Stafford Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1

GUIDE PRICE: £850,000--£900,000.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

Picture perfect, this stately 5 bed, double fronted Victorian beauty with a sunny garden, family friendly flow and a study is within a sought after, tranquil terrace 3 mins walk from the playground, tennis courts and open air theatre of Dyke Road Park with a good junior school and local amenities around the corner, whilst Brighton Station’s direct trains to Gatwick and London are 15-20 mins on foot (6 by cab). On the market for the first time in almost 40 years, this oasis of calm has been sensitively improved and extended over time to create a stylish but practical contemporary home with period charm – and a generous 184.3m2 (1984 sq. ft.) of big, bright rooms to enjoy.
The ground floor offers versatile accommodation. A spacious living room is inviting and a separate dining room enjoys an open fire and has a streamlined kitchen at the far end. Tucked behind a gracefully turning staircase, a quiet, comfortable study with garden views is large enough to share. On the first floor, all three bedrooms are quiet doubles and there’s both a shower room and unusually large bathroom with ample storage to hand. Up at the top, two more family bedrooms are big and bright, the principal with all the custom built wardrobes you could dream of. Prestonville is a great place to be with a community hall owned by the residents, and it is a favourite with professionals and families within walking distance of good schools and outstanding 6th form college. There’s a choice of parks – as well as Dyke Road, both Preston Park and St Anne’s Wells Gardens sports facilities and green spaces (which host events during our festivals) are easy to get to and the vibrant North Laine, the city centre and sea are within a 15-25 minute stroll. Ideal if you commute by bus or car, Dyke Road will take you into or out of the city in minutes, and 7 Dials, just up the road has 7 ways to get to the whole of Brighton and Hove.


Style Period terraced house
Type 5 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen, study, utility area
Area Prestonville
Floor Area 1984 sq.ft.
Outside Space Front garden, east landscaped garden
Parking Permit Zone Q
Council Tax Band D

Why you’ll like it:
Tucked away on a friendly street with access to Stanford Junior School around the corner and popular Stanford Infant a stroll, this soothingly symmetrical double fronted house has immediate appeal especially as the discreet attention to detail begins with the pretty tiled path which leads past a front garden to the impressive front door.

The Entrance Hall and Living Room:
Inside, the hallway invites company with practical flooring underfoot, glimpses through to the garden and a soaring ceiling. Discreetly tucked away beneath the stairs – and this graceful, historic statement is no ordinary staircase-is the first of two big cupboards, and hidden out of sight by the back door to the garden is a utility/boiler area (and a bell which calls those on the top floor down for supper!).

To the right, built in an age reliant on natural light, sunlight streams through the broad front bay of a beautifully proportioned living room. Ideal for entertaining as well as for family time, there is 4.38m x 3.48m (14’4 x 11’5) to enjoy with custom made shelving in the alcoves, and the original picture rail and coving remain unspoilt.

The Kitchen Dining Room:
Stretching a magnificent 7.65m (25’0) from front to back, this stunning kitchen dining room is perfect for parties but also for every day. Fusing classic beauty with a contemporary lifestyle, at the front guests can dine in comfort in front of a roaring fire whilst the streamlined kitchen is sociable but not dominant behind a peninsular island.

Expertly planned with ample storage and stylish quartz surfaces, high end appliances include an AEG gas hob beneath a hood, a Zanussi double oven to cater for large numbers, and a pull out larder. For ease of replacement, plumbing in is place for a dishwasher and there is a designated
space for a tall fridge freezer.

The Home Office/ Guest Bedroom and Garden:
Quietly tucked away, the home office has inspiring garden views so you don’t feel hemmed in – and with 3.30m x 2.46m (10’10 x 8’1) it offers plenty of options from playroom to private au pair room or teenage den.

Outside, facing east but open to the south, the garden is a peaceful retreat, sunny and secure for children or pets. Paved for a low maintenance, al fresco lifestyle raised beds are scented by a mature rose and Jasmine, and planted for all year interest. There is plenty of space for a dining table and chairs, and for pottering, and it is broad and level with the house as well as flat – a feature hard to find in such a central location in a city built on the South Downs.

The First Floor Bathrooms and Three Double Bedrooms:
Big, bright and cheerful, you are spoilt for choice with three family bedrooms which are all good sizes ranging in size from 3.3m x 3.118m (10’10 x 10’5) to 4.76m x 4.35m (15’7 x 14’3). All are quiet with simple but stylish decoration and two already have organised, built in wardrobes. On the turn of the stairs there is a chic, contemporary shower room, and there is also a generous family bathroom on this level with all you need including a shower attachment on the bath, natural light, plenty of storage and a warming rail for towels.

Two Top Floor Bedrooms:
Private and peaceful at the top of the house, the principal bedroom of 5.26m x 3.45m (17’3 x 11’4) spreads its wings from east to west with large Velux in each roofline so you can dream beneath the stars. There’s ingenious custom made storage to deliver all the wardrobe space you could dream of as well as extra space under the eaves, and across the landing, the restful nursery is a spacious 4.91m x 3.04m (16’1 x 10’0) with windows at each end and glimpses of the rolling Downs which embrace our coastal city.

Agent’s thoughts:
“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, and this beautiful, double fronted house is good to go with a family friendly flow, sociable layout and easy-care garden.”

Owner’s Secret
“We came to look at the house almost 40 years ago because we could walk to the station, good schools and the park, and fell in love with the easy layout and big, bright rooms which are perfect for entertaining and adapted easily as our family grew, then grew up! The friendly, inclusive community and local shops (and the food of The Chimney House around the corner – but out of hearing) has kept us here, and we all chipped in to buy the Exeter Street Community Hall which has lots of activities for all age groups, whatever you’re into. Inside, we wanted the house to be comfortable so put in ample storage, and we have enjoyed the garden, which is surprisingly quiet. I love having the door open to hear the birds as I work in the study, and sitting out with coffee in the sunshine during a break. This is a great place to live with lovely neighbours, and the intercontinental al fresco lifestyle of 7 Dials – and its 7 ways to the entire city – is a 3 minute drive, or under 10 mins on foot. If you enjoy the outdoors, both the sea, sociable Hove Lawns with keep fit classes etc., the water sports of the Lagoon, and the National Park are all about 10 mins away.”

Where it is:
Shops: Local 3 mins walk, 7 Dials 9-10 min walk, 3 by car, North Laine 15-20 on foot
Station: Brighton 15-20 to walk, approx. 6-10 by cab
Seafront or park: Dyke Road Park 3 mins walk, Preston Park 7 by car, St Anne’s Wells 5, seafront about 10 mins
Closest schools:
Primary: Stanford Junior, Stanford Infant
Secondary: Varndean, Dorothy Stringer
Sixth Form: BHASVIC, Varndean
Private: Windlesham, Lancing Prep, Bilingual, Brighton Ballet School, Brighton College, Brighton Girls, Lancing College, Brighton Waldorf

15-20 mins walk from the station with direct trains to Lewes, Gatwick, London and beyond with local buses covering the whole of Brighton and Hove, this fabulous location has its own local shops, café and bistro bar but is also just minutes from the inter-continental, alfresco lifestyle of the 7 Dials and North Laine as well as the world famous shops, clubs, bars and restaurants at the centre of our legendary coastal resort. The picturesque cultural heart of the city which surrounds the Royal Pavilion is within walking distance, and it is conveniently located for parks that provide open spaces, sports facilities, and host fabulous art events from open air theatre to live music all year round. Local schools are good and major employers of the city are easy to get to. For those who love the outdoors, the beach, surrounding Downland and cosmopolitan Marina with waterfront restaurants are quick to reach. And don't forget our glamorous horse racing weekends! For those who commute by car, Dyke Road gives swift access to the A23 and A27 for the coast, Lewes, Gatwick and London.