Inside San Francisco’s New Design Within Reach Showroom

The debut installation designed by Swiss modular furniture manufacturer USM features a stark white cubic headboard that doubles as a dresser, a low-to-the-ground sideboard adorned with books curated from North Beach’s City Lights, a minimalist bar cart with just two glasses, an airy, doorless wardrobe that can be rolled away and a sleek desk, where, theoretically, you could write your own version of On the Road. 

What is more within reach is the store’s complimentary tea service, which visitors can enjoy while swiveling in a spinning leather chair near the center of the studio. While the tea served hails from New Canaan, Connecticut’s Grace Farms, the decor’s color palette is inspired by Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden—including couches and armchairs swathed in groovy green hues ranging from forest green to mossy tints. 

With these earthy colors and cozy textiles ranging from velvety to woolen, the new showroom strikes a more approachable tone—less intimidating than its glitzy competitor RH (née Restoration Hardware) housed in a five-story, Classical Revival building at Pier 70. While you could easily drop hundreds at RH’s elegant Palm Court restaurant, you can get out of Design Within Reach’s store without paying a cent. Its current exhibition on the iconic Standard chairs of French architect Jean Prouvé is free to peruse, along with a reading room for visitors.