Culford, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

A true evocation of mid-century architecture and lifestyle, this house is set on the edge of Culford, a quiet hamlet surrounded by beautiful Suffolk countryside and mature woodlands. Defined by clean geometric lines, long, low profiles and exposed brickwork, its façade and proportions are expressive of the modern movement.

Inside, its form evokes an American period allure. Free-flowing spaces retain a harmony of original features, from pine ceilings to internal glazed screens and fare-faced stone fireplaces. Swathes of glazing frame views across approximately four acres of well-established gardens. There is self-contained one-bedroom annex, a pool house, a tennis court and garaging for two cars. Its location, four miles from Bury St Edmunds, provides easy access to Cambridge and Ipswich.

The Tour

Embedded amid an inviting green backdrop, this unique house makes a commanding first impression. Its design, inside and out, nods to great American prairie homes with an emphasis on the horizontal. Shallow-pitched roof lines, rows of windows and bands of brick and strip cladding give way to organically unfolding sets of rooms. Laid out in linear patterns, these can expand and adapt to different uses - ideal for family activities and convivial gatherings of friends and acquaintances.

A leafy garden separates the house from the quiet approaching road. The private front circular driveway, edged in colourful flower borders and lawn, provides parking for several cars. There is also a large double garage.

The primary entrance is via a glazed screen. This leads to the ground floor, home to the principal living spaces. Warm, welcoming and substantial rooms, often lined with bespoke built-in units and gently delineated by level changes, these provide a series of places to sit, dine and entertain.

To one side is the library/billiard room, while a string of rooms comprising the sitting room, dining room, TV room and conservatory open from a connecting gallery stretching from west to east.

The kitchen and breakfast room sit adjacent, along with handy ancillary accommodation, a utility room, WC, larder and plentiful storage.

A sitting room, a double bedroom and a shower room bookend the eastern wing. Its separate entrance and kitchen area mean this suite of spaces could be easily adapted as an independent annexe.

The nine further bedrooms are positioned on the first floor. While the impressive principal bedroom - with an en suite bathroom, ample wardrobes and direct access to a roof-top terrace – sits as a quiet south-facing retreat, the remaining bedrooms fan out from a central hallway. Each distinctive care of its verdant far-reaching outlook, individual layout and storage arrangements, these are flexible spaces that would also work well as studies, hobby rooms and perfect places to play.

Two family bathrooms, plentiful built-in cupboards and a secondary staircase leading to the kitchen, complete the upper level.

Sitting apart from the main house is the large leisure complex. At its centre is a free-form swimming pool, encircled by generous areas for lounging, working out and playing ping-pong. Evocative of its time and supporting further celebration of mid-century sensibilities, it is formed with fare-faced stonework and ribbons of clerestory windows. A wall of glass gives compelling views over the gardens, making the space terrific in all seasons. A changing room, a shower, a WC and a sauna are positioned in one corner.

Outdoor Space

The owners have lovingly landscaped and tended the encompassing garden of around four acres for many years. Awash with green and backdropping mature trees, it has been purposefully designed to burst with life year-round.

Full of local flora, fauna, birds and wildlife, views unravel as light filters through leafy canopies and colourful cherry blossoms. Expanses of lawn encircle the grounds, often edged with bulb-filled borders, colourful bushes and hedging.

A spacious south-facing balcony and an easterly terrace traverse the breadth of the main suite and first floor landing respectively, offering beautifully elevated vantage points to enjoy the view from.

There are several terraces and patios, ideally located to enjoy alfresco dining, morning coffees and evening sundowners.

A full-sized tennis court makes the garden well-suited for sporty afternoons and there are many useful garden stores and outbuildings. There is also a greenhouse with an attached potting shed ideal for the green-fingered, as well as a workshop and a garage.

The Area

Set amid glorious Suffolk countryside, Culford is a peaceful hamlet. Edged by the magnificent Kings’ Forest to the north and West Stow Country Park to the west, long walks and miles of cycling are on hand at every turn.

The bustling and historic market town of Bury St Edmunds is only four miles away. With streets of ancient pretty cottages and a reknowed abbey, the town provides for all day-to-day needs and is chock full of independent shops, such as Woosters for award-winning sourdough loaves, Javelin for boutique clothing and Parsley Pot for unique gifts. It is also home to two supremely comfortable independent cinemas, Abbeygate and The Everyman. A range of fine restaurants are scattered throughout the town, including the acclaimed Pea Porridge and 1921 Angel Hill, while there is also an abundance of relaxed eateries such as The One Bull and Mowglie Street Food and the Britain’s smallest pub, The Nutshell.

Nearby Lackford Lakes is an oasis of ponds, reedbed, meadow and woodland providing all year-round attachment to nature. The area is awash with iridescent kingfishers, dazzling dragonflies, colourful ducks and precious flora.

The independent Culford School lies on the doorstep and there is a wide selection of well-regarded primary and secondary schools both in Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding villages, including King Edward IV and Bury St Edmund’s County Upper. Slightly further afield, but accessible on a daily basis, are the independent schools in  Cambridge, Ipswich and Thetford.

Trains run from Bury St Edmunds direct to Cambridge (40 minutes) and Ipswich (30 minutes), where there are connections to London Liverpool Street and King's Cross, taking just over an hour.

Council Tax Band: H