First floor, chandeliers. Second floor, chandeliers. Third floor? even more chandeliers and by the time you reached the rooftop garden, you couldn’t help but hum the catchy Sia tune “Chandeliers.” This was what walking through the breathtaking 70,000 sq. ft six story RH Chicago, The Gallery at The 3 Arts Club, a first of its kind retail and hospitality experience in partnership with Brendan Sodikoff, last night (9/30) felt like.
With over 1,000 guests in attendance, it was an assembly of Chicago’s Who’s who from the Gold Coast, to Winnetka to Lake Forest. RH CEO & Chairman Gary Friedman with Bella Hunter at his side personally welcomed special guests Sophia Bush, Christina Hendricks with husband Geoffrey Arend, Bill & Giuliana Rancic, Ben Soleimani and many of the guests in attendance before taking in performance by Edei Deigman, DJ Chris Malinchak and DJ Brendan Fallis. With the amount of oohh’s & aahh‘s last night, from the enclosed courtyard which will serve breakfast, lunch and light dinner, a wine vault and rooftop, this will THE destination for all to come.
- Bill Rancic, Giuliana Rancic, and RH Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Friedman
- Bella Hunter,Gary Friedman, Sophia Bush, Christina Hendricks
- DJ Brendan Fallis
- Edei performs
Here’s the backstory: The Three Arts Club which offered support and temporary residence for women artists, painters, actors and musicians was founded in 1912. The building, then commissioned by the Three Arts Club and designed by the architectural firm of Holabird and Roche was finished in 1914 and granted landmark status by the city of Chicago in 1981. The once active location that used to be an arts center for women until money issues came along sat vacant since 2003. Ten years later, enter Restoration Hardware which currently has a Chicago outpost in Lincoln Park and two in the suburbs. After several back and forths with the Chicago Landmarks commission and City Council, 13 pages worth of detailed signed and notarized compromises later, according to reports, they won them over and here we are today marveling at the glorious renovation and making plans to redecorate every room, closet, furniture in our home (FYI taking sponsor applications over here guys).
The six story RH Chicago is a showroom so all are welcome even if your taste is RH but your bank account is looking like miller lite, you can come and feast your eyes, shop shop, gain inspiration to start getting that money up or meet for a quick lunch. Breaking it down by each floor.
First floor will be the grand courtyard, 3 arts club cafe and showroom(below)
Second Floor will house Bedroom, Bathroom, Rugs, Window treatments and Designer Atelier
Third Floor will be for Baby, Child and Teen(below)
Fourth Floor will house Modern furnishings and contemporary art(below).
Fifth Floor is the Rooftop Park & Conservatory(below)
The preview event benefited 3 arts organization: The Joffrey Ballet, Chicago Children’s Choir and The Art Institute of Chicago so some parts of the roster of guests included members of Chicago’s tony non-profit boards in the city such as: Toni Canada, Linda Johnson Rice, Neal Zucker, Charlie and Rebecca Besser, Rochelle Trotter, Kathleen Henson, Rachel Gillman Rischall and Reuben Rischall, Kelli Zink Levy and Alex Levy, Tarrah Cooper, Lisa Duarte, Ebs Burnough, Katherine and Judd Malkin, Julie Latsko, Brad Jarol, Candace and Chuck Jordan, Al and Suzy Friedman, Nick Kokonas, Steve Traxler just to name a few.
All images: Jeff Schear/Getty for Restoration Hardware
