RH (company)

RH

File:RH logo.svg
Company type	Public
Industry	Home furnishings
Founded	1 January 1979 (1979-01-01) in Eureka, California, United States
Founder	Stephen Gordon
Headquarters	Corte Madera, California , United States
Area served	United States, Canada, United Kingdom (Europe)
Key people	Gary Friedman (Chairman and CEO)
Products	Home furnishings, furniture, décor, tableware, apparel and accessories, hospitality venues
Website	rh.com

RH (previously known as Restoration Hardware) is a premium American home furnishings brand based in Corte Madera, California. Its products are distributed through a combination of retail outlets, catalogs, and e-commerce platforms. By 2018, RH operated 70 galleries, including 18 full-line design galleries and 3 dedicated baby-and-child galleries, alongside 36 outlet locations throughout the United States and Canada.

History

Restoration Hardware was established in 1979 by Stephen Gordon in Eureka, California to fill a niche for affordable yet high-quality hardware products. The company experienced steady growth before obtaining funding from Cardinal Investments to speed up its expansion. At the time of its initial public offering in 1998, it had grown to 47 stores, eventually surpassing 100 locations across 31 states with net sales reaching $369.5 million by 2001.

In 2001, Gary Friedman joined as CEO, transitioning from Williams-Sonoma, Inc., and implemented strategic changes in response to declining revenue. Founder Gordon exited the company in 2005 to lead Sundance Catalog Company. Sears Holdings Corporation acquired a 13.7% stake in Restoration Hardware in 2007, prompting takeover rumors. After the housing market collapse, the company announced store closures in 2008 but was taken private that same year through a deal with Catterton Partners. Concurrently, RH launched its baby-and-child product line.

The company returned to public trading with a 2012 IPO priced at $24 per share and rebranded itself as RH, listing on the NYSE under the ticker RH. By 2007, about 65% of RH’s merchandise was produced overseas, mainly through contract manufacturers in southern China. RH is recognized as the largest importer of Belgian Linen in the United States.

In 2012, RH introduced a collection tailored for compact living spaces and expanded its product range with the Objects of Curiosity décor line in 2013. That same year marked the debut of its tableware collection.

RH encountered legal disputes over design infringement claims in 2012. In March 2013, it unveiled a flagship gallery located in Boston’s Back Bay area. Additionally, RH ventured into contemporary art by securing exclusive North American rights to Rain Room by Random International, exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

The company broadened its retail presence with a significant opening of a 70,000-square-foot full-line design gallery in Atlanta in 2014, which included distinctive features such as a 50-foot infinity pool.

RH maintains six Canadian stores: one full-line design gallery at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, three galleries, and two outlet locations.

As of February 2023, investment firm D1 Capital Partners owned a 7.4% equity interest in RH.

Source books

Time magazine critiqued RH’s extensive "Source Book" catalog for its considerable length (992 pages) and environmental impact due to paper consumption. The 2014 edition expanded further to over 3000 pages. RH defended this approach by stating that consolidating multiple catalogs into one reduced their overall carbon footprint, although critics continued to regard the volume of printed material as excessive.

Design philosophy

Beginning in September 2010, RH repositioned itself toward an upscale clientele by focusing on higher-end furniture galleries to distinguish itself from competitors such as Pottery Barn. Many stores adopted "Gallery" in their names to reflect this new strategic direction. The company designs, markets, and retails its collections via physical stores, catalogs, and online platforms. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, RH’s distinctive inventory strategy involves curating products through partnerships with select artists and designers rather than depending solely on internal design teams led by a single full-time designer based in London.

Collaborations with artisans and designers have reinforced RH’s luxury brand image. CNBC’s Jim Cramer characterized RH's catalogs as an effort to rejuvenate shopping experiences beyond digital mediums and described the company as a market disruptor that frequently challenges its own conventions. In 2014, Cramer highlighted RH’s transformation of brick-and-mortar retail through expansive flagship stores situated in unconventional locations. In 2024, CEO Gary Friedman disclosed that RH deliberately avoids official social media platforms and rejects influencer marketing tactics as lacking authenticity.

Hospitality concepts

RH introduced its initial hospitality venture in 2015 with the opening of the Three Arts Café located in Chicago, subsequently expanding to fifteen additional locations across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The company currently manages 14 dining establishments situated within select RH Gallery sites, including prominent cities such as San Francisco, New York, Toronto, and Dallas.

The year 2022 marked RH’s entry into the hotel industry with the debut of the RH Guesthouse in New York City.

Also during 2022, RH revealed plans to acquire and refurbish the Linden House estate in Indianapolis, transforming it into a hybrid showroom and restaurant. This property encompasses a mansion spanning 41,762 square feet along with extensive landscaped grounds and is scheduled to welcome the public in November 2023.

In June 2023, RH made its European market debut by launching 'The Gallery at Aynho Park' in Northamptonshire, UK. This 73-acre estate hosts six hospitality venues—comprising three restaurants and three beverage outlets—representing a significant step in broadening its international footprint.

Executives

Since 2013, Gary Friedman has played a pivotal role as chairman and CEO of RH, returning after a brief departure in 2012 linked to personal conduct matters. His visionary leadership has been instrumental in advancing major corporate initiatives, including the rebranding of Hierarchy to RH Atelier, which centers on upscale apparel and accessories, thereby enriching RH’s product offerings.

Carlos Alberini held the position of co-CEO from 2010 until his departure in 2013 to assume leadership at Lucky Brand Jeans. Following Alberini’s exit, Friedman assumed full responsibility as chairman and CEO, guiding RH’s organizational framework and growth strategies.