RH
RH is an American luxury home-furnishings company operating galleries, catalogs, digital commerce, hospitality venues, and a hotel.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, is an American home-furnishings company headquartered in Corte Madera, California. It designs, sources, markets, and sells furniture, lighting, textiles, bath fixtures, outdoor furnishings, décor, and related products through a combination of large-format retail galleries, outlet stores, catalogs known as source books, and online channels. The company has progressively moved away from the conventional mid-market home-furnishings model toward a more elevated and experience-led positioning, using architectural showrooms, curated collections, hospitality venues, and high-priced merchandise to differentiate itself from competitors such as Pottery Barn and other mainstream home retailers. Stephen Gordon founded Restoration Hardware in Eureka, California, in 1979. The original idea emerged while Gordon was restoring a Victorian house and could not find reasonably priced, well-made hardware and fixtures. The business initially expanded gradually in Northern California and later Boston. Outside investment from Cardinal Investments supported a faster expansion, and the company had 47 stores when it went public in 1998. By the end of that year it had more than 65 stores, and by 2001 it operated more than 100 stores in 31 states, recording approximately $369.5 million in net sales that year. Gary Friedman joined the company from Williams-Sonoma in 2001, becoming a central figure in its later transformation. Restoration Hardware was experiencing weakening sales and needed additional capital, while Friedman began reshaping the company around more coordinated collections, a stronger catalog presence, and a more premium retail environment. Stephen Gordon left in 2005 to become chief executive of Robert Redford's Sundance Catalog Company. Sears Holdings acquired a minority stake in 2007, but a full takeover did not occur. In 2008, Catterton Partners acquired the company and took Restoration Holdings private during the aftermath of the United States housing downturn. The company returned to public markets in 2012, opening on the New York Stock Exchange at $24 per share. It subsequently adopted RH as its corporate and consumer-facing name. The rebranding accompanied a strategic shift toward large galleries and design-oriented destinations rather than conventional stores. RH locations increasingly incorporated the word "Gallery," and some flagship properties were designed as immersive environments with restaurants, gardens, pools, and other architectural features. The company has also used extensive source books to present its collections as editorially curated interiors rather than as a conventional product catalog. RH's product and merchandising activity has included collections for small spaces, objects and decorative artifacts, tableware, baby and child furnishings, outdoor living, textiles, lighting, and bath products. The company has worked with artisans and designers and has sourced substantially from international contract manufacturers. Its approach emphasizes cohesive room settings, historical references, natural materials, and a luxury-oriented visual identity. RH has also developed art-related initiatives, including the acquisition and exhibition of the first edition of Random International's Rain Room, which it loaned to the Museum of Modern Art in New York for the 2013 exhibition EXPO 1: New York. Hospitality became an important extension of the brand. RH opened its first hospitality concept, the 3 Arts Club Café in Chicago, in 2015 and later developed restaurants and cafés within selected galleries in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In 2022 it opened the RH Guesthouse in New York City, its first hotel. In 2023 the company opened the Gallery at Aynho Park in Northamptonshire, its first location outside North America. The site combines a gallery with restaurants, lounges, and beverage concepts across a large historic estate. RH has historically maintained a relatively limited conventional advertising and social-media presence compared with many consumer brands. Its source books, showroom architecture, merchandising, word of mouth, and physical experiences have served as major brand-building tools. In 2024, Gary Friedman described the company as having no official social-media presence, reflecting his stated skepticism toward influencer marketing and social-media campaigns. The company therefore presents itself less as a traditional furniture retailer and more as a luxury design platform connecting residential products, architecture, art, dining, and hospitality.
History
RH began as Restoration Hardware in Eureka, California, in 1979. Founder Stephen Gordon was restoring a Victorian home and encountered difficulty finding affordable, high-quality hardware and fixtures. The initial business served a niche demand for historically styled and practical home components, then expanded gradually through Northern California and Boston. The company accelerated after receiving outside capital from Cardinal Investments. It had 47 stores when it completed its 1998 initial public offering and ended that year with more than 65 locations. By 2001, it had expanded to more than 100 stores in 31 states and reported net sales of approximately $369.5 million. That same year Gary Friedman joined from Williams-Sonoma as chief executive officer. His tenure became associated with a major repositioning of the company around coordinated collections, catalogs, premium pricing, and more theatrical retail spaces. Gordon left Restoration Hardware in 2005 to lead Robert Redford's Sundance Catalog Company. Sears Holdings acquired a 13.7 percent interest in the company in 2007, prompting speculation about a possible acquisition, but Sears did not take control. The housing-market downturn created additional pressure, and Restoration Hardware planned store closures in 2008. Instead of a Sears transaction, Catterton Partners acquired the company in June 2008 and took Restoration Holdings private. The baby-and-child business was also introduced during 2008. Restoration Hardware returned to the public market in 2012. Its shares opened at $24 on the New York Stock Exchange, where the company trades under the symbol RH. The company also began using RH as its principal name, reflecting a broader design platform rather than a narrow hardware category. New product and editorial initiatives included the Small Spaces collection, the Objects of Curiosity source book, and tableware. The company continued to sell through galleries, catalogs, and its website while building a more premium identity. From approximately 2010 onward, the company emphasized an up-market strategy. Stores were increasingly branded as Galleries or Design Galleries, and selected properties became large architectural destinations rather than standard retail boxes. RH's source books were unusually large and editorial in format. The 2014 publication exceeded 3,000 pages and weighed approximately 17 pounds, generating criticism from environmental commentators who viewed the paper use as excessive. RH argued that consolidating source books into a larger package could reduce its overall carbon footprint, but the controversy highlighted the tension between its physical catalog model and sustainability concerns. The brand also developed an art and cultural dimension. In 2013, RH announced a contemporary-art platform and obtained exclusive North American showing rights for the first edition of Rain Room by Random International. The installation was loaned to the Museum of Modern Art in New York for EXPO 1: New York. RH's galleries increasingly combined retail with design exhibitions, restaurants, gardens, and architectural spectacle. The company entered hospitality in 2015 with the 3 Arts Club Café in Chicago. It subsequently opened additional restaurants and hospitality venues within selected galleries in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In 2022 it opened RH Guesthouse in New York, its first hotel. In 2022 RH also announced plans to acquire and renovate Linden House in Indianapolis as a showroom and restaurant; the property was scheduled for a public grand opening in November 2023. In June 2023 RH opened the Gallery at Aynho Park in Northamptonshire, its first site outside North America. The estate includes retail, three restaurants, and three beverage concepts. RH's international footprint has included the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, its reported locations have included a full-line Design Gallery in Toronto, other galleries, and outlet stores. The company has historically relied heavily on international sourcing, including contract manufacturing in China, and has been described as one of the largest United States importers of Belgian linen. Leadership has been shaped by Gary Friedman's long tenure. He resigned in 2012 following an independent review of his relationship with a younger employee, while continuing the relationship afterward. RH reappointed him chairman and co-chief executive in July 2013. Carlos Alberini, who had joined as co-CEO in 2010, left in 2013 to become chief executive of Lucky Brand Jeans. Friedman has continued to advocate a distinctive model built around large physical destinations, high-priced collections, limited conventional advertising, and a deliberate avoidance of influencer-led social-media marketing.
- 2023
First European location opens
[1]The Gallery at Aynho Park opened in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom.
- 2022
RH Guesthouse opens
[1]RH opened its first hotel in New York City.
- 2015
First 3 Arts Club Café opens
[1]RH opened its first hospitality venue in Chicago.
- 2012
Return to public markets and RH renaming
[1]The company returned to the New York Stock Exchange under the RH ticker and adopted RH as its principal name.
- 2008
Catterton takes the company private
[1]Catterton Partners acquired Restoration Holdings after the housing downturn and took the company private.
- 2001
Gary Friedman joins as chief executive
[1]Friedman joined from Williams-Sonoma as the company sought new capital and a strategic turnaround.
- 1998
Initial public offering
[1]The company went public with 47 stores and ended the year with more than 65 locations.
- 1979
Restoration Hardware is founded
[1]Stephen Gordon founded the company in Eureka, California, after struggling to find affordable, high-quality hardware and fixtures while restoring a Victorian home.
Products and positioning
A luxury and design-led home-furnishings platform combining curated furniture collections with monumental galleries, editorial source books, restaurants, art, and hospitality.
Indoor furniture and interiors
RH Interiors
RH's core interior-furnishings offering includes furniture, lighting, textiles, rugs, decorative accessories, and room collections. The assortment is presented through coordinated settings intended to support complete-room design rather than isolated product purchases. Collections commonly draw on historical architectural references, natural materials, industrial forms, and restrained luxury.
Modern furniture and lighting
RH Modern
RH Modern focuses on contemporary furniture, lighting, and décor with cleaner silhouettes and modern materials. It extends RH's design-led approach into a more current aesthetic while retaining the company's emphasis on coordinated environments and premium presentation.
Outdoor furniture
RH Outdoor
RH Outdoor includes furniture and accessories for terraces, gardens, patios, and other exterior settings. The line is merchandised as an extension of residential interiors, with collections designed to coordinate across dining, lounging, shade, lighting, and outdoor décor.
Baby and children's furnishings · 2008
RH Baby & Child
The baby-and-child line provides furnishings and décor for nurseries, children's bedrooms, and play spaces. It broadened RH's reach into family-oriented rooms while applying the company's established emphasis on coordinated collections and decorative styling.
Space-conscious furniture · 2012
Small Spaces
Introduced as a collection for smaller homes and rooms, Small Spaces uses reduced-scale furnishings and layouts intended for compact living environments. The associated 2014 source book illustrated small residences in the United States and Europe.
Hospitality · 2022
RH Guesthouse
RH Guesthouse is the company's hotel concept. Its New York opening in 2022 extended RH's design language into accommodations and positioned the brand as an experience platform as well as a retailer.
Controversies
2014
Environmental criticism of large source books
RH's very large printed source books attracted criticism over paper consumption and distribution waste. The company argued that combining books into a single package reduced its overall carbon footprint.
2012
Executive relationship and Gary Friedman resignation
An independent report examined Gary Friedman's inappropriate romantic relationship with a younger female employee. Friedman resigned in 2012, although he was reappointed chairman and co-chief executive in 2013.
2012
Allegations of copied designs
RH was accused of copying designs associated with other companies, including designs used by the United States military.
Marketing campaigns
- 2024Anti-social-media brand strategy
United States · Canada · United Kingdom
Gary Friedman stated that RH maintained no official social-media presence and expressed skepticism toward influencer marketing.
Outcome. The position distinguished RH from furniture retailers that rely heavily on social platforms and creator campaigns.
- 2014Small Spaces source book
United States · Europe
RH used an editorial source book to present furniture and room designs for compact residences.
Outcome. The campaign reinforced RH's source-book-led merchandising model and broadened the brand's design storytelling.
- 2013RH contemporary art platform
United States · Canada
RH launched a contemporary-art initiative centered on acquiring and presenting significant works. Its first reported project involved the first edition of Rain Room by Random International.
Outcome. Rain Room was loaned to the Museum of Modern Art in New York for EXPO 1: New York, increasing the brand's cultural visibility.
Brand decisions
2023
Expand into EuropeStrategyBackground
RH sought to extend its gallery and hospitality model beyond North America.
Action taken
RH opened the Gallery at Aynho Park in Northamptonshire, combining retail with three restaurants and three beverage outlets.
Aftermath
The opening established the United Kingdom as RH's first non-North-American market.
2015
Enter hospitalityStrategyBackground
RH was developing galleries as destinations that combined retail with lifestyle experiences.
Action taken
The company opened the 3 Arts Club Café in Chicago and later added restaurants and hospitality concepts within selected galleries.
Aftermath
Hospitality became a recurring component of RH's gallery and property strategy, culminating in the RH Guesthouse hotel.
2012
Adopt RH as the principal corporate nameStrategyBackground
The company was broadening beyond its historical hardware identity into furniture, interiors, art, and hospitality.
Action taken
Following its return to public markets, Restoration Hardware adopted RH as its principal name and continued trading under RH.
Aftermath
The shorter name supported the company's broader luxury design-platform positioning.
2010
Move toward an up-market gallery modelStrategyBackground
RH sought to distinguish itself from mainstream home-furnishings competitors and strengthen its premium positioning.
Action taken
The company raised price points, expanded gallery-style presentations, and increasingly branded locations as Galleries or Design Galleries.
Aftermath
The strategy became central to RH's identity and led to larger, more immersive retail destinations.
Recent events
- 2023
RH expands into Europe with Gallery at Aynho Park[1]
Product launch
RH opened its first location outside North America at Aynho Park in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, combining retail and multiple hospitality concepts.
- 2023
RH shareholder stake reported for D1 Capital Partners[1]
Other
D1 Capital Partners was reported to hold a 7.4 percent stake in RH.
- 2022
RH opens its first hotel in New York[1]
Product launch
RH opened the RH Guesthouse in New York City, extending the brand beyond retail galleries and restaurants.
- 2015
RH opens first hospitality concept[1]
Product launch
The company opened the 3 Arts Club Café in Chicago, beginning its expansion into restaurants and hospitality.
- 2013
RH launches contemporary art platform and exhibits Rain Room[1]
Other · Campaign
RH acquired exclusive North American showing rights to the first edition of Rain Room by Random International and loaned it to the Museum of Modern Art for EXPO 1: New York.
- 2012
RH returns to public markets after private ownership period[1]
M&A · Other
The company completed an initial public offering and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RH.
Sources2 sources
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