Ben Pentreath is a rare talent. Multi-disciplined and insanely stylish, he manages to juggle a wildly successful architecture and interior design firm whilst also owning one of London’s most cherished shops and writing up a storm on the side. With his second book, English Houses, hitting shelves this week it seemed the perfect time to highlight our crush on him. 

A master of decoration, Pentreath is renowned for whipping up colourful, whimsical vignettes that defy classification. Through an amalgamation of study, experience and innate good taste, he can style a room with colour and pattern that might otherwise raise an eyebrow: a little Joseph Frank here, a little Fornasetti there. Resin lamps topped with ikat shades. Midcentury Danish meets Moroccan meets English. Not to mention he can curate a collage of vintage engravings on a bathroom wall with his eyes closed. If there’s a common thread throughout Pentreath’s projects, it’s that they are timeless yet modern and always a bit cozy.

 

For fans like us, following Pentreath’s blog and Instagram account is a way to tap into his aesthetic. You can feel confident bringing home absolutely anything from Pentreath & Hall, the Bloomsbury shop he owns with artist and maker Birdie Hall.  But perhaps our favorite thing about Ben Pentreath is his generosity of spirit. When you read his books or blog or the occasional column in The Financial Times, his enthusiasm comes through. It’s as if he’s speaking directly to you, just having a chat about decoration. There’s something quite refreshing about that sense of approachability coming from someone who has his hands in so many pots and is largely considered the embodiment of Britishness.

It’s for all these reasons and so many more that we are thrilled to be hosting our first ever pop-up shop inside Pentreath & Hall at the end of this month. Do stop by and get doubly inspired!

 Photograph © Jan Baldwin