Bentley Home unveils its first dedicated showroom in the heart of Dubai. Situated in The Dubai Mall Zabeel, this luxurious space represents a milestone for the British automaker, seamlessly blending the essence of automotive excellence with a fresh take on luxury living. In conversation with Ben Saltmer, Product & Lifestyle Design Manager at Bentley, as he shares insights on this remarkable venture.

Can you tell us about Bentley’s design philosophy and how it has influenced the creation of Bentley Home’s first showroom in the UAE?

Bentley cars and Bentley Home are both born out of a passion for design, craftsmanship and personalisation. Embracing innovation, Bentley Home is a showcase of design excellence, tapping into a profound understanding of our customers lifestyle. Our first flagship store in Dubai is a showcase for our level of curation, craft and innovation and a direct reaction to what is resonating with people locally.

Ben Saltmer

What were some of the key inspirations behind Bentley Home?

Bentley Home offers interiors that draw from the core design principals of the brand – confident surfaces, inspiring detail discoveries and harmonious proportions. The Bentley Home furniture adopts the same authentic materiality and bespoke possibilities seen in the vehicles. Bentley has always been a lifestyle brand, even back to the 1920s, the cars supported a life of innovation, craft, and the pursuit of perfection.

In what ways does Bentley ensure a seamless transition of its aesthetic from cars to home furnishings, maintaining that distinct Bentley identity across collections?

The essence of Bentley’s design DNA is subtly expressed in each Bentley Home piece. There are specific references such as the Bentley signature diamond motif, the dynamic automotive lines and surfaces and the exquisite materiality. An extensive range of fabrics and finishes are offered to our Home clients to personalise their furniture pieces – the two worlds of automotive and home combine and work seamlessly together.

How do you balance timeless luxury with innovative design in the evolution of Bentley Home collections?

Could you share some of the standout pieces in Bentley Home’s latest collection for the Middle East region?

We design to a set of specific design principals – we focus a lot of energy refining the design of our vehicles and this is translated into Home. Harmony is particularly important – the perfect balance of design proportion and crafted materiality. No one feature, texture or material should overpower. Good design should endure. We design furniture with functionality and comfort in mind but ultimately it has to look like a Bentley designed product.

A centrepiece of the collection is The Wilton Desk which which was first showcased during Milan Design Week earlier this year. Designed in collaboration with Francesco Forcellini, it is a beautiful piece of sculpture. It has a dual shell profile with integrated drawers, and it’s flowing curves exemplify fluidity, craftsmanship and an unmistakeably Bentley character. Complimenting the desk is the Bollington office armchair featuring a minimalist curved backrest that harmonizes beautifully with the Wilton Desk creating a stunning feature for a home office set up.

Our origins and aesthetic principles are brought to life in the Camden Table by Frederico Peri – a sophisticated piece available in round and rectangular versions with beautifully chamfered edges to give a feel of lightness and dynamism. The contoured legs are designed to be unintrusive to the table top form but have a reassuring strong mass at the base. The balance of these features add to the elegance of the piece. Accompanied by the Ridley chair which also reflects the contoured legs of the table and Bentley’s automotive form language.

One of my personal favourites is the Brixton Bed – comfort meets minimalism with a double headboard in bespoke lacquered finishes and optional lighting to highlight the refined materials chosen.

What are the unique challenges in translating Bentley’s automotive craftsmanship and materials into the realm of furniture?

We are keen to not create ‘automotive furniture’. The furniture shouldn’t be inspired by the vehicle, but inspired by the brand. Bentley stands for enduring design, craftsmanship and innovation. There are certain forms in Bentley automotive design that we subtly weave into our furniture design. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of materiality, we do have slightly more freedom in the materials with which we work in our furniture. For example, in Bentley Home, we work with Paper Marble – a material that sees both hand and machine harnessed. It forms part of the Thames Coffee Table designed in collaboration with Frederico Peri which is available in beautiful veneer options with the Paper Factor tabletop finish created using ‘raw paper’ and natural pigments.

Bentley’s automotive designs often reflect cutting-edge technology. How is this tech-forward approach incorporated into Bentley Home pieces?

We cross reference and share techniques, technological innovations, and craftsmanship – we are by our very nature incredibly precise and detailed and this translates equally well into home and the level of craft and comfort that we bring to each piece. The superformed aluminium body panels of our cars allows us to achieve precise dynamic lines – this influences our approach to Bentley Home furniture.

How would you describe the target audience for Bentley Home?

Our target audience is those who love individual and ultra-luxury pieces – many are Bentley owners but not exclusively. A nod to the familiar Bentley aesthetic is appreciated and everything we do can be personalised.

What parallels do you see between the craftsmanship of Bentley cars and the production of Bentley Home furniture?

Every detail, from materials like sustainably sourced wood, leather and glass to the overall design philosophy is crafted to embody Bentley’s values craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability. Bentley’s craft touch is seen in the meticulous curation of every element, offering an immersive, seamless living experience. Every detail is considered to achieve a potent, inspiring and harmonious final piece.

Where do you envision Bentley Home heading in the future, especially with a growing demand for luxury home experiences in regions like the UAE?

We find the level of customer here will walk into our stores and want the entire ‘look’ and feel – right down to the books on the shelves so we are presenting Bentley Home in a finished, effective high luxury environment with each showroom offering a customized service. If a client walks in and wants pieces completely individualised, we can do that. They are pieces we hope clients will keep for their entire lives and it helps having that emotional connection to the design process. We are also offering a level up from that with our Furnished by Bentley Home service: our team will come into your home and design absolutely everything from fine-crafted walls and floors to the lighting – it’s a complete 360.