English Houses: Inspirational Interiors from City Apartments to Country Manor Houses Hardcover – 8 Sept. 2016

I received this book for Christmas along with a number of other interiors hardbacks (all on my list!) This was way by far my favourite. What is wonderful about it is that the homes featured a real, not overdone stage sets - you can see a set of keys on the side, some gardening gloves - a worn chair, even a pile of junk in one corner of a room. It feels as though one has just been invited in to look around a number of wonderful houses that are natural and comfortable but endowed with innate stylish flair. This is where you can find real examples of original English decorating where curtains and covers are not replaced just because they are a bit worn or don't entirely match. Where pieces of furniture of different types sit happily together because they are handsome and useful and perhaps passed down through the generations. Lots of wonderful colour too - no 50 shades of grey here. If you do not want your house to look like a hotel or show home (oddly some people do) then look at this to give you inspiration - not only that - to give you the courage to keep Granny's bookcase and put an old vase on top because you like it, not because you saw it in the latest swanky interiors shop! Much cheaper to decorate this way - much more comfortable and stylish too. We all develop and mature and become more confident with our decorating . If you read this and Ben's earlier book you will see that he has too. I heartily recommend this one...

Gorgeous book with some of the most beautiful - but relatable - rooms I’ve ever seen. Ben’s style is faultless and fun and has inspired us in our home. I seem to keep getting this book out nearly every day, not something I can say of any other interiors book.

I love this book. Beautifully photographed and written in an easy-to-read style. I love the fact that the book shows us real homes of these families. The houses are shown in their gorgeous lived-in state - not perfectly polished and staged like in a magazine. In my opinion, this is key to the success of this book as interiors are far more interesting with context. Ben offers more than just another interior design book. It's a little window into the surroundings of some very interesting people.

I loved this book. I bought it ages ago but never reviewed it as I'm moved to review it as I re-reading it today. There's a great variety of homes featured. I particularly loved the country homes. The photos are excellent and the accompanying written copy provides interesting and useful insight into decorating decisions. I loved the stories behind the houses. Inspirational!

I really enjoyed looking at this book and reading about the people in it. Although was slightly disappointed that all the houses and flats were large. Had hoped there would be more modest houses in it. But saying that I bought it to be inspired and some of the houses were amazing and quirky. If I want to look at normal houses I can look at my own!

This is a book to stare at and dream. Can't wait for the next book - mind you, I think he's taken the classy shabby chic look as far as it can go. This will be useful for future reference into the lives of 20th C distressed gentlefolk. Well, obviously not that distressed but the sort of people who let their paint peel on purpose.

Christmas present for my daughter which she loves!

This is an inspiring and beautiful book. You need not be well-heeled to follow most of Ben's principless for good design. I have spent many happy hours catching up with the details in the illustrations. A book to treasure.

I have both Ben Pentreath's books ons English style houses and love them. The combination of antiques,comfortable seats and sofa's lovely curtains and wallpapers and always, always a wonderfull assortiment of bookcases filled with books. It's lightly excentric and at the same time no nonsense. The foto's are of good quality and the portraid corners and rooms are a lust for the eye. In every corner there is something to see, and that can be an antique clock or a simple mug, a beautifully yellow coloured wall or the infamous William Morris materials and wallpapers.

This book is stunning, but it arrived damaged, and then the replacement copy arrived damaged in the same spot as well. I'm very disappointed.

C est vraiment un livre de decoration d interieur absolument splendide. Exactement le style anglais cosy et moderne a la fois.

This book truly proves that the best homes are collected, assembled over time, and personal. Mr. Pentreath's narrative about the owners of the homes lets you get to know the history of the house and the personality of the owners. As a fan of Mr. Pentreath's blog, I had high expectations for this book which were happily exceeded.

Tolles Buch mit schönem Design