5 bedroom terraced house

GUIDE PRICE: £950,000--£1,000,000.

VIEWING ESSENTIAL.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.


6 minutes drive from Preston Park’s direct trains to Gatwick and London and within walking distance of good primary and senior schools (10 on foot), this 5 bedroom Edwardian townhouse has a fabulous, landscaped garden and fuses great contemporary design with period charm. In fashionable Fiveways - given a top spot in The Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide, local cafés and shops are around the corner and family friendly Blakers Park is nearby. Inside has been sensitively extended and improved to create a beautiful home with 164.9m2 (1775 sq. ft.) of versatile, sun-lit rooms to enjoy. The ground floor has been opened to create a sophisticated living dining room with an original open fire and easy flow to a stunning kitchen/breakfast room beneath vaulted skylights, where floor to ceiling doors slide open to a private oasis ideal for al fresco entertaining. Upstairs, the spacious bathroom has a stylish finish and all 5 bedrooms are quiet, comfortable and not overlooked. The inviting, 1st floor principal room, sometimes used as a 2nd reception, has access to a romantic wrought iron balcony, and the second bedroom on this level is a generous double. At the top, two more bright doubles have grace, space and open views whilst the large single 5th bedroom, used as a study, has inspiring leafy views to the Downs- but could also become a 2nd bathroom (a quote is available).

In a quiet enclave of historic terraces which rise from the sports facilities, playground and arts events of Preston Park to Fiveways Village – and its five ways into or out of the city, homes in this golden triangle do not come onto the market often and sell fast. They attract professionals, families and international investors with London Road at the bottom of the hill giving easy access to the city centre or A23/27, and Ditchling Road at the top, which takes you to the historic heart of Brighton and its beaches or to the South Downs National Park.

Style Edwardian terraced house
Type 5 bedrooms: 4 double, 1 generous single/home office, 1 bathroom, large living room, kitchen dining room, boarded attic with Velux & potential stnc
Area Fiveways
Floor Area 1775 sq. ft.
Outside Space Spacious, landscaped garden at the back, front garden
Parking Permit Zone F, no waiting list
Council Tax Band D

Why You’ll Like It:
Tucked away on a friendly street with access to Dorothy Stringer Secondary School and popular Balfour Primary a stroll, this box bay fronted house with a pretty first floor balcony, mature hedge and drop diamond path to the original stained glass door has instant appeal. In a quiet but convenient location with plentiful permit parking and grocers, cafes, bakeries and bistro pubs around the corner but out of hearing, this is a popular area of the city with bus routes into or out of Brighton.

Sensitive but thorough, the loving restoration of this home since 1995 includes repairing the period leaded windows of the lobby door by a local craftsman, sourcing historic tones of paint (Farrow & Ball, Lick and Mylands), and then integrating the best features the 21st century has to offer - from the architect designed vaulted extension and high spec kitchen to the recent overhaul of the roof and the installation of designer radiators and energy efficient boiler.

The Entrance Hall and Living Room:
Inside has a clear commitment to style, comfort and practicality and this design approach begins in the entrance lobby where intricate plaster work remains unspoilt, classic tiling underfoot continues into the spacious hallway and a restful colour choice keeps the focus on the inviting views through this big house to the garden. Ideal for children and visitors, the ground floor flow is all on one level which is a feature hard to find in a city built on hills.

To the right, built in an age reliant on natural light, sunlight streams through the broad front bay of a beautifully proportioned living room which is unusually private with a hedge screening it from the quiet street at the front. A large window at the far end looks through the dining area to leafy views to the garden beyond. Ideal for family time as well as enjoying with company, there is 9.34m x 3.26m (30’8 x 10’8) in which to spread your wings with custom made shelving in the alcoves on each side of a stately fireplace, which is open.

The Kitchen Breakfast Room:
All about embracing friends and an al fresco lifestyle, sunshine streams through this stunning kitchen breakfast room which spans an astonishing 8.54m x 4.94m (28’0 x 16’12). Skilfully extended into the side return this dream space works well for everyday but is also perfect for parties with floor to ceiling double glazed doors opening to the dynamic landscaping of the garden. This versatile space has ample room for a large dining table beneath huge, vaulted skylights.

Expert attention to detail extends into the placement of the user friendly kitchen. Skilled design ensures that the plumbing for machines and the sink of this practical area are out of sight of the table so clearing up can be done discreetly. Streamlined units provide ample storage, steel surfaces look great but are also indestructible for fledgling cooks, and there is space for an American style fridge/freezer. There are slate Fired Earth tiles underfoot and a built in Miele electric oven beneath a Neff hood.

The Landscaped Garden
Surrounded by a sea of gardens this tranquil oasis is a delight to return to - and larger than many this close to the city centre and the sea. Sunny and secure behind painted walls and sleek fencing it is a private retreat. Skilfully landscaped and easy to manage, flower beds have been lovingly planted for scent as well as for all year interest and the dining terrace, with built in seating when hosting larger numbers, is raised to catch the sun.

The First Double Bedroom and Bathroom:
The first of the generous double bedrooms is bright and cheerful. A stylish refuge, with an original, built in wardrobe by a period fireplace and fabulous Barbara Hulanicki (Biba) wallpaper. With 4.16m x 2.66m (13’8 x 8’9) it is a good size for a teenager or an au-pair as it is on the first floor landing, so the occupants can come and go without disturbing the main bedrooms - and the bonus is that it is next to the chic bathroom.
Cool and contemporary, although with historic glass still in the window, there’s a flawless finish to this big bathroom which has a fashionable dual head shower above the family tub, white metro tiles on the walls, a mirrored vanity unit beneath the hand basin and Fired Earth tiles.

The Principal Bedroom/2nd Reception 1st Floor:
Calm and quiet, the romantic principal bedroom opens to the south facing balcony and spans the full width of this substantial property with 5.16m x 5.09m (16’11 x 16’8) in which to unwind. With the restful proportions only a period home can deliver, the decoration is in soothing hues and a broad bay window as well as tall window almost fill the front wall to flood the room with light.

The Top Floor:
Private and peaceful at the top of the house, three more bedrooms offer versatile options. At the back, a quiet nursery with views which change with the seasons has plenty of floorspace: 2.68m x 2.49 (8’9 x 8’2). Currently used as a comfortable home office it has plenty of charm with a handmade cupboard and period fireplace of its own, although if you wanted a 2nd bathroom there is a quote available should you wish to convert this space. The large attic above your head has floorboards, a Velux and potential, subject to the necessary consents.

Along the hallway another airy back bedroom, a good sized double, has space and grace with storage and open views which sweep from the Hollingdean Woods around the corner to a glimpse of the rolling Downs. At the front of the house, the 5th light and inviting bedroom, a splendid double stretching a majestic 5.16m x 3.99m (16’11 x 13’1), has a three window bay and a sash window to frame a vista which reaches from the Grandstand on Race Hill to the sunsets in the west by day and a distant, glittering cityscape at night.

Agent Says:
“This beautifully extended house is good to go with a family friendly flow, sociable layout and fabulous, landscaped garden. Families stay in this sought after location until their children have grown up and moved on, which makes homes in these quiet terraces unusually close to popular schools difficult to find.”

Owner’s Secret:
“We instantly fell in love with this beautiful house and its period proportions, original features and spacious garden. It was labour of love to restore it to its former glory and we wanted the house to be both stylish and practical. The versatile layout and big bright rooms have been perfect for our growing family as well as for working from home and entertaining. Adding the glass extension created a brilliant family space and provided a great link to the sunny garden. Fiveways is a fantastic area to live in, has a great community feel and we love that central Brighton is so easily accessible. We will be sad to leave but are now downsizing elsewhere in the city.”

Where it is:
Shops: Fiveways 5 mins walk
Train Station: Preston Park Station 6 mins drive, about 20 on foot, London Road Station 5 mins drive
Seafront or Park: Hollingbury tennis courts & playground 5 on foot, Blakers Park 10 mins on foot, Preston Park 10-15 mins walk, 3 mins by car, sea about 10

Closest schools:
Primary: Balfour, Downs Junior, Downs Infant
Secondary: Varndean, Dorothy Stringer
Sixth Form: Varndean 6th Form, BHASVIC, Newman 6th Form College, BIMM
Private: Brighton College, Brighton & Hove High, Lancing College

Ideal for those needing access to the airports and London as the station is a 6 minute drive, Fiveways is a favourite destination known for its independent friendly shops, cafés and small Co-Op. Between family friendly Blakers Park, the expansive leafy acreage and sports facilities of Preston Park -which both host events during our legendary festivals- and Hollingbury Parks countryside walks, local schools are good and within easy reach, and the National Park bordered by beaches is just a short drive– so a healthy lifestyle beckons! The vibrant arts venues, international restaurants and cosmopolitan shopping of the city are all quick to get to by bus or by cab and for those who need a car, there’s swift access to the A23/A27 and Zone F has no waiting list.