It was my first working day at RH. I’m skipping the boring parts that had us going through training in the back room, which no one gets excited about. On this first day, I quickly learned exactly what it takes to properly source materials for spaces.

So here I am on the floor, and it’s my first day serving. At the time, the gallery (RH does not have stores) was beginning its floor model sale. Basically, the company was preparing for a company-wide gallery upgrade, and everything in the stores had to go. Everyone wanted to get their hands on the a piece from the old collection, so we had to do regular gallery maintenance and make sure all the furniture was prepped for sale.

There’s two major things I realized during my work that day. 1- how furniture and accessories wear over time and through regular usage is very important. Wool sheds, viscose looses shape, and certain fabrics wrinkle. 2- proper maintenance is key. If you’re going to have seating with a relaxed fit and down cushioning, regular fluffing and steaming is essential.

What does all that mean for you? I spent a considerable amount of time working with different fabrics, furniture, rugs and accessories to recognize quality, understand there applications, and apply them with luxury-level service. Want to learn more? Start here.