Strolling into the new eba showroom in Marylebone is like entering the home of your most stylish friend. And, as when visiting a pal, you head straight to the kitchen.
The prominence of the kitchen in this exciting new space is meaningful. Before eba, the company’s lifestyle furniture arm launched in 2019, there was just Santos – founded 70 years ago by Antonio Santos Barral who, drawing on the heritage of his father and grandfather, both carpenters, decided to craft high-quality, functional and innovative cabinetry. Today, Santos kitchens are presented in harmony with eba pieces for the living room, dining room and home offices on Wigmore Street.
This is a brand you may not be familiar with – the Marylebone store is its first in the UK and fourth worldwide, with other spaces in presence in Paris, Auch (southwest France) and Mexico City – but it’s one that brings something special to this neighbourhood and beyond.
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‘What we like the most about Marylebone is its blend of modern charm and classic Britishness. There is a mix of residential warmth and professional energy that reflects our values as a company,’ explains UK director José Santos. ‘The most unique thing about London is the city’s diversity. There is housing stock from period homes to contemporary apartments. Our furniture aims to address this variety by incorporating multi-functional, space-maximising pieces, like plinth drawers and modular solutions that adapt to varying home layouts.’
As you delve deeper in the showroom, you will discover a series of room sets that speak to these different ways of living. It is, says José, a way for visitors to ‘see at a glance how eba can fulfil all of their needs’. True to the Santos family’s woodworking background, precision-designed bookcases, shelving and panel systems feature heavily (used to divide and define different areas of the showroom as they would in a home), but there are also sofas, chairs, tables, lighting and more.
‘We have a special fondness for natural wood as per our heritage as carpenters, of course,’ adds José, ‘but we also use steel, glass and aluminium to help us achieve a light, modern aesthetic. These materials reflect our commitment to lasting beauty, while ensuring the pieces are adaptable across all sorts of interior styles.’ You’ll see this adaptability as you move throughout the showroom, with the lower level showcasing what eba could bring to a more compact urban dwelling, while the upstairs has an open-plan airiness.
Scattered throughout are furniture gems that you will certainly recognise – pieces by the likes of House of Finn Juhl, PP Møbler and Fredericia. ‘We may come from a completely different part of Europe, but eba’s values and Galician heritage share a lot with Scandinavian design: a commitment to honesty, simplicity, functionality and respect for materials,’ explains José. ‘Our designs aim to be as timeless as those classic pieces and to be able to seamlessly combine with them.’
Asked what the response has been so far to the new showroom, José expresses his delight that people feel the showroom doesn’t feel like a shop but rather a ‘cosy, warm and welcoming home’. A relaxing space to sit down or perch at a kitchen island and discuss design with the eba team, who offer personal consultations, it’s the perfect introduction to a brand that we are sure to be hearing more of.
Visit eba Marylebone at 28 Wigmore Street, London W1G 9RJ. Head to the brand’s website for inspiration or to start a project.
