Inspiration

Workroom Profile VIII: Marianna Kennedy

Marianna Kennedy was born in Canada but has lived and worked in the Spitalfields area of East London for twenty-five years. Her work reinterprets traditional forms, suffusing them with a...

Box of treasures

This is a short blog this week…. Partly, because yesterday I was writing an article for the FT, and there’s only so much writing you can do in a day;...

Autumn Turning

This is a strange tale, but very funny… If you happened to read last week’s blog, I said I’d be posting some photos of the new shop. Last weekend, Bridie...

Come and see the new look shop!

We love the back to work/back to school feeling that comes with September. In keeping with the new term, new notebook vibe Pentreath & Hall has made some big changes!...

Changes of climate

It’s a strange thing isn’t it… how one minute you’re there, the next minute you’re here.  On Monday, Charlie and I were near Lucca, for Valentina’s birthday.  The plan had...

Late Summer landscapes

I remember some friends of a friend coming back from a long holiday in Tuscany one August to announce that the time “had been characterised by rain and conversation”. Which sounded like...

Two Florentine Gardens

As you will know, the blog is on holiday. I hope you might be too… or at least, I wouldn’t try reading this all at once. It’s a blog in...

McGonigles’ Books Pop-Up at Pentreath & Hall

We’re pleased to introduce McGonigles’ Books, our newest neighbours at 17a Rugby Street.

Incidental details

We’d been out near Henley for lunch today. A beautiful day and a delicious time. And then, Charlie had to head down to Dorset to get permission from the garden...

High Summer in Oxfordshire

It’s been a perfect weekend in Oxfordshire, of high summer gardens and the blue moon.  We were staying at Wardington, but on the way, leaving London lazily on Saturday morning...

The Church will be locked overnight…

There was a slightly ominous tone to the rules of the Long Bredy Flower Arranging Competition flyer that had been dropped through our letterbox a week or so ago. Especially…....

Getting back to normal (a day or two late)

We had the quietest weekend down in Dorset… Once Friday night was out of the way – there was a huge party in the village, our neighbour Glen & Mandy’s summer bash...

The best ever blog?

Okay, I should probably never blog again after this. Don’t worry – I’m not being serious…. but you may remember, if you are a very keen reader, that I said...

SUMMER SALE NOW ON!

Summer Evening, West Dorset

I’ll admit to finding something deeply special at this time of year, just after midsummer, at the particular time of day as the sun is about to set and the land...

New friends

This is another blog a little bit about books. You will see why. But then again, can there be too many? I wrote last week about the wonderful world of...

Lost and Found

It’s been an extraordinary weekend. So apologies for a long blog, but you will understand why. We had our friends Maggie and Stephen staying (or should I say, Maggie, and...

Sunset at Wardington

Charlie and I were staying in Oxfordshire this weekend – at Wardington, which I’ve written about before… the beautiful house owned by his friends the Elworthys and which has become...

Evening time

This is a short blog. It’s all about pictures, not about words. It’s about the moment, on the turn from Spring to Summer, as we rush towards the summer solstice,...

The Functional Tradition

It’s not often I write two posts in a week… but yesterday was an incredible day. We’re working on a wonderful project on the south coast where we are planning...

Become our neighbour! Pop-up to let.

Have you ever fancied yourself as a shopkeeper?

Let the correspondence commence!

A passion that runs deep at Pentreath & Hall is sourcing and collecting interesting antique prints. From early, hand-coloured etchings to the beginnings of lithography, moving on to chromolithographs; printing...

Meandering home

It was sort of a quiet weekend; sort of action packed. I’m sure you know what I mean.  Friday started bright and early, with an amazing visit pre-gates opening to...

Fleeting moments…

I thought I’d put up a little mid-week post, before we forget it, of the beautiful window that Charlie has done for the shop this week. It’s Chelsea Flower Show...

Tourists in our own town

It was a bright and sunny Saturday.  We were in London, for no particular reason other than we wanted a change of scene. Charlie got up at dawn for Portobello; I...

What’s waiting around the corner?

Hasn’t your week flown by? It’s something in the air of spring. No sooner had we blinked but it was Friday night, and a delicious, mad, funny dinner with our neighbours the...

Now Open – Pentreath & Hall Antiques

Now open at Unit 17a Rugby St – Pentreath & Hall Antiques.

Weekend wanderings and unexpected pleasures

Rain and mist swept across Dorset this weekend, but it didn’t seem to matter. We needed something to remind us it was a bank holiday, after all. Charlie and I...

Tulip time… in London

I have a strange feeling, from time to time, judging from the comments pages, that some readers might have decided to lie in bed for a whole weekend, turn off...

Spring Days on the Isle of Wight

Charlie and I went to visit Mum & Dad on the Isle of Wight this weekend, for two days of beautiful spring sunshine. The talk was of New Zealand travels...

Private View: David Mitchell Printmaker

The post Private View: David Mitchell Printmaker appeared first on Ben Pentreath Inspiration.

Workroom Profile VII: David Mitchell Printmaker

In the early days of the shop we had a few of David Mitchell’s ‘Play on Words’ prints for sale and had always talked about something bigger, ‘an exhibition!’ we...

Pictures without words

We’re back!  I hope you haven’t missed the blog too much.  (I haven’t… heheh). What can you write about New Zealand?  We saw so much, did so much, met so...

Farewell Hunslet. Last chance to complete your ...

After last week’s final call on the Wedgwood Museum Ravilious mugs, it is with a very heavy heart that we have to tell you our beloved Hunslet Creamware has now...

Workroom Profile VI: Leeds Pottery & Middleport...

After last week’s final call on the Wedgwood Museum Ravilious mugs, it is with a very heavy heart that I have to tell you our beloved Hunslet Creamware has now...

Relative values

I’m about to go a very long way and I’m getting so excited I can’t tell you. Charlie’s been home in New Zealand for a few weeks now. As I...

Last Chance! Ravilious Mugs.

The good news is that the Wedgwood Museum has been saved! The sad news is the decision to discontinue their range of beautiful Ravilious mug,s so this is your last chance...

Part Time Sales Assistant Wanted: Apply Within.

WANTED: An enthusiastic and passionate salesperson to join the Pentreath & Hall team part-time – Saturday and one day during the week which can be flexible. Ideally your first true...

Staying still

I haven’t felt like moving very far this weekend. And I haven’t moved very far at all.  I walked down for tea with my landlord yesterday, and across the road...

Come home soon

Charlie’s away. He’s in New Zealand (as some of you may have already guessed. Did you work out that Charlie wasn’t around last weekend?). He has two weddings of friends to...

Fifteen minutes…

It was springtime at Columbia Road. (that’s a little photo from my instagram posts. If you are not familiar with Instagram, may I just tell you how addictive, and fun,...

Snowdrop time

“…….Oh B, I’d really like to see some snowdrops this year” said Charlie, a couple of weekends ago. I had a quick think, and called my erstwhile builder Raymond Williams, who...

Workroom Profile V: Melodi Horne Soft Furnishings

I am sitting down with Melina Blaxland-Horne, newly installed in unit 17a Rugby Street here in Bloomsbury, surrounded by her beautiful silk ikat lampshades and cushions. The first question I...

Melodi Horne at Pentreath & Hall

We are delighted to welcome Melodi Horne to Rugby Street. Be sure to stop by to say hello to Melina and Dimitri and let them seduce you with their irresistible...

Winter turning

There’s always a false dawn around this time of year, but I can’t help but wonder if winter is turning. I’m noticing how much lighter it is in the mornings...

Meandering on the Somerset border

We had a fantastic weekend. There is not a lot to write, but a lot to look at. Bitterly cold winds swept across Dorset, but accompanied by bright sunshine –...

The kindness of strangers

One of the amazing things about writing a blog is the number of people, who were once strangers, who one gets to know from all over the world. Some I’ll...

Are you a Roundy or a Squary?

….Phew… well that was the most commented-upon-blog-ever-by-a-very-long-way.  THANK YOU.  Amazing. I guess we’re all pretty amazed! A few months ago I mentioned that I wanted to write a blog about...

Love letter to Charlie

Six months ago this week my life was turned upside-down. I had the amazing fortune to be introduced to the most wonderful person I’ll ever meet… the most wonderful person...

New Year glow

This blog was going to be a bit of a rant. I’ve been staring at too many friends’ photos on Instagram showing beautiful Caribbean beaches, and it’s been getting me...

London Special Double Billing…

I hope you’ve had the best Christmas ever. We were down with Mum and Dad on the Isle of Wight, and had a lovely time. But this time, the blog...

Have the Happiest Christmas with love from all ...

Here is a little sneak preview of the next blog; a photograph of Peter Hone’s drawing room – which in its own fragile white way is about as Christmassy as...

A day late, a day early…

The blog is getting very erratic these days isn’t it? A day late, a day early. How does anyone know where they stand? But  we’re down in Dorset, waiting for...

Late Night Christmas Shopping

We are open until 8pm every Thursday until Christmas. The post Late Night Christmas Shopping appeared first on Ben Pentreath Inspiration.

Better late than never…

It’s a funny thing. I meant to post on Sunday night… having driven down from London to Dorset, arriving at the Parsonage after dark, after an unexpectedly wonderful weekend. But...

I’d like you to recommend yourself

This is a bit of a trip down memory lane. If blogs had existed when I lived in New York, getting on for 12 to 15 years ago now, this...

Soft late November

From time to time you stop on the roller-coaster of day-to-day life and think to yourself: how can time be spinning so fast? I suppose, really, there are only 52...

Hudson days

I wonder if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been? Instagram followers were one stage ahead. Needless to say…. A couple of short lovely days in New York…. staying with Valentina,...

Golden and silver Valley

The weekend got off to a shaky start for some. It was bonfire night in the village, where we watched a fantastic display under the stars… and then the real...

Late Indian Summer

It’s been a hectic week. It was bliss to get to Dorset and to finish a long day of meetings on Thursday, and collect Charlie on the late afternoon train,...

RIP Ben’s Blog

I was terrified to read a comment posted by Jess last week that said “RIP Ben Pentreath’s Blog, thanks for the good times, you’ll be missed”. You realise what happens...

The best things are the least expected

I’m afraid the blog has had a cold today and yesterday. I’ve been in bed all day.  So, sorry for being late. Can I say, before kind offers of sympathy,...

The heartbeat of London is singing

We set off incredibly bright and early to Columbia Road this morning. We’d had a happy boozy night with Bridie and Andy and it felt a little too much of...

Village thanksgiving

Can you believe this autumn, shifting softly from September to October without a whisper?  I am not sure I can remember a more quietly beautiful time as this. I got...

Autumnal moments

On Friday night, Charlie and I drove back to Wardington… that magical garden in Oxfordshire that you first caught sight of on the blog a few months ago now, Glimpses...

Quiet days are made of this

A bunch of flowers for Monday morning. The dahlias are in their final flourish… I suspect that in a couple of weeks they will be almost over. So it was...

Paris mornings

It’s that Paris time of year. It’s always a little crazy, just when you’ve got home from your holidays, to find yourself jumping on a train again, and this year...

dream world changing

We’ve been back for 2 days and I’m in a dreamlike place. Do you ever have that feeling that however fast an aeroplane can travel, your mind only moves as...

Island revisited

One of the annoying things about a meeting out of London at 9.30 on a Monday morning is that the blog is unlikely to happen, as normal, on a Sunday...

Lie of the land

It’s been a beautiful weekend in Dorset, but I’ve been a touch reclusive as well. Those who fell victim of my hermit-like nature know who they are, and they know...

Workroom Profile IV: Ged Palmer Signwriter

It’s almost been a year since Ben and I signed on the dotted line and decided the fresh start needed a fresh sign. I’ve just realised the original design we...

Summer cure

Well, thank you… for a lot of amazing comments at the end of the last blog. Life’s a lot more cheerful this Sunday than last, I’m glad to report. What...

Glimpses of things

It’s a strange thing, isn’t it, how you sometimes don’t understand the whole picture but merely see, very clearly, glimpses of things. Do you know what I mean? And if you...

Seaside jaunt

I’m always highly conscious when it’s 9am on a Monday morning and I haven’t yet posted a blog. The fact is I’m a whole 24 hours off, this weekend. Yesterday...

Who flicked the crazy switch?

It’s taken me a whole weekend to recover… and that includes a whole afternoon lying in bed watching the tennis final… do you know what I mean? What am I...

Sienese dream

I arrived home last night after 2 nights in Italy with Valentina and my friend Catherine. It was one of the happiest holidays I think I’ve ever had, and it...

Workroom Profile III: Ed Kluz

I am constantly bombarded with emails from enthusiastic artists and makers, introducing their wares and strongly recommending that I contact them immediately to place an order or organise an exhibition. I...

Days out are made of this

It was a fun Friday in the office this week. Very, very sadly for us, it was time to say goodbye to Ruth, who’s been with us for a few...

Rest

I’ll admit, I woke up this morning feeling rather healthier than last Sunday. That’s the difference between having the decoration office, and Mum & Dad, to stay at the Parsonage...

All work and no play…

…Is no way to run a life. We all know it, but it’s hard to remember sometimes. I think it’s true that just now life feels busier than it has in...

The nicest thing about the blog

… Is the rare experiences that it brings from time to time.  This was an email that I received not too long after writing the other day about that great...

There’s a lot I’d like to show you

…this week, but I can’t.  Lots has been going on, but my camera has been unusually quiet. I went to stay with Jasper Conran at dreamy Wardour Castle. “Of course...

Ten out of Tenn

Mmmmmm. Stockholm. Civilisation. I’m back in London and the whole thing feels a bit like a dream. We had a wonderful time. It rained and rained, and everyone kept apologising,...

Workroom Profile: Peter Hone, Master Plaster Ca...

I’m never normally overwhelmed but on first walking into Peter Hone’s flat with Ben around five years ago, I was dumbstruck, my jaw hit the floor – I couldn’t believe what...

On the cusp

There’s a moment, around now, when I suddenly realised that spring is on the brink of summer. I’m never quite ready in my mind.  Are we nearly half way through...