The best Ben Pentreath rooms from the House & Garden archives
The architectural interior designer and one half of home accessories and furnishings brand, Pentreath & Hall, Ben Pentreath OBE, is nothing less than a stalwart of English country house design. An authentic architectural language runs through his portfolio of historic and listed properties, spanning hotels, townhouses and country piles. Meanwhile, his interiors faultlessly capture a sense of innate time and place – thanks to his deep understanding of period and classic design in a contemporary context, through considered layering of pattern, palettes and a mix of old and new.
It is no surprise then, that Ben has been named the winner of the 2026 Andrew Martin International Interior Designer of the Year Award. This year marks the 30th year of the prestigious accolade, which was first awarded to Kelly Hoppen CBE in 1996, and Ben joins a glittering array of former winners from the design world, including Kit Kemp, Matthew Williamson and Rose Uniake. The 30th edition of the Andrew Martin Interior Design Review also recognises 100 of the most notable international designers of the year, including Rebecca Hughes (winner of the this year's House & Garden Rising Star Award) and Sophie Ashby, as well as international names, such as Fox Browne and Gregory Mellor.
Naturally, we wanted to honour the designer in our own way by curating this inspirational gallery of the best Ben Pentreath-designed rooms from our archives. From his own homes – the Dorset parsonage that he was so fond of, to his Highgate house and Bloomsbury flat – to those he's designed for others, including fashion designer Charlotte Dellal, these are just a few of the spaces that showcase Ben's definitive and discerning style. Which is your favourite?
Catherine Gratwicke1/8In his Georgian cottage in Highgate, Ben Pentreath brings his masterful layering of colour and pattern to the living room, which is painted in Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster – a hue that sets the tone beautifully for this welcoming space
Paul Massey2/8The striking kitchen in this Arts & Crafts house features cabinetry by Symm, painted in Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue, a marble-topped island, a contrasting brass pendant light, and an Arts-and-Crafts-style oak table.
Ben Pentreath3/8Before saying farewell to his beloved parsonage in Dorset, Ben Pentreath shared the eclectic decor that filled it to the brim with character, including this bold bathroom, papered in one of his collaborative designs with Morris & Co, and decorated with antique crockery.
Paul Massey4/8In this Georgian townhouse designed by Ben Pentreath, one of the bedrooms is decorated in Morris & Co’s ‘Fruit’ wallpaper (Ben's ‘favourite spare room wallpaper as it’s perfect for spending one night in,’ whilst a cosy Toast quilt balances the hard lines of the Victorian iron bed frame from Wessex Beds.
Ben Pentreath5/8When he designed fashion designer, Charlotte Dellal's Hampshire house Ben Pentreath did not shy away from colour., and this living room is a stunning example with its lacquered olive green walls and vibrant turquoise fire fenders, which juxtapose wonderfully with the neoclassical pine fireplace and antique pieces.
Ben Pentreath6/8Charlotte Della's buttercup yellow walls in the drawing room of her Hampshire house designed by Ben Pentreath set off the intriguing antique bureau with its red lacquered interior and draws the eye through to the hallway artwork.
Jake Curtis7/8At Ben Pentreath's Bloomsbury flat he mixes old and new pieces and patterns in intriguing ways, such as the Fornasetti chest which has been styled with an antique Staffordshire figure, a Coronation mug and a Marianna Kennedy red lamp.
Sharyn Cairns8/8Farrow & Ball's St Giles Blue, sets the tone in the dining room in his former Georgian country house, whilst monochrome Piranesi prints line the walls and the chair brings in a touch of the unexpected red theory. The Imari lamp and marbled shade from Pentreath & Hall hangs everything together.
Ben Pentreath's interiors have an undoubtedly enduring quality that both enhance the natural beauty of English country houses, as well as bring a storied aesthetic to more contemporary homes. His unapologetic use of colour and pattern are central to his designs, whilst the seamless integration of antiques brings a welcome restraint, and weaves threads of history and heritage through his interior spaces. A Ben Pentreath house is almost instantly recognisable for these reasons, and his discerning eye makes him a veritable doyen of the design world.
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