Retail Theatre with a Heritage Heart
Walking into Penhaligon’s on Regent Street is like stepping back in time – not into a museum, but into a living, breathing shop that revels in its eccentricity. It’s rich with scent, drama, and heritage. For White and White London Contracts, it was a chance to bring all of our specialist skills into play: traditional joinery, antique materials, modern precision.
The brief was delightfully complex: create a space that looked as though it had evolved over 150 years, while meeting the demands of a contemporary flagship retail store. This was no minimalist fit-out. Every detail had to carry story, texture, and patina. We knew it would take a delicate balance of history and function.
Building a World from Reclaimed Wood
The central retail counters and cabinetry were built from reclaimed pine, salvaged from a 19th-century Welsh schoolhouse. We selected it for its warmth and history – the slight irregularities in grain and tone gave it the character that Penhaligon’s needed.
Our workshop in Leyton became a staging ground for transformation. Each piece was cleaned, planed, matched, and constructed using traditional mortice and tenon joinery. The display shelving, in contrast, was built from antique French oak: deeper, darker, more formal. The contrast created layers of texture and tone throughout the space.
Where possible, we reused genuine antique furniture. One standout was a salvaged apothecary cabinet, painstakingly resized and adapted to serve as a functional and beautiful product display behind the counter.
Details That Tell a Story
Every component of the store told a part of the story. We hand-turned walnut holders for scent testers, each one unique. We constructed mirrored wall panels with antique cherry wood frames. We even used low-VOC oils and traditional shellac polishes – not just for finish, but to echo the brand’s legacy of natural ingredients.
The result was a space that felt deliberately imperfect in the most perfect way. Nothing was over-machined. You could see the joinery, feel the texture, sense the history in the wood.
Behind the Scenes: Modern Functionality
Despite the heritage aesthetic, this was a working flagship retail store. That meant integrating lighting, storage, and point-of-sale systems with complete discretion.
We concealed wiring within joinery runs, built soft-close drawers into what looked like antique desks, and installed custom fittings to hold modern packaging behind traditional façades. Everything had to perform to a modern standard while presenting an old-world face.
A True Collaboration
Working with the Penhaligon’s design team was one of the most creative partnerships we’ve enjoyed. They encouraged innovation and welcomed our input on materials and methods. Together, we created a space that wasn’t themed or fake – but felt genuinely timeless.
As one member of their team put it, “You gave us a shop that looks like it’s been here for a century, but works like it opened yesterday.”
What This Project Represents
This case study encapsulates so much of what defines White and White London Contracts:
- A passion for reclaimed and antique wood, selected not just for sustainability, but for soul
- A love of visible craftsmanship, where joints, textures, and finishes speak without apology
- An ability to marry traditional character with modern requirements
- A collaborative spirit that respects design vision and enhances it through skill and detail
For us, Penhaligon’s wasn’t just a retail fit-out. It was an experience in building story and atmosphere. A space where scent, memory, and material meet.
If your brand values authenticity, craft, and a distinctive sense of place, we’d love to help you realise your next space.
