Can you drink the Kool-aid? The fast-food of "luxury" interior design. - Interior Design Assistant RH Employee Review

2.0
29 May 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Good employee discount, nice work environment, company puts effort into improving, good sales experience, and wonderful co-workers. If you are interested in a sales career, this is a good place to start.

Cons

If you can drink the Kool-aid and act fake (you must fit into a mold, respond to emails in a specific way, and speak in a very specific way) then you will be able to handle working here. Unfortunately an emphasis on company values forces people to resort to acting very fake and two-faced. It is difficult to tell where you stand with management here, because everyone is constantly afraid that if they don't wear the mask there will be consequences. You will be micro-managed to death, every hour being accounted for by management. You are rarely trusted to manage you workload on your own and because the design is baked into the same cake every time, they know exactly how long tasks should take, and should you take longer on them you will hear about it. The irony is that there are some very talented design consultants, interior designers and interior design assistants, but store management has no design skills whatsoever, and many of them have come from retail jobs (i.e. Victorias Secret, La-Z-Boy) and are managing interior designers... doesn't make much sense and causes frustration. The level of design is pretty solid, but it is the fast-food of luxury interior design. All of the designs and homes look the same because designers are forced to churn out designs quickly so that they can sell, so if you are interested in true interior design I would recommend giving it a year here and then going to an agency. If you are interested in sales, this is a good place to start.

Explore other reviews about RH

5.0
2 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Experience working for on of the leading innovators in the design industry.

Cons

The scheduling department being in a regular call center and not the gallery

4.0
20 Feb 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

One of the strongest aspects of this role is the autonomy. I’m trusted to make decisions that genuinely support the customer experience without constant approval from leadership. If I believe an exchange plus a $250 gift card is the right solution to preserve a relationship, I’m empowered to do that. That level of trust creates confidence and allows us to move quickly when issues arise. Leadership is accessible when needed, especially in escalated situations. I’ve never felt left alone to manage something beyond my scope. There is also regular voluntary overtime available, which is a plus for those looking to increase their hours. For someone transitioning from another industry, the environment feels more structured and brand-focused, which has been refreshing

Cons

The clientele can be challenging. Some customers assume that spending thousands of dollars entitles them to treat frontline employees disrespectfully, even when those employees had no involvement in the original issue. It can also be frustrating to hold a boundary with a customer, only to see it reversed after escalation. While I understand the desire to preserve relationships, it can unintentionally undermine employee confidence and consistency in standards. Because RH carries so many collections and product variations, the learning curve is steep. Customers often expect immediate, detailed product knowledge, which takes time to develop.

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