Decorating & Design
A Look Inside Ben Pentreath’s Iconic London Shop
Published on November 20, 2015
Senior design editor Joel Bray shares a look inside famed designer Ben Pentreath’s eclectic London store.
I’ve been a big fan of Ben Pentreath’s work for a few years now. The London-based designer has been popping up on the pages of House & Home over the last year, so when I travelled to London recently, his store was on the top of my must-see list. Pentreath & Hall, located in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood, embodies Ben’s now iconic, fresh take on traditional style. Here are a few glimpses inside the store, and reasons why he’s inspiring me right now.
This is a corner of Ben Pentreath’s living room, and a great example of his look. It’s a real mix of color, texture and pattern that is still deeply rooted in the traditional.
This shot was taken just inside the front door of Pentreath & Hall. My heart skipped a beat when I first caught a glimpse of it. The pale blue Bloomsbury chair is a staple in many of Ben’s designs. The proportions of the chair are perfection, and luckily it comes in a range of colors.
I love Harris & Jones paper goods and the vibrant color combinations they come in. I mean, how great would you feel jotting down notes in a notebook that pretty!? The decoupage catchalls sitting next to the notebooks are by John Derian.
A design move Ben Pentreath has made famous is flat weave rug-upholstered goods. This gorgeous little settee is a great example of the bold, textured upholstery he’s known for. Again, scale is everything. I love how small this settee is, but sadly it’s not small enough to fit in my suitcase! The crewel work pillows were stunning too, and their silky fabric is such a nice complement to the flat weave upholstery
Statement table lamps are another one of Ben Pentreath’s benchmark design moves. He often uses these Marianna Kennedy resin lamps in a wide variety of colors and mixes them with punchy contrasting shades. Like many of Ben’s go-to designs, this is a classic that has been totally reimagined with texture and color.
After I snapped my last picture, I looked out the shop window to find Mr. Pentreath himself assessing the display before stepping inside. I was so in awe that I couldn’t even bring myself to form a logical sentence. As he moved through the shop and then back outside, I was able to collect myself enough to remember the pin for my credit card, spending more money at once than I had during my entire trip!
Joel Bray