All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY
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| Inside the glam new Restoration Hardware store in Los Angeles. (above) |
So put simply…I am impressed.
Last night, I went to the opening party for the new Restoration Hardware “gallery” in West Hollywood.
My friend elite event planner Yifat Oren (Yifat was responsible for Reese Witherspoon’s wedding) and my assistant KS joined me and we met up with my fab new friend Jessica Kantor from Vogue.
The event was hosted by the Los Angeles County Museum and the venerable Margaret Russell, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest (Margaret looked so summer chic by the way…she was wearing a cute pink dress with a sparkle encrusted neckline (I had just seen Margaret last week at the event for the First Lady of the United States). During a quick hello at the party last night, Margaret was also very nice to congratulate me on the COCOCOZY textile collection!).
Ran into Million Dollar Decorator star Mary McDonald (I met Mary through a friend awhile back, so we had a nice chat), designers Oliver Furth and Jeff Andrews among many others!
Okay enough about who was there…I need to talk about what I saw.
I walked into the party at about 7:30p…into a beautiful courtyard with huge wine barrel chandeliers hanging from gargantuan ropes, lots of outdoor furniture and great music. It was quite posh. Then I moved into the store…in search of my friends (who were all running a tad behind) and was bowled over. Restoration Hardware, the store that used to be in malls around the country, had transformed into a fine furnishings purveyor. GORGEOUS reproduction furniture, sparkling chandeliers, wonderful accessories and an overall traditional meets modern sexy vibe. The store has dark grey walls, lots of pieces in the neutral, grey and brown tones. French and Eurpoean antique reproductions and even some stabs at mid-century modern reincarnations were throughout the two story very grand and elegant space. While all seemed rather fine…all of the furnishings and the setting felt inviting…assistant KS even said she wanted her dream home to look like the store! All seemed to be well made…heavy, substantial, well crafted pieces. I’m no expert on all of this…all I know is what I saw…and I loved it.
Then it was time to meet Gary Friedman, Restoration Hardware’s CEO. He is pictured on the Restoration Hardware website. Well as it turns out, he is a totally nice man who clearly knows what he is doing (the reason I say “as it turns out” is that I know he must be a little busy and if I were running an empire, I could only hope that I would be able to be as nice and natural as he was). Gary, a true pro I could tell, was so kind and gracious when meeting me, Jessica and KS (Yifat had left for the evening at that point). I didn’t know what to expect…but all I know is that after chatting with him for just a few moments, I walked away duly impressed again! (Oh I had just read this article about Gary Friedman and Restoration Hardware’s revamp in the Wall Street journal. Gary was quoted as saying “Great brands don’t chase customers; customers chase great brands”…love that quote and I try to remember it every day as I work on building the COCOCOZY furnishings collection and the overall COCOCOZY brand…very inspirational).
Anyhooo…enough of my chatter and onto my pictures of the event. Here goes….
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| Loved these fully tufted sofas and sectionals. Love! (above) |
So…what do you think? I would have to say…if you have received the Restoration catalog…it does not do justice to the furniture and accessories (it is a nice catalog don’t get me wrong)…but trust me, everything in the store is even more beautiful in real life.
I want to hear your thoughts on this new look for Restoration! What do you think????
Happy Friday!
xo
Coco
P.S. Went to dinner at Fig & Olive after the event with Jessica and KS and ran into Emily Ruddo of Armonia Decor. She is a reader and designer and it was so nice catching up with her and her friend.
P.P.S. It was just announced today that the COCOCOZY collection is now being represented by a showroom in Atlanta called Christian Mosso Associates (CMA). The CMA showroom in Atlanta represents textile and furnishing lines like Serena & Lilly, Peacock Alley, Designers Guild and many more prestigious brands now including COCOCOZY. I feel like I’m in good company! I will be in Atlanta in July to show the collection!
Photos: All photos in this post by Coco of COCOCOZY
SO much fun last night Coco!! We must do it again soon. Congrats on the Atlanta showroom!! Chat with you soon 🙂
xoxo
Emily
http://www.armoniadecors.com
Did they mention when their Baby & Child store was opening in LA? Dying for that one!
Congratulations in your future showroom Coco, I am waiting to see it posted here! I loved those crated chandeliers! amazing photos! thanks for sharing.
-thepurplebow
Love that showroom!!!! Do you know who the architect was who designed the space? I know it was Ed Hardy’s Antiques showroom before, but I have been trying to find out who the architect was to no avail! I’ve even called Restoration Hardwrare’s 800 number… no info!
I’m in Miami, but maybe you can get that info being in LA!!!
Many thanks!
Suzanne
PS: Congratulations on your line being in a showroom!!! So proud of you and your accomplishments!!!!
They opened the Raleigh, NC gallery last summer so I’ve had several opportunities to wander through there now and I have to say, while I do applaud such a dramatic & aggressive turn for a brand like RH, I felt like the overall vibe of the store was very depressing. I like gray and Belgian linens as much as the next girl but everything was in that style. Impressive merchandising of course…still love walking through there for inspiration. Just wish they’d spice things up a bit with some color!
Congratulations on your new home at Christian Mosso – you’re are rubbing shoulders with the best !
Love their new offerings. I worked at RH a few years ago. Their furniture was top quality and I liked it all but you could get similar quality and style elsewhere. I like that they are now doing their own thing. They def stand out from other national retailers. They revamped the Scottsdale store a few months ago and it is gorgeous. Not as posh as the one pictured here but gorgeous none-the-less. The furniture is too large and not the right style for my space but I still wander through their store and drool over their catalog. Kudos for breaking the mold!
I absolutely HATE this. Saw their new showroom in Kansas City on the Plaza and felt like I was in a bomb shelter. The gray is too dark, the wood products are splitting (a dab of moisture anywhere PLEASE!). It felt like I was trapped in a nightmare.
I love Restoration Hardware. I go to the one in Lincoln Park (chicago) and it’s beautiful.It looked like you had a wonderful time and btw. congratulations : )
Once again we see…the emperor has no clothes. I can’t believe anyone likes this. It’s not even new. What was once a beautiful store in Kansas City is now just grim.
I too need more color in my life. I’m sure it’s meant to be mixed with your own interpretation of the look, but as it stands, very masculine. I never turn down a good party, which I’m sure it was. Congrats on the steps your line is taking! Sounds like you know how to “move and shake” among the best of them!
Barbara
The Treasured Home
Looks like Flamant in Europe except not nearly as good. You can’t get authenticity in China.
I was very disappointed with the revamping of RH. What I loved about them before was their timeless classic style and great quality. I feel like the new look is too industrial and overall depressing. I do love the occasional industrial pieces, I have some in my own home. There is a smaller market of people who would actually go for this whole look. Isn’t that what a catalog and a showroom should do? Provide you with the option to buy it all?
I feel like the pieces now are just boring basics and they aren’t at all cozy or warm. Nothing screams “welcome home” or we have great taste and are well collected… It’s just so sad, all brown…..
Congrats on your showroom! I have my eye on some of your prints when our beach house is completed.
I have to agree that even though I am obsessed with RH, I am not as fond of the newer industrial look. I fell in love with them during the Silver Sage era and wish they had just continued with that sort of obtainable elegance. I still love all of their hardware and I am currently admiring my beautiful sconces in my family room…the only ones I could find that I loved were from RH. I love the quote about chasing good brands. I want to chase them like I used to. 🙂 Great party though…stunning lights.
Congrats on your line…it’s so beautiful!
Wow! This store is amazing compared to the other Restorations I’ve been to…seriously gorg! Just found your blog and I’m loving it! Xo, Katie
I saw this look last year and to be honest it did not feel like a new look at all. this style has been going on long enough that it feels like a trend on its way out. I was truly surprised that RH jumped on the train when It is moving out. I actually wrote a post on it.
http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2010/09/i-miss-silver-sage.html
The event looks like it was wonderful, but I am not a big fan of such a depressive look. I do like some of the pieces but to have a whole home like this would be way too much for me personally. I am a sunshine gal, this is just dreary. Kathysue
I am thrilled to hear that your line will be represented in the CMA Showroom at AmericasMart Atlanta! We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming July Market!
Katie Belveal, AmericasMart
Congrats on CMA representing COCOCOZY! I used to work in their showroom for the summer shows when I was in school. It was neat to see their name again! Congrats again!
Whitney
http://www.betweentheboxwoods.com
they completely redid the store in houston and i saw it the other day and almost died. it is so gorgeous. i am in awe of them right now. so fashion forward. i was drooling. the low lights – low lights in a furniture store! it more like a nightclub! it was fabulous. but our building is plain jane – cant compare to this one or the one in sF, i think it is?
Joni
Ah! I LOVE Restoration Hardware! I have the Belgian Linen Sand colored Tufted Headboard for my bed! I wish I could afford the tufted sectionals too!
-Arielle
It all just seems vanilla-nouveau-riche. No risk, little surprise… except for the darkness. Some stores without natural light feel decorated for Halloween… in April. The stores are so dark that they’re dreary. I ‘get’ that it’s somewhat tony, medium-affluent, but is it happy? The one RH Baby store I’ve seen resembles a mausoleum. They’ve really tried. But were they to add the joie de vivre that old Restoration Hardware enjoyed they would really have something that had feeling -instead of just a look.