Who are they? You would expect names of interior decorators to follow. But instead, it is Restoration Hardware – a store and catalog company with impact across millions of homes. Their home improvement products like hardware and paint and their home décor lines including indoor and outdoor furniture appear to be in step with the desires of today’s homeowners. Take for example their new family room line. It is big; it is easy and comfortable. Their outdoor décor includes interesting new pieces such as the fire tables and fire columns – great additional ambience and entertainment creators to pools and spas.
Their catalogs are engaging. More and more I find clients describe their wish lists with images from Restoration Hardware catalogs. They are inviting, voluminous and almost book like in size; they get one’s attention. Even my husband will peruse the catalog before proceeding to the usual auto magazines with his morning coffee. Given the number of well-done catalogs today this is quite an accomplishment.
Restoration Hardware manages to straddle contemporary to modern traditional. The stores are fun to browse around in. I commend their designers and management even though some years ago we had serious quality problems with outdoor teak furniture we purchased. While they accepted the return it took repeated phone follow ups to finally get the credit back.
I would also be cautious when it comes to bathroom remodels products. Shipping large pieces of marble can be tricky since chipping and cracking happens far too easily. Also, the walls in most homes are not perfectly straight so that sink tops are likely to show gaps where they abutting the wall. For all of those reasons vanity tops are really best done as custom installations.
That said Restoration Hardware’s home furnishings and home décor hit the mark. They look inviting and fresh. Gary Friedman and his team at Restoration Hardware are getting a lot of things right. Bravo!
