Having been sensitively converted; this beautiful, one-bedroom apartment has retained many of its original features and enjoys the generous proportions of the Victorian period. It is formed form the entire raised ground floor of a substantial villa, benefitting from sole use of a tranquil and private, walled rear garden. With a sunny east to west orientation and a wealth of glazing, it is naturally light and airy throughout. Its graciously tall sash bay windows look out to greenery on both sides, so it is hard to believe the city centre is so close by. Ideal for commuters, Hove Station is an easy walk, and both the beach and the vibrant mix of fashionable shops, bars and restaurants of Church Road are just minutes away. You really are in the heart of Hove here, so this beautiful property is sure to attract professionals and investors alike.

Style: raised ground floor flat in a Victorian villa
Type: 1 double bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 living room, 1 kitchen
Location: Cliftonville Conservation Area
Floor Area: 791 sq.ft.
Outside: east facing, walled rear garden
Parking: Residents Permit Zone N

Why you’ll like it:
Ventnor Villas is a wide tree lined road running north from Church Road, flanked by substantial Victorian townhouses. Built during the mid-19th Century and named after a town in Queen Victoria’s most favoured Isle of Wight, these houses were always intended to have an air of grandeur. While many have been converted into luxury apartments such as this, they continue to impress almost 150 years later.
Stepping up and through a grand portico entrance below the graceful boughs of an elm tree, you enter the apartment from a neat communal hallway. Once inside, the scale of the apartment becomes apparent as the ceiling is wonderfully high and light from the east streams in through timber framed French doors in the kitchen. Brushed painted floorboards create a rustic feel to this room, with cream Shaker units, wooden worktops and a butler sink adding to this aesthetic. Modern touches have been added including an American fridge freezer and a gas range cooker – both of which may be negotiable with the sale, while the washing machine has been cleverly hidden within a cupboard in the hall.
Stepping out onto the iron staircase, the outside space feels reminiscent of a sunken Italian garden with high stone walls, fringed with lush green planting to provide shape, colour and dappled shade. A neat row of trees forms a screen between the lower ground floor garden, so you can dine alfresco and socialise in privacy during the summer. Easy to maintain, shingle flooring feels reminiscent of the beach nearby while a paved patio provides the perfect spot for a table and chairs to catch the last of the summer sunshine.
Returning to the house, the bedroom and bathroom are next on the left, sharing the same high ceilings and easterly aspect as the kitchen; looking out over the peaceful garden. While there is ample space in here for a king size bed and several pieces of bedroom furniture, there is no need for a wardrobe as there is a deep built-in cupboard just outside in the hall. The bathroom feels more like an en suite, although it is easy to access for guests too. Having been recently renovated, it has a contemporary finish with a gleaming white bath suite, a rainfall shower over it and a streamlined vanity unit below the basin for toiletries, ensuring the room remains clutter free.
Across the hall, facing west, the incredibly spacious living room has a wonderfully leafy vista and is abundant with original period detail. Ornate cornicing wends its way round the lofty ceiling, while deep skirting boards do the same to the floor, which has the same shabby-chic look as elsewhere. There is ample space in here for formal dining, entertaining and relaxation – ideally in winter by the open gas fire which has a traditional mantelpiece with a cast iron insert for a true Victorian feel. Through the trees you can spy the pretty Church opposite, then as the sun sets, a warming light filters through, casting beautiful shapes within.
Agent’s thoughts:
This is a fantastic size for a one-bedroom flat, so it would be possible to create an open plan kitchen within the sizable living room, while converting the original kitchen into bedroom two – certainly food for thought.
Owner’s secret
“This flat has always been a joy to return to after a long work day. It is a real sanctuary, with leafy outlooks from every window, and the garden is delightful in the summer. You really don’t feel like you live in the middle of a busy city – yet you have every convenience on your doorstep. The beach and parks are also equidistant, so you have the best of all worlds. We will miss it here hugely.”

Where it is:
Shops: Local 1 min walk, city centre 20 min walk
Train Station: Hove Station 5. min walk
Seafront or Park: Hove Lawns and Seafront 7 min walk
Closest Schools:
Primary: Brunswick Primary, Hove Primary School
Secondary: Hove Park, Blatchington Mill, Cardinal Newman RC
Private: Brighton College

This generous flat is perfectly situated in a popular area with lots of local shops and the beach nearby. The city centre shopping districts and parks are also within easy reach, and this house also offers easy access to Hove Station and the A23 which have direct and fast links to the airports and London.