Bishops Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3

Sitting in one of the city's most prestigious enclaves, facing west and looking out over the lush green vista of Goldstone Valley; this substantial, four-bedroom family home has an air of grandeur. It was built during the 1930s, when architects were designing homes with the family unit in mind, so space, light and functionality were of utmost importance. This house has all three in abundance, along with a beautifully sunny, long garden at the rear for the family to enjoy.

With an east to west orientation, it is filled with natural light throughout the day, and with two generous reception rooms, it provides spacious and versatile living accommodation for any growing family. Inside, the ceilings are high with each room retaining many of the original features, and these have been refurbished using only the finest workmanship and materials. It is immediately warm and welcoming, with many contemporary touches, so it is immaculate and ready to move straight into.

While this house sits in a tranquil setting, it is incredibly well-connected by road, train and bus to the centre of Brighton and Hove, with the beach and city centre shops accessible on foot. For commuters, both Hove and Preston Park Stations are an easy walk, and the A23/A27 are just a few minutes away by car. You are also within catchment for some of the city's best primary and secondary schools, making this a highly attractive and exciting prospect for families, professionals and commuters alike.

Style: 1930s detached house
Bedrooms: 4 double; 2 bathrooms
Living rooms: 2-3 inc. converted snug room/bedroom 5
Area: 1762 sq ft
Outside: Rear garden
Location: Hove Park
Parking: driveway for 1 car

Why you’ll like it:
For families looking to live the quintessential Hove lifestyle, you couldn't be better placed than here. Bishops Road sits on the outskirts of Hove Park, so you have the joys of the city within walking distance, and while this house sits within these tranquil environs, the vibrant shops, restaurants and bars of Church Road can be accessed in twenty minutes on foot.
Set back from the road by a neat front garden, and slightly elevated from it, this house has stature, and is a prime example of 1930s architecture. Part red-brick, part render, and with a porthole detail on the gable it is attractive on the approach, and a few steps lead past the drive and up to your door. From the moment you enter, this house feels welcoming and harmonious, and it has been beautifully modernised and maintained with a tasteful palette by the current owners who have a refined taste in interiors. The entrance hall is inviting, and from here, the scale of the house becomes apparent. The original wooden floors have been sanded and varnished in warm tones, and these flow through double doors to the main reception room on the left.

Living room and dining room:

Spanning the depth of the house this fantastic room is generously proportioned making it ideal for both family time and entertaining. Its east and westerly walls are heavily glazed with sliding doors leading out to the garden at the rear, and to the front the wide box bay has been adorned with Shutterly Fabulous shutters, and looks out to the attractive homes opposite. The classic coving and skirting boards remain, and there is an open fire to warm the space during the cooler seasons. As the weather warms, the rear doors can be opened to link the house with the glorious garden, where you can spill out to dine on the patio. A Farrow and Ball palette has been used throughout, with Cornish Clay in here, creating a timeless and complementary finish to the room.

Kitchen:

This room certainly feels like the heart of this home, with a large kitchen table at its centre for family meetings, informal suppers and leisurely lunches. Two wide windows frame pretty garden views, so you can keep an eye on little ones from inside too, and it is bright and airy - particularly in the morning as the sun is coming up. Forming a long U shape, there are plenty of units for storage which have been paired with solid oak worktops that echo the Amtico flooring. Within these, the electric oven, gas hob, washing machine and dishwasher have been integrated, leaving space for an American fridge freezer.

5th Bedroom/Office:

This was once the garage, but it has now been converted to a comfortable space for sofas and movie time - ideal for families with older children who may like to entertain independently, or as a play room perhaps? The current owners use it as a guest bedroom too as it fits a double sofa bed with ease.

The Garden:

A treat for the senses, and a dream for children, the garden has a huge lawn for ball games and equipment, plus a large paved terrace for dining alfresco. Mature evergreens and birch trees line the perimeter providing some areas of dappled shade while giving the garden complete privacy from neighbours. Due to its depth, it receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day, and up to 8pm during the summer where a raised seating area has been created along the rear wall. The surrounding flowerbeds are becoming established and will become abundant with flowers year on year as they mature, and there is still some scope for further landscaping if so desired. There is a storage shed already in place, but you could easily find space for an outdoor office without compromising on the lawn area, which would be perfect for those working from home as it is so tranquil out here.

First floor Bedrooms and Bathrooms:

Returning to the entrance hall, carpeted stairs take you to the first floor galleried landing, from which two double bedrooms, two single bedrooms and the family bathroom reside. The elegant proportions continue the further up the house you go, and natural light streams in through the stairwell windows on the southerly wall. There are two single bedrooms which are ideal for children of any age, with one looking out over the garden, and the other over the roof and treetops to the front. Bedrooms one and two could both be considered master due to their size, with bedroom 2 & 4 both enjoy picturesque views including those of the sea and across the city to the rolling hills of the South Downs; reminding you just how perfectly positioned you are here between the countryside and the coast. Uniquely, the rear bedroom has a contemporary en suite shower concealed within the wall of built-in wardrobes, while there is a second luxurious bathroom for the other rooms to share. Not only does this have a freestanding bath for whiling away the hours; it also has a separate curved shower cubicle, and a sauna too - bliss!

Bear in mind:

While this is a substantial house as it stands, there remains the potential to extend further into the loft space and create two further en suite bedrooms, from which the views would be spectacular.

Owners’ secret:

“We really believe you get a feeling from a house, and this one was instantly positive and welcoming. It has been perfect for us for raising our children here, and we love to entertain too so the ground floor space is perfect. The garden was a labour of love, but it has been a joy in the summer as it is both spacious and private, and ideal for garden parties. We often walk to the beach and to the centre of Hove from here as it is just 15 minutes away, and the park is a real blessing at any time of year when you have little ones.”

Where it is:

Shops: Tesco Express 3-minute walk, Hove centre 20 minute walk
Train Station: Preston Park Station/Hove Station 15-minute walk each.
Seafront or Park: Hove Park & Hove Rec/Rugby Club (all ages and teams) both 5 minute walk, Seafront 30 minute walk, Pavilion & Avenue tennis club also 5 mins

Closest Schools:

Primary: Stanford Infants and Junior Schools, Bilingual School
Secondary: Hove Park, Blatchington Mill, Cardinal Newman RC
Private: Brighton College, Windlesham Prep

This big bright home is in a sought-after conservation area just by Hove Park which has an extremely wide range of leisure facilities. Within 20 minutes of the sea and central Brighton and Hove; the Georgian Lanes and the Theatres of Brighton are also within easy reach, as are excellent schools, two commuter stations and the A23/27 with their excellent links to Gatwick and London.