There are automakers that have become so big in their own way that labeling them strictly as a “car company” doesn’t sound right anymore. Just about every auto brand has its own clothing line these days. A company like Ferrari has even branched out to other ventures, including having its own theme park in Abu Dhabi. Then there’s Bentley. The British automaker prides itself on being one of the finest luxury car makers in the world. Not many people know, though, that it’s also into home design now. At the 2018 Salone Internazionale de Mobile, Bentley was in attendance to showcase its newest creation: the Buxton kitchen.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m fascinated by the idea of an automaker that’s able to step out of its own bubble and venture into other businesses. The weirder that other venture is, the more intrigued I am. I will admit, though, to being caught off-guard by the Bentley Home collection. I didn’t know it existed until today, but I sure am glad that it does. This is the perfect example of a car maker that was able to expand its reach and become more than just the cars it sells. Granted, I never thought I’d ever see a Bentley marble kitchen counter or a Bentley ottoman, but hey, I’m open to being impressed.
The Buxton kitchen does that in spades. It’s designed by architect Carlo Colombo, regarded as one of the most famous architects in the world. The kitchen itself is defined by what Bentley describes as a “linear design enhanced by an exquisite richness of finish.” I know that’s just fancy-talk, but the gist of it is that the kitchen features a number of premium elements, including a Calacatta Gold marble-topped island, a brushed larch wood storage unit with smoked, diamond-pattern cut glass doors, and enough high-tech appliances to make you wonder if the entire room is just an oversized Bentley car interior.
The Buxton kitchen was Bentley’s showpiece display at the 2018 Salone Internazionale de Mobile, but it’s not the only area of the house that the Bentley Home collection has reached. If you like the kitchen setup designed by Carlo Colombo, you can combine that with an entire collection of furniture that features patterns taken from the interior of the new Continental GT. You can take your pick between the Bampton and Stowe sofas, Malvern and Mere chairs, and the Matlock confutable. You can even get all of them if you have enough money to spend.
Speaking of which, the cost of crossing off the entire Bentley Home catalog isn’t going to be cheap. It's unclear how much the Buxton kitchen is going to cost, but you can be sure that the whole setup will cost a lot of pretty pennies. For a little perspective, the Dundee ottoman sells for $3,210 while the Bampton sofa is going to set you back $29,220. That’s almost the price of an actual BMW X1.
I won’t blame you if you think all of this is too much. But this is the world Bentley lives in. We’re all just guests in it.
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