Clocking in at 1" thick, 3+ pounds and over 600 pages, the new Restoration Hardware catalog is hard to ignore. The clear direction that the company has taken is the topic du jour and we'd love to know your thoughts. Joni, Megan and Linda chat about our thoughts on the style direction of RH and how long-reaching we feel this trend to be.
We also learn (thanks to Joni's intrepid nephew!) that RH offers trade professionals a 20% discount. So too do Pottery Barn (under their Williams Sonoma banner), Crate and Barrel, and Ballard Designs.
Comments
I knew about Ballard but not the rest. Glad to learn that!!!
As for the new RH, I think I like it. We will see.
Have a nice Sunday, Linda.
Teresa
xoxo
Makes you wonder how well their product is really selling...and whether or not it really appeals to a broad consumer base...
The idea of mixing pieces is great. They are huge and expensive. The Leawood Store is fabulous. I feel like a midget when I walk in though Ha!
All in all great change, marketing and furnishings!
Thanks Ladies as always!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I agree with you gals....I think the quality is beautiful, many of the items are great, but it needs mixing with other things to become more personal and a little "happier".
As far as longevity, I think they will evolve with the times. They'll have to, won't they? Their upholstery could look updated in other fabrics, and their leather is pretty timeless for the most part. It is the overscaled rustic wood furniture that will most likely need an overhaul in a few years.
Great discussion!
I was at my parents' house when their catalog arrived. My mom (who is 68) was horrified at the change in RH - she hadn't been in one for a few years and was unaware of the huge changes. While I can see the appeal of this trend for some people, the catalog itself is just SO dark and dreary, to the point of almost being creepy. I completely agree with the previous comment - - a mix would make it so much more appealing to someone like me (who far prefers the New England look Linda refers to.)
What I find interesting is that this trend - which it surely is - has already hit Target. How long, then, will it appeal to higher end clients?
Again, thanks for an interesting discussion! Can't wait for the upcoming shows . . . looks like you have some wonderful interviews lined up!
Jennifer
How soon will those to die for kitchens be out of style or dated, such as the 2000's or '10s ?
Look at your own homes? How much changing having you each done?
RH will crash and burn sooner or later. The brown furniture hated by the Texas blogger will survive only because English antiques survive generations; French antiques trend,
as do resort destinations.
Personally I just went from a student accommodating home (read that 10 senior boys hung out all over my family room every Friday wiping their hands of chip salt on the arms of it all.) to a lighter CLEANER look. I used all the same furniture, just new fabrics with the addition of a chaise lounge and HandyHusband built a low bookcase for the tv and we moved the armoire, closed, to the other side of the room. Even though my room is lighter, it is somehow cozier... AND CLEAN! YAY. My point is my style changed when it was time to redo but not the bones. Good bones last. BUY ANTIQUES! I'm just sayin'
As a Belgian decorator and owner of a Belgian cabinet and furniture makers company for the 4th generation, I have to say that we are very proud of our Belgian craftsmanship!
The RH catalogue on its own is ok to me! Beautiful pictures, a gorgeous styling and lay-out! Nothing wrong with that!
But, people who have really seen the Belgian furniture and have taken notice of the quality of our furniture pieces, will certainly have felt and noticed the difference of the real Belgian furniture and the Belgian styled furniture that RH (and lots of other companies)presents in their catalogue.
To me you really can not compare this furniture to the high quality masterpieces of our Belgian furniture, who have a 'soul'. Where is this furniture made?!! In Belgium and if it is, by who???By Belgians??!!
I certainly will not undermine the RH concept!! Oh no, this is fantastic! You are right to say that within a few years it will be done with this kind of furniture, but I do think that the RH people are aware of that and maybe they will change their offer of products very fast, even faster than we will think. The group of young people, who love to change their interior from time to time, is their target.
I would never give up my antique Georgian console table for a RH Belgian look-alike , an imitation. Every piece of furniture in the RH catalogue looks fantastic, but is only a look alike to me. For people who can live with these pieces, no problem. I couldn't.
Here in Belgian there are yet so many companies who imitate the style of our talented decorators, that most of us, Belgians, are really done with this kind of imitations.
I am sure that Brooke Giannetti (I mention her here because I thought you were talking about her in the interview) has noticed the difference and felt the real Belgian craftsmanship and had seen and touched the high-quality masterpieces during her stay in Belgium. I do think you have to see and touch it with your own eyes to make your conclusion.
There really are a few US designers who have understand what the Belgian style is all about. And then I think about designers as Kay Douglass and Peter Block (I love his Belgian collection.)
But again RH is a very well conceived concept. There is nothing wrong to buy only a few of the pieces but I woudn't recommend to decorate your entire home with RH furniture. It would be overdone.
Within a few years...? Belgian handmade furniture will last, I am sure of that, but I do have my doubts about the Belgian furniture presented in the RH catalogue. We will see...
Greet
Hugs,
Sherry
I have an interesting story to tell about this whole reincarnation of RH. I was at market a couple of years ago and as is my norm I had shopped for 2 days and on the last went back to place orders. I walked into the first showroom to buy this fabulous giant pier mirror from salvaged woods only to be told that they had sold out. Excuse me? Sold out at market... with 3 days left of the show?????? Never have I encountered that. So I left with a confused (read frustrated) look on my face and went to the next showroom to order a chandelier.. you guessed it... we are sold out. This happened 3 times. I circled back to company #1 that I had the longest relationship with and said,"OK what is going on here?" And the answer was,"You must have unknowingly been following restoration hardware's buyer around. They are buying everything we have." hmmm
Needless to say I changed my direction but never have I encountered anything like it before. Honestly, I think it was a smart move for them that created more buzz than anything I've seen in a long time but I am in full agreement about the total lack of thought concerning scale in the upholstery division. I look like Edith Anne (remember her) sitting on all of their stuff.
One has to wonder if the idea is to re-invent every 5 years. Sounds kind of fun.
WOW! That was a really long comment. LOL
Couches/sofas that are too deep present a problem for everyday use. The free falling into comfort tag is not conducive to comfort. We made the mistake ordering custom deep couches- not good. Apartment size furniture most definitely has a market. I agree, not everyone is six feet tall.
Great conversation, views, opinions, and points, ladies!
I'm in my 20's and so a little young to remember the old iteration of Restoration Hardware but I have to say that I'm not loving its reinvention.
I feel like Restoration Hardware is pretty much exclusively for people who live in stucco McMansions. The price point of Restoration Hardware is priced for such. Somebody who lives in a truly spectacular style would go to B&B Italia for a sofa, not Restoration Hardware. Restoration Hardware is a little too aspirational for me, like the poor man's version of Ralph Lauren Home.
RH is fake luxury priced for the middle class to buy on credit. And I think if you look at their demographic, you'd see that's the case.
I'm also not enthused with their knockoffs of mid-century classics like the Egg and Swan chairs. It's all just fake stuff... I find that a little embarrassing. Can you imagine buying a fake antique bust?
And as someone concerned about my footprint, I will not be patronizing any company that drops off half a dozen huge catalogs like they're phone books... recycled paper or not.
There are some aesthetics that just don't work on a budget. And I think that's why RH feels so phony to me. Their products try to give the impression that they're something they're not -- that's the very definition of "pretense." It's pretentious.
anon 9:05 - this is a potentially snarky retort: no. We spend enough time on this 'hobby' the thought of paying someone to train me out of my, 'likes' and 'ums' so that this show is more bearable to someone, doesn't really interest me. And, I'm sure I'm the biggest offender here. My advice, is for you to start your own show.
Room for Thinking- great, great points. No, ideally, I wouldn't want to own a fake Egg Chair (and the price isn't even that great for a fake). But if I had a limited budget, I wouldn't have a problem buying something, inexpensive that's "inspired by" the real thing. For instance, Ikea has a nice Saarenin 'Tulip' table knock off. And you can find all kinds of Betrtoia knock offs on Amazon. But they're all around $150.00 and less. Now, that, I'd do if I had to for $$ sake.
It all reminds me of the Gap in the mid90s they sort of had a last hurrah, with their, "Khakis and Gray T-shirt campaign" - Then they never really recovered. They still seem to be trying to figure out what their 'look' is.
Meanwhile, Jcrew marched right along and evolved into a creative, yet conservative, identity that works across the board and appeals to a varied audience of consumers. I can't imagine that, throwing a few faux Egg Chairs in the mix of the Faux Belgian is going to garner the kind of audience that's going to sustain them.
I worked at RH before they transformed themselves, and at that time it was the rumor that Sears was buying them out. They pushed their sales people and watched every move you made. Did not like working there at all.
Keep up your great roundtables. I enjoy them very, very much!
I keep my catalog in the car to look at if I am stuck waiting somewhere. The furniture is too large for both me and my house, and I would kill myself if my home looked that dark and dreary. Many of their individual items are nice enough, but I agree that if one is going to buy RH furnishings, they should be mixed with other things to avoid that gothic-vampire abode look.
Greet is right. If you want a Belgian interior, go to Belgium and hire her to help you buy over there.
Even though they are trying to sell to the upper class customers, most of them are not going to be into this type of look. I do think Pottery Barn has it right and that will be where more are shopping at, not RH with the some of the same pieces that you can get somewhere else much cheaper.
Innerspace Interiors - I didn't notice that the prices had gone down, interesting...
Toastmasters Anon - I mean... haha, just had to throw that in. I hate how many people are starting sentences with that. And yet, I find myself doing it sometimes too. Your point is well taken, but what it says to me is that I need to do a better job at editing - you should hear the raw recording!
Thanks everyone for your excellent insights and thoughts - keep 'em coming!
LOVE THE NEW LOOK AND THE BEAUTIFUL CATALOGUE!! I want to make the stone mantels to go with this new look. Just the fact that there is this much dialogue in a store, tells me it is hot! People say it is too expensive and too trendy but you don't have to furnish with a lot of pieces to get the look.
Thanks for your fun pod cast!
xoxox,
Sandee
Our store in a St. Louis area mall just got a repaint from bright white to dark grey paint and out with the old line and in with the new. A very simple rework of the store.
What’s wrong with the masculine look of the offerings in the catalog you have dozens of other companies to choose from for a more feminine look. I love it but that’s coming from a guy…….
That being said, my initial foray into the RH store left me disappointed and missing the quirkiness of things they had. Where are my stocking stuffers?! Used to love their gardening accessories. And I was initially so overwhelmed by the darkness of the store that I was in and out in 10 minutes. However, once I perused the catalog, there were things that interested me enough to go back for another visit. While I think everything there is generally too masculine, there are some components that I might like. The drafting table, much of the wrought iron stuff. Overall, it says to me "metrosexual". The one catalog that REALLY caught my attention was the baby catalog. If they would offer those french-inspired beds in larger sizes, in my opinion they would have something to appeal to females. It is light, bright, romantic....mixes well with the french inspiration of Ballard Designs. And I also love the classic garden designs in the gardening catalog.
Overall, it's worth more than a second look!
Kate