I received the new Restoration Hardware catalog the other day. While flipping through, I noticed how their new designs are heavily focused on swedish design with reclaimed wood and industrial designs.
As a designer, I am never happy when a unique design aesthetic becomes mainstream. It waters the integrity of the design down AND lowers the value of the true antiques.
Here are some photos of some very talented designers and antiques dealers that have made their name from Swedish and French design.
Houstonian Designer Pam Pierce via Cote de Texas
Houstonian Designer Pam Pierce via Cote de Texas
Lars Bolander Designs
Lars Bolander Designs
Lars Bolander Designs
Suzanne Kassler Design
Tara Shaw Antiques
Brooke and Steve Gianetti's kitchen via Velvet and Linen Blog
(notice the industrial stools - I believe they are vintage medical chairs)
Steve Gianetti office - Giannetti Home and Velvet and Linen Blog
(He collected industrial artifacts and gears)
(notice the industrial stools - I believe they are vintage medical chairs)
(He collected industrial artifacts and gears)
Each one of these designers and/or architects has a very special gift in finding unusual antiques and a wonderful design aesthetic. I think that Restoration Hardware has really taken something from them and other designers who specialize in this aesthetic.
Here are the Restoration Hardware items:
Belgian linen covered french chairs
Reclaimed wood trestle table
Reclaimed wood baker's shelves Industrial stool
Reproduction Gears
Reclaimed wood kitchen island
Brickmaker's Table
(Velvet & Linen blog had a giveaway of this table several months back - not a restoration hardware one)
Reproduction French Feed Sack Pillows
Belgian Linen upholstered sofa, reclaimed wood mirror, industrial tripod lights....
I wonder how these designers feel?
Once, we sold a home that I had designed and the person who purchased it took photos of everything I had designed in order to replicate it! She even went so far as to bring a woodworker in to measure my antique dining room table to have it built. Now, I would have sold her the items which were all antiques but she was trying to do it on the "cheap". (This is extremely insulting to a designer...it feels like stealing.)
I would love to know your thoughts on the Restoration Hardware reproductions.
Au revoir for now!
You know, Melissa, I think that's just the nature of design. Things are going to get copied and passed down to the less expensive markets. RH's catalog is really beautiful & I've enjoyed looking thru it too & since so many of those French & Belgian designs are based on real antiques, I'm not surprised to see a huge retailer mass marketing them now. Their prices are really up there, in my book so if I was buying that sort of design, I'd probably go with the antique instead of the copies, but I do have to say they've done a good job with them.
ReplyDeleteI've got a post coming up too about finding your own style & not getting pulled into everything that comes along. There's so much these days to swoon over, all white, French, Swedish, etc, but I won't be doing it all in my house. I have to stay true to what the bones of my house & furniture dictate.
Hi Melissa- I would agree that RH is watering down the look, but the fact is, most people cannot afford original antiques and so should they not have a look they like because of that? Fine furniture makers (not necessarily RH) have been making reproductions for centuries, it's not a new phenomenon. We have a local furniture company called Eldred Wheeler who makes fine repros of American colonial and Federal style furniture. Nothing cheap about them, but not the price of an antique either.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it gets harder to justify the high price of antiques to some people, but the majority of RH buyers aren't buying high end design services either and likely never will. But then, once it's at RH's level, is the look on the wane anyway? Hmm...
Meanwhile, I'm not happy with RH for swapping chair legs out on their perfectly nice Martine chair (yes, a copy of the Baker tufted dining chair) with the industrial oak legs. Bad choice! But, at about 1/4 the cost of the Baker version, the chairs certainly help stretch the budget!
Thank you for your input Linda. I always value your oppinion. I listen to you each time on The Skirted Roundtable. I loved that you were able to admit that you had jealousy toward Joni's blog. That take a big person to admit that!!
ReplyDeleteThank you again for stopping by my blog. I will be posting photos of our home soon. Since you are a New Englander, I think you will enjoy the view.
We tackle a similar issue on the new skirted round table - it's not up yet, but probably will be posted around friday - so watch for it. ;) it's a good one.
ReplyDeletethanks for the comment!!
Joni
As a lover and collector of fine (and junky) antiques and vintage and just plain old, I can understand companies copying beautiful and popular designs. What I can't understand is some people paying more for the copy than the original (The copies are never made as well...well hardly ever!)
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of a truly old piece is the history and the stories it holds and ther is no way you can put that into a new piece until it has become aged and precious!!
On the other hand I do love that table!!!!
What I can't stand is when I see people embracing a design aesthetic that just does not work with their homes. I saw a man in a RH store buying the "look" and I thought it was sad that he had no faith in his own taste. Enough of the Paris maps and industrial coffee tables- they just look plain foolish in most settings. To really pull off that kind of "antique" vibe just isn't going to happen with RH or Pottery Barn. That being said, who am I to tell anyone what they should be doing with their money? If it pleases them to imagine they are world sophisticates who have just returned from France then why not?
ReplyDeletenice post!
ReplyDeletelove the resoration hardware canopy chair and what your thoughts for the little french chairs for an eat in kitchen table
ReplyDeleteHi I agree that the canopy chair is very nice...personally I would buy in muslin and add my own fabric that has more of a statement.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous, what a weblog it is! This blog provides useful
ReplyDeletefacts to us, keep it up.
My web page: juicers compare