Ben Pentreath

In this timeless book, now reissued with a brand-new afterword by the author, renowned architectural and interior designer Ben Pentreath presents a survey of the best of the English style.“Ben Pentreath is the master of classic English interior decoration” The Telegraph In English Decoration, eighteen homes, many of which have never been previously photographed, provide the source material for architectural and interior designer Ben Pentreath’s wide-ranging investigation of the classic English look. The houses include Ben’s homes in London and West Dorset alongside those of Earls and artists, writers and architects, book designers and gardeners. The book is arranged room by room and Entrance Halls, Living Rooms, Kitchens and Dining Rooms, Bedrooms, and Bathrooms are each considered in turn, together with simple Rooms of Utility and spectacular Rooms of Display. The book begins with an essay on the English style in decoration and ends with an essential style directory, helping you to achieve the look wherever you live.

“Eight years have passed since the first edition of this book. It’s wonderful to see it being reprinted again, not least, I think, because it proves the adage that while nothing dates as quickly as fashion, nothing stays in fashion longer than timeless design—which is really at the core of what I try to do.”In this timeless and beautiful book, now reissued complete with a brand-new introduction, renowned architectural and interior designer Ben Pentreath presents an insightful overview of the classic English style. The classic English interior is a timeless one, characterized by richness of color and texture, a mixture of old and new pieces and a generous layering of books, paintings, cushions, and flowers. In English Houses, Ben visits 12 classically English homes divided into three sections: London, Country, and Country House. The interiors featured range from a 1930s pied-a-terre in London''s historic St James district to a townhouse in North London to designer Veere Grenney’s tiny Palladian folly in Suffolk to Wardington, a 16th-century manor house in Oxfordshire. Ben’s own homes, an apartment in London and a farmhouse in West Dorset, are also included. These homes vary greatly in architecture, size, shape, and age, but they all have in common the English style—richly-layered rooms that deftly intertwine color and pattern and a mix of old and new furniture to create timeless and comfortable places to live.

In this timeless and beautiful book, renowned architectural and interior designer, writer, shop-keeper and blogger Ben Pentreath presents a fresh and insightful overview of the classic English style. Visiting 12 very different homes, Ben explores and appraises the unique spirit of the English House - at once restrained and simple yet overflowing with a generosity of touch and a richness of colour and texture. The book is divided into three sections: London, Country, and Country House, and the interiors featured range from a 1930s pied-a-terre in London's historic St James to designer Veere Grenney's pocket-sized Palladian Temple folly in Suffolk and Wardington, a 16th-century stone manor house in North Oxfordshire. Ben's own homes, in central London and West Dorset, are also included. These homes vary greatly in architecture, size, shape and age, but they all have in common a peculiarly English style - richly-layered rooms that deftly intertwine colour and pattern and a mix of old and new furniture to create timeless and comfortable places to live.