Feature: continuing a bespoke tradition of excellence

730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Feature: continuing a bespoke tradition of excellence

Hotel Designs explores bespoke and antique billiards for the 21st Century…

The craftsmen at Sir William Bentley Billiards’ workshop, in Marten, England, have designed and made some of the world’s most beautiful bespoke billiard tables.

With nearly 40 years of experience in Antique Billiards restoration and reproduction, they have worked on countless exquisite pieces made by legendary furniture makers such as Gillow, William Morris, Burroughes & Watts and Thurstons, to become experts in their craft. Their aim has been to emulate these and to continue the Victorian tradition of Excellence in billiard table manufacture. They have done this by restoring and reproducing the designs of the past 200 years at the same time as applying the same attention to detail and focus on quality to the creation of stunning contemporary designs for Snooker tables, Pool tables and dual-purpose dining/boardroom tables.

Image credit: Billiards

The family-run business is committed to providing a truly bespoke, personalised service, producing unique furniture of the highest quality, from the finest materials. Each piece is handmade to order, with every detail subject to the to the client’s individual specifications – or that of their interior designer. As a result, their table designs have become increasingly diverse and contemporary, and the finishes, craftsmanship and attention to detail are subject to the scrutiny of this most discerning audience.

The appeal to these clients is clear – every table, as well as the matching accessories, such as scoreboards, cue-racks and specialist billiard lighting, is meticulously made to match the interior design of the property it’s being made for.

This truly bespoke approach, and the quality of its work, has led the company to be widely known within the Interior design industry, Internationally, as well as in the UK. Many of their tables have been uniquely specified by top Interior designers and are as likely to be found in a Luxury hotel in the far East, or boutique Bar in Dubai as they are in a private Alpine Chalet or a Mayfair basement. The dual-purpose tables in particular have allowed a number of hotels to combine the offering of a conference or function room with that of a billiard room or games room, whether as a public space or offered for private hire.

In recent years, working with commercial clients such as hotel owners especially, the company has been asked to provide their unique tables on a rental basis. These hoteliers have been able to furnish their property with a stunning piece of furniture, beautifully suited to their space, sometimes offering alternative use of this space, without significant capital outlay. In addition, Pool or Snooker table rental is often combined with a service option – so that any maintenance or repairs required can be quickly attended to by the company’s expert fitters and table makers.

Billiards is one of the brands that has taken advantage of our Industry Support Package. To keep up to date with supplier news, click here.

Main image credit: Billiards

Hamish Kilburn / 17.08.2020

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