English Decoration: Timeless Inspiration for the Contemporary Home Hardcover – 6 Sept. 2012

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'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!

I've read many decoration books (especially on eclectism), and had doubts when buying this book as I feared whether it'd be too old school for my taste. How wrong was I! The writer has a beautiful way of writing, bringing the entire book to life, pages adorned with lovely eclectic English interiors that I can make work in my own home too. The book is also different from others, in the sense of it doesn't keep saying "do this, don't do this". Instead, it chooses to take you through beautiful English room examples which speak for themselves.I loved it so much, I know about as a gift for an architect friend. 5 stars from me!

Nice pictures but the text is a bit superficial. Ben Pentreath’s books all seem s bit samey. If you’ve got one you probably don’t need to bother with the others. Try Ros Byam Shaw’s Perfect English Townhouse for a change, a wider variety and better text.

This is a useful book to browse through for tips on decoration - of which there are legion ! Having a largeish double-fronted Victoroan house (1874) in the suburbs we have adopted many of Ben's ideas from mantlepiece ideas to bookshelves to prints for walls. Many 18th century prints can be picked up cheaply on ebay along with items of Victorian furniture. Thank you Ben, I'm looking forward to your next book !

This is the book that's helped me figure out what my style was. I have a husband with very firm ideas about how he wanted our house to look, while I knew what I didn't like, without quite being able to say what I did like. Needless to say the house entirely reflects his tastes. Some which I like, some less. Thanks to this book, I now have a portfolio ready for whenever we move to another house we need to do up. I am ready for comfrontation!!

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 Benas does Robert Kime do their style with a modern unfussy touch. I just lovethe book - visit his blog too - inspiration all over. Next time I'm in Londonhis shop is a must see!

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. Quite lovely. If you want to banish the January/February blues, don't hesitate to buy, you will find a rare eye and a delightful way with words.