Visited a high end showroom in Chicago and their finish felt wrong

I was at the Restoration Hardware flagship on North Michigan Avenue last week, and I ran my hand over a $12,000 oak table. The finish was glass-smooth, but it felt like plastic, not wood. I think the trend toward super thick, pore-filling topcoats kills the natural feel of the material. Has anyone else noticed this in high end shops, or is it just me?

4 comments

4 Comments

jason_stone591mo ago

Honestly, my whole couch feels like a vinyl booth now.

torres.blair21d ago

Wait, like the whole thing? Not just the armrests or the back but the actual seat fabric too? That's wild. In my experience with cheaper faux leather, it usually just peels on the spots you sit on most after a year or two. I've never heard of the entire couch getting that slick, almost sticky feeling all at once like it's one big piece of plastic.

seanc731mo ago

I used to love that super glossy look, but touching a table like that totally changed my mind. It just feels fake and cheap, not high end at all.

olivia6701mo ago

Ugh, that plastic feel is the worst. Do you think they do it on purpose for durability, or is it just a style choice that missed the mark?