The US home furnishings retailer RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) is an upmarket brand, loved by designers and celebrities, known for its seductively lavish flagship stores (‘galleries’) housed in architectural masterpieces such as Aynho Park, which opened earlier this year.
If RH is new to you, that’s no surprise. They’re a relatively quiet bunch, relying on word of mouth to build their UK audience and are pretty much absent from social media – unheard of in the retail sector.
RH Outdoor
The market tentacles of the new competitor are far reaching as the RH outdoor offering is vast.
Furniture is available in a myriad of collections, national inspiration, colours and finishes. At a glance the wooden (teak) furniture is priced above UK luxury furniture maker Gaze Burvill, but probably not enough to frighten off the new, well-heeled Cotswold set. Designs are striking, modern and quite distinct from anything currently on offer on the UK market. There are also furniture collaborations with international designers such as Thomas Bina & Ronald Sasson and the Sydney-born designer brothers Harrison and Nicholas Condos for added appeal.
Supplementing the furniture; there are pots and planters in various shapes, colours, sizes and finishes (clay, stone and metal); umbrellas in all manner of sizes and shades; lanterns & outdoor lighting, cushions and a myriad of decorative items. Basically a one stop luxury shop.
UK outdoor furniture market
The market for garden furniture is driven by leisure time, increased garden focus, the blurring of indoor and outdoor living space, wellness, mental health, relaxation, entertaining and connecting with nature in the garden. Revenue in the UK Outdoor Furniture market stands at US$1.91bn in 2023 (Source Statista.com).
Despite intense competition, investors are optimistic about this market, so much so that the global outdoor furniture market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate between 2023 and 2030 – with North America and Europe leading the market. Long-term growth is expected to come from the millennials buying and kitting out their first homes in the the next three to five years. Product types with the largest market share are outdoor furniture & accessories, BBQs/Grills & paraphernalia, and terrace/patio heating equipment.
RH couldn’t have timed their entry to the European/UK market any better.