The famous US furnishing retailer RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware has finally opened the doors to the first UK based gallery in the Summer of ’23. The gallery is set in the beautiful English Oxfordshire countryside at Anyhoe Park Estate, a Grade I listed property build in 1615. This property is the perfect fit to show off the RH contemporary furniture in a period property.
“We believe RH England represents our greatest work to date and will serve as a symbol of our values and beliefs as we embark on our expansion across Europe”.Gary Friedman – Chef Executive, RH
I look forward to my future visits to RH England and would encourage you to go if stuck for something to do on a weekend, it is a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle of London. There is a new restaurant set to open in the Autumn called The Conservatory, this is to mimic your classic American bistro with brick fireplaces, indoor trees as well as a glass-span roof.
Please do let me know if you visit, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Arrival At The House…
Upon arriving at the Aynhoe Park Estate in Oxfordshire, you are immediately greeted by the complimentary valet service who will park your car whilst you wander into the main foyer. The concierge at RH England are on hand to coordinate your full experience whilst on site, they can guide you around the house or will just point you in the right direction dependant on what you are looking for. I would highly recommend using the in-house Interior Design service if you are serious about making a purchase. The team will be able to assist with any fabric changes or styling that you may desire. On my visit, we decided to just browse the house and take it all in alone, with the plan to visit again when planning to purchase.
The Tea Lounge Our first stop was the lovely Tea Room, where staff are on hand to assist with any refreshments needed, I would recommend stopping for a drink first as you more than likely have taken a journey to Oxfordshire by car or train, so may be in need of a quick pick-me-up before exploring the 60+ expansive rooms.
Walk Around The House With Me… The most special characteristic of the RH Group, is their ability it adapt each gallery to perfectly suit its historic building, enhancing many of the pre-existing features. I have inserted a few images from my favourite rooms around the house below. You will notice, RH England tend to stick to a very muted colour palette of neutrals and wooden elements with hints of nature in the sense of trees throughout the rooms. I could not recommend more highly the quality of all RH pieces, it is really bringing a new league to the UK which is very exciting. We had a lot of furniture shipped over to the UK almost 10 years ago, which we selected from Restoration Hardware Boston Gallery, this furniture has stood the test of time and due to the classic nature we will keep for future house moves.
The Loggia at RH England This restaurant and wine bar is set outside, where you an expect to dine lounging on RH furniture. We had a lovely table where we sat around a fire pit. Describing this restaurant in one word, ‘WOW’ – When sat outside enjoying a lovely glass of Rosé, it feels like you are sat outside of a Château in the South of France. We ordered a selection of tapas style items from the menu which included meatballs, pizzas, crudités, etc. The team followed this up with a complimentary truffle pizza and desserts all around. The staff at the RH England gallery could not be more personable and helpful towards us throughout our whole visit, greeting us by name at every ocassion. I look forward to returning here whilst the English weather stays dry.
