Stanley Road, Brighton, BN1

GUIDE PRICE: £600,000 - £650,000.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

Generous room proportions, high ceilings and a wealth of period detail are just a few of the impressive features found in this renovated Victorian house. It is spread over three spacious floors and is south facing at the rear ensuring it is beautifully bright throughout the day. It also benefits from a pretty and private, walled rear garden, plus the potential is huge for further extension to the lower ground floor or into the loft space which would add considerable space and value to this family sized home. The current owner has restored this house being careful to retain its period character while combining this with contemporary fittings and a stylish palette. With three/four double bedrooms and an excellent school catchment, this home is ideal for any growing family, plus with Brighton Station within walking distance, it is perfect for commuters too. Being so favourably located and with a modern finish throughout, this home is sure to be coveted by many.

Style: Terraced Victorian townhouse
Type: 3-4 double bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1-2 reception rooms, 1 kitchen
Location: Preston Circus/The Level
Floor Area: 1276 sq.ft.
Outside: South facing walled rear garden and balcony
Parking: Residents permit zone J

Why you’ll like it
There is a real sense of community amongst these pretty, latticed streets of terraced Victorian homes which has made them hugely popular for families for many years now. You can easily access the city on foot, from the cultural North Laine to the newly regenerated Preston Circus with its many excellent eateries and bars, plus Brighton Station is a few minutes away for the London Commute. The primary schools at the top of the hill are ‘Ofsted outstanding’, and you are in the catchment for two of the most sought-after secondary schools too, so no wonder it has held its appeal. This family home is spread over three floors, and it sits mid terrace on a quiet no-through street predominantly used by residents. Its current owner bought the property from the original builder’s daughter, so is only the second owner. 12-years ago, the house had barely seen any modifications since being built in 1880, so it bore many of its original features. New heating, electrics, plumbing and fixtures were therefore required in recent years, along with full redecoration, so the house is now ready for the modern family lifestyle.

Externally, the house is quintessentially Victorian with canted bay sash windows and architectural mouldings. It has been painted white with its woodwork picked out in light dove-grey and you can enter on the raised ground floor or via the second entrance on the lower ground level. Stepping up to the main front door, you enter into a well-lit hallway with a high ceiling which includes the original corbels and Anaglypta wallpaper, now painted in stylish grey. This echoes the wood effect flooring which runs through to the main living room to the left while complementing white walls above the dado rail.

Spanning the depth of the house, the main living room was once two rooms which were opened to create one bright and sociable space. To the front, the bay window brings in plenty of natural light and has a depth of view with Lorna Road running perpendicular Stanley Road. This is a versatile room, great for entertaining, relaxing, formal dining or as a play room for little ones. Dual aspect, the room also enjoys views over the garden so it is sunny and airy, yet in winter you can cosy up by the open fire for warmth and atmosphere.

Stepping down to the first half-landing, the bathroom is directly ahead. Using a modern take on a period style, this room has gleaming white floorboards and a freestanding Victorian claw-foot bath with a shower above it. A tall traditional style cupboard houses the Vaillant combi-boiler and the wall tiles are copies of an older style. A door opens to the south facing balcony which is a joyous place to sit out with a morning coffee or lunch, listening to birdsong and planning the day. Surrounded by greenery, it is hard to believe you are so close to the city centre.

Downstairs there are two further reception rooms which would work well as offices, bedrooms or work spaces depending on need, so it is a great layout for families, professional sharers and couples alike. The front room is dressed as a lovely double bedroom at present with the second room used for formal dining; both with open fireplaces and traditional built-in cupboards. It had been an idea to extend the dining room into the side return and open it up to the kitchen to create an incredible kitchen, dining and family room with doors leading out to the garden. This would require planning, but it should not be too hard to come by– and would be a fantastic way to add space and value to the house.

At the end of the hall, the kitchen has been modernised already with streamlined handle-free units in white, fitted with a fan oven and an induction hob while space has been left for a tall fridge freezer and a washing machine. Beautifully bright, a large three-panel window sits beside the kitchen table and chairs looking out to the patio area where there is further seating for dining alfresco. Outside, the garden is a real haven as it is surrounded by lush borders to include roses and ferns which add scent, shape and colour to the space. The lawn is a fine size for children’s play equipment and there is plenty of scope for further landscaping. While it is filled with sunshine due to its southerly aspect, tall trees provide some dappled shade, and it is barely overlooked by neighbouring homes.

Returning inside, there are two further double bedrooms on the first floor with soft carpet underfoot and some feature wallpapers. They are both substantial double rooms with high ceilings and the views to the rear only improve the further up the house you go. The potential remains to extend into the loft creating one or two more bedrooms with a dormer to the rear. From such a height, there would be sea, sky and city views for miles.

Agent’s thoughts:
Bright, spacious and airy, this is a lovely home as it stands, yet it has so much potential for further renovations too. The area is ideal for so many and is surprisingly quiet for somewhere so central. We do not expect it to sit on the market for long.

Owner’s secret
“It was incredible to see this house when I bought it 12-years ago from a 100-year old lady who had lived here her whole life after her father built it in 1880. There was obviously a great deal of work I needed to do, but it was a labour of love breathing new life into the house. It has been a great entertaining space and more recently a family home, but I’m looking to downsize now. That said, I will miss it here hugely – particularly how convenient it is with the city and all its delights on your doorstep.”

Where it is
Shops: Local 1 min walk, North Laines 10 min walk
Station: London Road 4 min walk Brighton Station 8-10 min walk
Seafront or Park: The Level 5 min walk, seafront 20-25 min walk
Closest Schools:
Primary: Downs Infant and Junior Schools
Secondary: Varndean and Dorothy Stringer, Cardinal Newman RC
Private: Brighton College

This is a fantastic family home in a popular location which is well served for shops, parks and schools. There are plenty of local green spaces, and great transport links, but you are also only a short walk from everything this vibrant coastal city has to offer. The A23/A27 and stations are also within easy reach, for those requiring fast links to Gatwick or London on a daily or weekly basis.