Bespoke Billiards

Abode2 sits down with Sir William Bentley Billiards to discuss the trends growing in people’s homes as of late

Since the unfolding of events over the past year the intrinsic value placed on our home life has grown exponentially. Spending more and more time at home, we begin to appreciate, and inevitably, re-evaluate the minutia of our surroundings. Interior design; decoration; and furniture, all become areas of focus to optimise and develop for our new living situation.

Entertainment, too, has become an area of even greater focus, and with so much of our home-working and home-schooling lives spent in front of a screen, it is paramount for a healthy balance to find ways to take a break from them. For many, this might mean a long family walk, a board game, or a family murder-mystery dinner. Some may even have space for bigger games tables from Table-tennis to Pool or Snooker.

For years, games tables have been a focal point for entertainment in public spaces, in Pubs, Clubs and Hotel Bars. In more recent times the growth in popularity of open plan living and multi-functional spaces has meant that more and more people have found a way to integrate a Pool or Snooker table into their own home. As such, these tables are required to be different in design from the commercial coin-operated Pub tables, or those of the Snooker Halls. A pub style pool table might be acceptable in a games room, but when we’re talking about your home, it needs to also be a part of the interior design. This is especially true for convertible Pool or Snooker tables, which also function as dining tables.

The desire to bring these games into the home is by no means a new one. The Victorians were avid fans of billiards, and billiard rooms were added to many Hotels and homes in the late 19th century and into the early 20th. The Victorians also popularised dual-purpose billiard dining tables, bringing the games into more ordinary homes. The modern fashion for games rooms or pool and snooker dining tables has its roots in that era, and the tables that were made in that time, which have been restored & renovated by companies like Sir William Bentley Billiards.

The craftsmen at this family-run business, in Marten, England, have been restoring and reproducing antique & vintage billiard tables for more than 40 years, as well as creating many of their own. Learning their craft from the examples of the great table-makers and inspired by the demands of modern customers, they have designed and made some of the world’s most beautiful bespoke billiard tables. They work directly with each client, many of whom are private individuals, as well as Interior Designers, Hoteliers & Property Developers, to create unique items that are designed specifically for the space they are being made for.

Whether it’s a full-size Snooker table, a Pool table or a dual-purpose dining or conference table, every detail of the design is uniquely specified to complement the interior. The choices of wood, leg and frame design, cushion style and detail are many, allowing each table to be truly personalised. The table is then hand crafted, using only the finest wood, metal, slate, and cloth, by a table-maker whose sole focus is on producing a piece of high-quality furniture, that will play perfectly, look fabulous and last a lifetime.

As a result of their craftsmanship and design, Sir William Bentley Billiards reputation has grown to make them the choice of designers worldwide, and their tables are as likely to be found in Luxury hotels in London, in a boutique Bar in Dubai, as they are in a private Alpine Chalet, a Scottish country home, or a Mayfair basement. Their beautiful tables are often complemented with matching accessories, such as cue-racks, scoreboards, and ball-boxes. And due to the completely bespoke nature, their portfolio includes many diverse pieces, including Poker, table-tennis and foosball tables, dart-board cabinets, storage units and even a Roulette table.

Adjacent to their workshops are the Company’s showrooms, and potential clients have always been encouraged to visit, to appreciate the craftsmanship for themselves.  The showrooms are like an ‘Aladdin’s-cave’ of billiards paraphernalia, where accessories and lighting surround unique and historic antique tables, alongside ex-demo and pre-owned contemporary and classic fixed-height Snooker, Pool and dual-purpose dining tables.

With Covid restrictions soon to be lifted, the company are looking forward to welcoming visitors once again, 7 days a week by appointment. In the meantime, they are contactable by email and phone. To find out more visit www.billiards.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1264 731 210.