Charlton Kings, Cheltenham

Tucked away in a leafy glade next to a pretty stream, Riverside revels in peace and solitude yet is only minutes from the thriving Cheltenham suburb of Charlton Kings.

This beautifully presented 2,000 sq ft detached four-bedroom, three-bathroom house has been renovated and extended to the highest of standards in the past seven years, and is simply perfect for a growing family.

Exclusive Bafford Lane is a no through road and a designated conservation area, dotted with similarly fashionable homes.  Along with all the home comforts on offer it enjoys the kudos of being within the catchment area of Balcarras School, one of the most sought-after state secondaries in the UK.

Riverside is a contemporary base for family life at its finest, all revolving round a chic hub - a sensationally light and airy modern open-plan kitchen/living/dining area.  It’s backed up by a large separate family room/study and a utility room.

Upstairs, the four bedrooms are super-spacious and two of them have en-suite shower rooms.  The principal bedroom is particularly luxurious with its dressing room and boutique-chic oval bathtub positioned beside the window and revelling in views of the gently flowing Lilley Brook.

The rear garden is easy-maintenance courtyard style – private, safe and secluded – while the front driveway (shared with an adjacent house) lies behind electric gates and has gravelled parking space for several cars.  There’s also an integral single garage.

Charlton Kings boasts a bustling main shopping street with a great mix of independent boutiques, a supermarket, pubs and restaurants, while the centre of dazzling Regency Cheltenham with its endless attractions is just two miles away.

Open-plan and the living is easy

Open-plan, boosted by pared-back neutral décor and oodles of natural light, is the height of cool - and Riverside offers a classy reflection of the trend.

The front door swings open into the entrance hall and a first glimpse of the monotone decor accents.  Black interior doors and staircase contrast with the elegant neutral backdrop and it’s a look that’s repeated to great effect throughout the entire house.

A cloakroom with WC is tucked away to the right of the front door and beyond this a door opens to reveal the ‘wow’ part of the house – the free-flow living area which extends from a cosy 14x11ft sitting room into a super-sleek 26x14ft kitchen with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling gloss white cupboards and drawers, a bespoke design by Pittville Kitchens of Cheltenham, including integrated Siemens oven and combi oven/microwave, two fridge/freezers and dishwasher.  This is backed up by copious deep drawer storage in the substantial central island, illuminated by an overhead trio of contemporary pendant lights and complete with sink, Siemens induction hob and space for three bar stools – the perfect place for quick breakfasts, children’s homework or guests to enjoy a drink while the hosts prep supper.

The kitchen is flooded with natural light via a Velux skylight and duo of floor-to-ceiling picture windows overlooking the garden - it flows seamlessly into the 11x9ft dining room, another super-sunny space with a pair of skylights and French doors to the outdoor terrace.  This seamless transition from indoors to outdoors is perfect for summertime family barbecues or pre-dinner drinks with guests

Chic, neat and easy-care gardens

Enclosed on all sides by high, white-rendered walls and completely paved, the courtyard garden is very easy to care for but has still offers plenty of room for relaxing, al fresco dining or for children to play safely.

The entire garden is pretty much a blank canvas for the new owner to style as pleased – facing South-West it’s a beautiful sunny spot and mood lighting takes over when dusk settles.

Round and about

Education is, of course, a priority for families and the choice of both state and private schools in the vicinity is hard to beat.  The two nearest primary schools, Glenfall Community Primary and Charlton Kings Junior, are both Ofsted-rated ‘good’ while Naunton Park Primary is ‘outstanding’.  The similarly ‘outstanding’ rating of Balcarras secondary school is emulated by Pate’s Grammar and the new The High School Leckhampton.  Highly-rated independent schools, all within a couple of miles, include Ashley Manor Prep, Berkhampstead School, Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, St Edward’s, Dean Close and The Richard Pate School.

The surrounding countryside beckons all-year-round with myriad walks, cycle rides and delightful foodie pubs for refreshment – the nearby Frogmill Inn and Langton Country Pub are local favourites. Dowdeswell reservoir and woods is a designated nature reserve and perfect for walking both dogs and energetic children while Cheltenham’s iconic outdoor pool, Sandford Lido, is the place to go on a hot summer’s day – at 50 metres it’s one of the largest outdoor pools in England.

Offering just about everything you could ever desire, Cheltenham (two miles) is dazzling, refined, cultured, and as lively as you like!  It’s a cultural hotspot with world-renowned festivals covering everything from literature, jazz, film and music to science, cricket and food and drink.  And then, of course, there’s horse-racing with the Gold Cup, the calendar highlight each March.

The A40 to the centre of Cheltenham runs through Charlton Kings – in the opposite direction it accesses Oxford and London. It’s just a short drive to reach the M5 for Bristol and Birmingham while mainline trains run from Cheltenham station.