Indie of the Week #7: Ben Pentreath

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.
Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

 

BP Shop front.jpg
Ben Pentreath is an architectural designer who set up his eponymous shop just off Lamb's Conduit Street, in Bloomsbury, in 2008, with his friend the decorative artist Bridie Hall. The pair sell well designed, beautiful and often quite unusual things that are not easily found elsewhere. They also run an interior design service and last year Ben published this book
Who are you? Bridie Hall, Creative Director of Ben Pentreath Ltd
Where can we find you? Ben Pentreath Ltd, 17 Rugby Street, London WC1N 3QT; 020 7430 2526; www.benpentreath.com; Facebook; Twitter
Describe your store in five words: Good things for the home.
What makes you different? We only stock what we would like to own ourselves, and normally do own ourselves.
How you decide what makes the cut? Whether or not we could live with it ourselves.
What were you doing before you did this? I was a specialist painter.
If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Be confident in what you are doing and just get on with it!
What are you most proud of? The reaction we get from customers who are fans of what we do.
Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? The Tiny Trays by The John Derian Company.