In English Decoration, London-based architectural and interior designer Ben Pentreath presents a major new survey of the best of the English style. Eighteen homes, many of which have never been previously photographed, provide the source material for his wide-ranging investigation of this classic look. The houses include Ben's own 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 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 a style directory, helping you to achieve the look wherever you live.
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Product Description
About the Author
Ben Pentreath is one of London's leading architectural and interior designers. He owns an interiors shop, Ben Pentreath Ltd, has a renowned design blog, and is a columnist for the Financial Times. Ben's architectural practice has worked on projects from housing developments for The Prince of Wales to private houses in the UK, Ireland and the US.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By bluebellgirl
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've known about Ben Pentreath for quite some time, his shop and his blog. I was delighted to browse my amazon and find a book written by him! The book arrived well packaged and delivered before the date expected! What a beautiful book! The cover is only an indication of the secrets of English style that lie beneath the covers. It is filled with beautiful photographs of grand and simple homes all with interiors that have not had the hand of an interior designer touch them. There is plenty of text at the beginning and during the different sections of the book; Introduction, English Decoration, A Sense of Arrival, Comfortable Rooms, Eating and Cooking, A Quiet Retreat, Rooms of Utility, Rooms of Display and Afterword. There is a style directory at the back of the book listing resources for wallpaper to antiques and pictures. I haven't put it down since it arrived! It's a how to book, but it's also just a beautiful, readable coffee table book!
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By AnneH
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is well written and the photographs are scrumptious. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in interior design, or who just wants ideas for their own home.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Third Time Lucky
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am addicted to Ben Pentreath's blog, which is beautifully written and photographed, and updated every few days. I love his shop in Bloomsbury, with its ever-changing and joyously displayed stock. His interior decorating style - minimal structural alteration, the restoration of period detail, and an eclectic and unpretentious layering of modern, retro, vintage and antique furnishings and artwork - is gorgeous, comfortable and practical. I want his country parsonage, his London flat, and his garden. In fact, I want to live his life.
I had hoped this book would introduce me to Ben's wider design portfolio, but unfortunately I was really disappointed. It contains only images that are already available on his blog, or duplicated in other interiors books, notably Farrow & Ball's bestseller 'Living with Colour'. (Property porners will even recognise one house as a long-term listing on Rightmove, yours for a mere £3m). Moreover, the pictures are actually less appealing than they appear on screen. Looking over the blog on an iPad brings Ben's use of vibrant colour and contrasting textures to life; here it's evident printing technology is now a poor second to pixel perfection.
'English Decoration' was a present from Father Christmas and so naturally I'm very grateful. But those of you contemplating purchasing for yourselves: why would you pay for something you can read for free on the internet? I'm still happily buying books, but it's time publishers realised that we readers expect original content, not just screenprints in hard covers.
I had hoped this book would introduce me to Ben's wider design portfolio, but unfortunately I was really disappointed. It contains only images that are already available on his blog, or duplicated in other interiors books, notably Farrow & Ball's bestseller 'Living with Colour'. (Property porners will even recognise one house as a long-term listing on Rightmove, yours for a mere £3m). Moreover, the pictures are actually less appealing than they appear on screen. Looking over the blog on an iPad brings Ben's use of vibrant colour and contrasting textures to life; here it's evident printing technology is now a poor second to pixel perfection.
'English Decoration' was a present from Father Christmas and so naturally I'm very grateful. But those of you contemplating purchasing for yourselves: why would you pay for something you can read for free on the internet? I'm still happily buying books, but it's time publishers realised that we readers expect original content, not just screenprints in hard covers.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Dorset Dolly
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
A wonderful book full of beautiful photographs of proper stylish English home interiors.
The eclectic mix of styles is a personal and fresh approach when compared to so many interior books that are styled and unreal. I love it.
The eclectic mix of styles is a personal and fresh approach when compared to so many interior books that are styled and unreal. I love it.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By P. Krabbe
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I could almost see on the cover that this would be a book just after my taste.
The book draws on the best from Hicks, Mlinaric, Colefax and Fowler, but Ben
as does Robert Kime do their style with a modern unfussy touch. I just love
the book - visit his blog too - inspiration all over. Next time I'm in London
his shop is a must see!
The book draws on the best from Hicks, Mlinaric, Colefax and Fowler, but Ben
as does Robert Kime do their style with a modern unfussy touch. I just love
the book - visit his blog too - inspiration all over. Next time I'm in London
his shop is a must see!
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Peasant
TOP 100 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
The title of this book is "English Decoration", but the relevant words on the cover are not these, but "Ben Pentreath", for this is so powerfully a statement of the author's own idiosyncratic style that the generalness of the title is misleading. The text is a beautifully written, evocative, at times witty, exposition of Ben Pentreath's approach and philosophy.
Many books from this publisher seem to have been assembled by a committee, the same house appearing in book after book, with text which is just meaningless waffle. Here, every word counts and the photographs are illustrations of the text, rather than the text simply being a description of the photos.
There are many things I like about this book, and they are all down to Pentreath. The intelligent, thoughtful examination of the way our memories and emotions are engaged by our surroundings. The importance of paying due attention to the practical, everyday aspects of living in a house, and of making them beautiful too. The fact that the houses featured belong to artists and writers whose rooms reflect their personalities, rather than too-rich clients with more money than taste who have bought their interiors "off the peg". The way the picture captions have clearly been written by the author and not some publisher's assistant who hasn't actually read the text.
Unfortunately the things I don't like about the book are also down to the author. For I like relatively few of these rooms, and feel most lack either a distinctive Englishness or a feeling of history. Many could equally well be in the US (where Pentreath spent formative time) or are rather anonymously European.... Read more ›
Many books from this publisher seem to have been assembled by a committee, the same house appearing in book after book, with text which is just meaningless waffle. Here, every word counts and the photographs are illustrations of the text, rather than the text simply being a description of the photos.
There are many things I like about this book, and they are all down to Pentreath. The intelligent, thoughtful examination of the way our memories and emotions are engaged by our surroundings. The importance of paying due attention to the practical, everyday aspects of living in a house, and of making them beautiful too. The fact that the houses featured belong to artists and writers whose rooms reflect their personalities, rather than too-rich clients with more money than taste who have bought their interiors "off the peg". The way the picture captions have clearly been written by the author and not some publisher's assistant who hasn't actually read the text.
Unfortunately the things I don't like about the book are also down to the author. For I like relatively few of these rooms, and feel most lack either a distinctive Englishness or a feeling of history. Many could equally well be in the US (where Pentreath spent formative time) or are rather anonymously European.... Read more ›
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
a treasured book in my collection, constantly picking it up, just love it, captures the very essence of an English home, memories of home
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interior fan.
I am passionate about interior design and this book is a great insite into the houses of those with real individual style and not simply a string of interior design showrooms. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Stephanie Murray
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interior decoration to soothe the ravaged spirit
I pick this up when I want o be transported to a world where the appearance of your home is not constrained by such trivia as cost or practicality. Read more
Published 3 months ago by vera
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't even hesitate
I'd never heard of Ben Pentreath before ordering this book, but I am so pleased that I went ahead and treated myself. This book is a delight and so, I am sure, is Mr Pentreath. Read more
Published 4 months ago by MTSS
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovely book
I gave it away as a Christmas present.
Wish someone would give it to me!
Beautiful pictures, very inspirational and informative.
Wish someone would give it to me!
Beautiful pictures, very inspirational and informative.
Published 4 months ago by yes k l
3.0 out of 5 stars
English Decoration
Well laid out and contains a lot of valuable information, good value for money and thoroughly enjoyed perusing the content
Published 5 months ago by Mr. Derek Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars
Home Decor
I love books like this, the photos are clear and well lit and not too small so you can see all the details.
Published 6 months ago by Henrietta Byrne
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