! When I was younger, I loved going to Bonwit Teller.. I felt so luxurious.. I loved the cosmetics counter.. until the snarky salesweasels insulted my complexion bc I didn’t buy an entire Erno Lazlo regime.. this from the late 70’s and I still remember how mean they were!! I think the building needs a good staging!!!
Ps how’s the kitchen coming?
Laurel, you never fail to entertain. Of course I willingly click to open your post at 3AM in Idaho when I can’t sleep! RH’s baby nursery is cold and sterile. You’re right, it looks more like a penitentiary. It has been at least 15 years since I’ve been to a RH “gallery.” I’m glad I’m not missing anything, else I’d too be stuck in a grey world void of color and filled with oversized furniture that doesn’t suit me.
Hi Laurel, I agree that place is super prisony inside. But those elevators were already there when it was a trendy clothing store and then Bonwits. Bonwits moved across Boylston Street to what became Marshall’s. When RH first moved in there you could go to buy wall paint and towels.
The little cozy hallways between outer galleries have public restrooms if you can recognize the doors. Or they did before Covid. Always good to know when out shopping!
OMG- Laurel, I laughed out loud when I read “Ridiculously Expensive Stuff To Order” ! And I live alone!! I did purchase some bookshelves from them years ago, when they had a french line that was normal sized furniture…but of course they discontinued that line. Now as you know, I’m not a small woman, but those chairs are even too big for me! I almost need help to get out of them…not possible when one lives alone. Maybe one chair in a studio apartment is all I’d need? I’d sleep, watch television, do my podcasts, get Uber eats to deliver and read all from the same chair? I couldn’t agree more with you on their color palette. BOOORRING!!
You should contact the CEO and tell him he needs to give you a trial room in the Boston RH building – and bring in color and normal sized furniture. I have no idea who in the world in a big city, especially on the east coast would purchase RH furniture. You’d bring in a breath of fresh designing air!!
Please, yes, take up that challenge, Laurel! I’m all agog to see the LB version of RH. Maybe you could build in a visual ‘half life’ to show the products decaying over time. (No don’t – you’d get sued.) I’d like to think the Brits are too savvy for that kind of bs, but honestly, the products on the web site look solid and really well made, and their current look hasn’t died here yet. As for your side of the pond, people in the US design groups I follow wear their RH purchases like a badge of honour. Others want ‘RH quality without the price tag’. I can imagine the stock price staying high for quite some time.