A Georgian house decorated by Ben Pentreath in his layered signature style
The restrained elegance of 18th-century style can be dangerously persuasive–as the country-dwelling owners of this London property discovered. Having set out to find a pied-à-terre within reach of Waterloo (for trains) and Soho (the office), they narrowed the search by setting a prerequisite for ‘architectural interest’ – and were captivated by a double-fronted, five-bedroom, early-Georgian house, moments from the Palace of Westminster. ‘We really hadn’t been looking for anything this big. And, as our house in Surrey is still our main home, we had nothing – literally nothing – to put in it.’
What they did have, however, was an introduction, via a mutual friend, to the architectural and interior designer Ben Pentreath. As readers of his blog, they held him in high regard: ‘We felt a connection to his viewpoint, and to his use of colour. We also thought that, from the buildings he writes about there – particularly his own London flat, which is of a similar period to this house – he would suit this project.’
The listed Grade II* residence is on what Ben describes as ‘one of the most perfect Georgian streets in all of London’, and was created out of an adjoining pair in 1906. ‘This was a game changer,’ he says. ‘On their own, these houses were very humble when they were built – cottages, almost.’ It still has entirely flat façades front and back – a rarity in these times of expansion and extension – and many original features. But at the time of purchase in 2015, little had been done since the Nineties, so it was in want of ‘a pretty major refit’.
Over 14 months, a total overhaul of plumbing and electrics took place, as well as perfectionist repairs to panelling and cornicing, rebuilding of walls, and replacing or unblocking of original windows and fireplaces. This phase was overseen by Rupert Cunningham, a director of Ben’s architectural practice. Coherence was given to a much-altered second staircase that did not connect every floor. An odd split-level bathroom that occupied part of this space was turned into a dressing room off the main bedroom. And a bespoke Bulthaup kitchen took the place of what had been a nanny flat in the basement, from which new, light-maximising access to the garden was created. Specially designed wood and glass doors, painted black, span the width of the room. ‘If they are white, you look at them. If they’re black, you look beyond,’ says Ben.
More of the basement was emancipated by moving the boilers into the vaults under the pavement (they served as air raid shelters during the Blitz), making way for a snug, a loo and a utility room. On the ground floor is a dining room and a hall that doubles as a music room, while the first floor has a study and a connecting sitting room and drawing room. The main bedroom and a spare room, each with its own bathroom, are on the second floor, while at the very top are three more bedrooms and another bathroom. Underfoot, everything slopes – the one change that was not made was straightening anything: ‘If we had, we’d never have stopped.’
The next challenge, in Ben’s words, was ‘to decorate a sizeable house without being able to draw on a lifetime’s accumulation of stuff, when both the character of the house and the character of the clients do not suit – or want – new’. He was assisted in this task by Tamara Lancaster from his interiors studio. Fortunately, Ben excels at ‘creating something that has a sense of evolution’, albeit with boundaries. ‘I do not make a slavish attempt to create a museum set and I don’t create a highly finished interior,’ he explains.
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Translated: there are textiles that could conceivably have been in this house at its genesis – such as the Claremont-covered cushions in the dining room – alongside fabrics by Nicky Haslam Design, Robert Kime, GP & J Baker and Josef Frank. Furniture is a stylish blend of antique Georgian, Aesthetic movement and Scandinavian mid-century modern. There is an element of parcity – partly in keeping with Georgian restraint. ‘These houses don’t need much to look good,’ explains Ben. The other reason, he says, is that ‘I rely on people to live in their houses and collect. I provide a framework and, over time, rugs, paintings, and books can be added’. This is something these owners are glad to do.
And it is delightful: comfortable, well proportioned (as Georgian houses are) and well lit, both by daylight and thoughtfully placed lamps, with flashes of signature bold Pentreath colour. But what makes it remarkable is the sense of period: the mix makes every room feel credibly connected to both the early 18th century – when Westminster was surrounded by marsh and market gardens – and the present day.
The owners have embraced the unexpected size of their new urban abode, inviting friends to come and stay, just as they would in the country. ‘We find that we are spending time here because we really want to be here – not just because it is convenient. There is more local community and friendship than we expected but, most of all, we have discovered that living in a well-designed space is an enhancement to life.’ So much so that plans are afoot for Ben to do it all over again with their other house. The ultimate proof of a successful project – and of being open to beauty’s inducement. It is an example to heed.
Paul Massey1/13Cushions in Fermoie’s ‘Sicily’ cotton brighten Queen Anne-style wing chairs upholstered in Claremont’s ‘Beaufort’ bottle green gaufraged mohair velvet. The rug is from Robert Kime, as is the spun-brass ‘Reading Lamp’.
Paul Massey2/13An ‘Ivor’ sofa by Howard & Sons in Soane’s ‘Old Flax’ in kiwi sits under a painting by Ivon Hitchins from Jenna Burlingham and is paired with an antique Sussex chair and a Gainsborough chair. A black lacquered coffee table from Shimu stands on a ‘Berber Hex’ wool rug by Luke Irwin.
Paul Massey3/13A Lovell Purbeck Capstone floor offers a muted contrast with bespoke Bulthaup cabinets topped with quartzite. Traditional witjes tiles from Delft Tiles create a backdrop for a basket by Jenny Crisp and an Indonesian tray, which hang from a brass rail.
Paul Massey4/13Joinery featuring a central dresser is painted in Emente’s ‘Cassel’. An ‘Old School Rise & Fall Light’ from The French House hangs above a bespoke oak table by Robert Lynch, with Fifties ‘Carimate’ chairs by Magistretti for Cassina.
Paul Massey5/13Rattan ‘Wengler’ chairs from Sika-Design and a vintage linen table runner bring rustic character to the steel-framed conservatory by Serres d’Antan. A large Georgian cupboard from Alexander von Westenholz holds gardening equipment.
Paul Massey6/13Roman blinds in ‘Shutter Stripe’ linen in new-mown green by Nicky Haslam Design provide a bright accent against walls in ‘Bromine’ by Emente. A Saarinen oval dining table – a good solution to the uneven floor – is surrounded by Regency mahogany chairs upholstered in ‘Paso’ horsehair in dark brass by John Boyd Textiles.
Paul Massey7/13Bespoke window-seat cushions by Moghul Interiors are in Claremont’s ‘Damas Les Perroquets’ silk in jaune.
Paul Massey8/13The walls on the landing are papered in ‘Pineapple’ in castle grey by Watts of Westminster. Beyond can be seen plaster plaques by Peter Hone from Pentreath & Hall.
Paul Massey9/13Morris & Co’s ‘Fruit’ from Style Library is Ben’s favourite spare-room wallpaper as ‘it’s perfect for only spending one night in’. A quilt from Toast softens the look of a Victorian iron bed frame from Wessex Beds, painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Railings’
Paul Massey10/13Robert Kime furnishings create a restful mood in the main bedroom: his ‘Gaia Millet’ wallpaper and a bedcover in ‘Meadow Flowers’ linen tone with a headboard in a Prelle linen mix from Alton-Brooke
Paul Massey11/13Panelling painted in ‘Asian Blue’ by Emente offsets walls papered in Morris & Co’s ‘Marigold’ from Style Library in this bedroom. The bedcover is in ‘Therese’ paisley cotton by Les Indiennes.
Paul Massey12/13A cast-iron Aston Matthews ‘Epoca’ bath, its sides painted in Emente’s ‘Orpiment’, provides a colourful contrast with Robert Kime’s ‘Grille Sage’ wallpaper and muted panelling.
Paul Massey13/13Useful storage is concealed behind panelling painted in Emente’s ‘Arsenikon’. The George Sherlock ‘Tub Chair’ is covered in Holland & Sherry’s ‘Gretta’ in sweet pea.
