A Journey Through English Style
By Ben Pentreath, Photography by Jan Baldwin
Ryland Peters & Small, $40.00, 192 pages
English style is timeless and can be seen in all kinds of rooms – grand and simple, old and new, practical and ornate. The photographs included in English Decoration: Timeless Inspiration for the Contemporary Home portray lovely rooms found in eighteen homes ranging from country manors to huge estates. Ben Pentreath, one of London’s leading architectural and interior designers, owns his own design store and writes a widely followed blog and newspaper column. He has now written English Decoration, a beautiful coffee table book that will provide any reader inspiration to add some English inspired style to their surroundings. Renowned photographer, Jan Baldwin captures the essence of each room. Every page is a piece of artwork. Along with each picture is a detailed description of furnishings, ornamentation, paint, wallpaper, treasures on bookshelves and historical facts. The book is arranged room by room including photos of entrance halls, living rooms, kitchens, libraries, dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, rooms of display and rooms of utility. Yes, even utility rooms can be beautiful and stylish. A style directory and bookshelf provide further inspiration for inquisitive readers. What this journey through English buildings and rooms proves is that twenty-first century comfort can be nicely balanced with English tradition.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Franklin
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