Ifield Close, Saltdean

**Offers In The Region Of £625,000-£650,000**

Offering the best of all worlds between the city, the countryside and the coast, this beautifully designed home is a calming retreat after a long working week. Expert craftsmanship, clever landscaping and exceptional views have come together in this property which has been rebuilt and extended over the last five-years, transforming a semi-detached bungalow into a three/four-bedroom, two-bathroom house. Designed to balance home comforts with a luxury lifestyle, it provides stunning spaces to entertain and relax in style.

Ifield Close is unique within Saltdean as its southeasterly edge nestles directly into the South Downs National Park Conservation Area with gated access from the gardens. From this house you can escape onto the rolling hills for dog walks, cross country runs and cycling, taking you from the green of the countryside to the blue of the sea below open skies. Ample glazing on both sides brings glorious views into the house, to be enjoyed from every room, while natural light filters in from morning until sunset due to the hillside position.

Sweeping tree-lined roads wind up through Saltdean, passing the famous Deco Lido then up the hill to this peaceful close on the outskirts of the area. Parking is easy with a garage below the house and a driveway for two cars, while it is also free on the street for visitors. Within the garage, there is ample space for a large car or several bikes or motorbikes, alongside storage for water sport equipment or tools for a workshop.

A path leads to the front door with Ring doorbell to the side of the house, passing scented herb borders and floral planting creating a welcoming space to return home to. Stepping inside, the house feels warm and welcoming with a generous entrance hall where curved walls provide an immediate feeling of space while feeling aesthetically pleasing.

Deceptively spacious and open plan, you enter directly into the main living space which has clearly defined areas for relaxation, formal dining and cooking. The eye is drawn to the outside where three full height windows and French doors with sage aluminium frames bring in exquisite views of the garden. This becomes a natural extension of the home during the warmer seasons, allowing the scent of lavender into the room when warmed by the summer sun.

With space to entertain both inside and out, guests can sit at the oak topped breakfast bar island as you cook at the range or relax on comfortable sofas and chairs enjoying the view. Cook up a storm in the well-equipped kitchen, where the appliances can stay, including an integrated dishwasher and freestanding fridge freezer, and there is plenty of useful storage in traditional wood cabinetry to include a refuse drawer. Lighting is subtle to set the atmosphere with pendants above the island and wall lights elsewhere – a feature which can be found throughout the house, with no spots in sight!

For a cosy evening in, the snug/sitting room sits to the front of the house with a westerly aspect and far-reaching views over the local landscape to the sea. This is a generous double room, versatile for use as bedroom four, if need be, or as a roomy home office for two. Plantation shutters bring both form and function to the space and can be found in the second bedroom also on the ground floor. In here, bespoke wardrobes offer a variety of clever clothes and shoe storage solutions while maximising the floor space for a king bed. The en suite is on trend with a micro-cement wall echoing the curve within the entrance hall while giving extra space in the walk-in rainfall shower. Patterned floor tiles and quality cabinetry complete the scheme. Completely tucked away from the other bedrooms on the first floor, this room is ideal as a guest suite.

To the left of the entrance, the utility room has space to hang coats and organise shoes, with a separate garden door so you can bring in muddy boots or paws after wintery walks on the Downs without traipsing them through the immaculate house. There is also a butler sink, additional storage and space for two machines, nicely separate from the main, open plan living space.

Melting into the surrounding landscape, the rear garden has been designed to feel private from neighbouring homes with an open aspect to the southeast and clever planting on its borders, to include a Loire grapevine which produces fruit. Porcelain tiled steps rise centrally to an immaculate lawn and a raised deck with space for a table and chairs to dine alfresco. From here, the views come into their own, taking the eye over the hillside as it rolls down to the coast. The skies light up with stars at night and an array of colours during sunrise and sunset. In spring, the chirping of skylarks fills the air and a murmuration of starlings swirl above the trees ensuring you feel a million miles from the city.

Returning inside, a coir carpet stair runner leads to the first floor landing where frosted glazed internal doors allow borrowed light into the space. Bedroom three is a charming office room at present with views across the countryside to inspire creative thought. It has space for a small double bed, sofa bed or bunks if needed for a family unit.

Next door, the principal bedroom suite is bright and airy with glazing running along its southeasterly edge to bring in sea and countryside views to be enjoyed from bed. For weekend lie-ins, remote controlled black out blinds work perfectly and can be set to a favourite setting to allow some light to filter in to gently wake you. Even with a super king size bed and several pieces of freestanding furniture, the floor space is not compromised, and a vast storage space across the landing can be used in addition as a walk-in wardrobe.

Luxurious finishes and fittings continue in the en suite where a deep freestanding bathtub brings complete warmth and relaxation, or a separate shower with an over-sized ceiling mounted rainfall head awakens and refreshes you in the morning before work. Both bathrooms provide underfloor heating to warm toes during winter – although the house is very warm and well insulated with a fully serviced Vaillant boiler and a Joule cylinder to ensure even pressure when both showers are running.

Vendors’ Comments:

“Moving here 10-years ago, we were worried we could miss the buzz of the city, yet it has been a wonderful lifestyle change for us. As dog owners we adore having the Downs on our doorstep and the peace of the countryside is something we couldn’t live without now. We love to socialise and since completing the work we have enjoyed many summer and winter parties here with space for guests to stay. We know we can pop into the city in minutes for a night out when needed, and the station is just 15 minutes on the bus for London trips, yet we find it is home we hanker after. You can walk or cycle to the beach in minutes and along the undercliff pass to any number of charming cafes in Ovingdean or Rottingdean. We will miss the garden and the views the most – but we have found another project to get our teeth into.”

Education:

Primary: Saltdean Primary, St Margarets’s CofE, Our Lady of Lourdes RC
Secondary: Peacehaven Community School, Cardinal Newman RC
Sixth Form Colleges: BHASVIC, Newman College, MET, Varndean Sixth Form
Private: Roedean School, Brighton College & Prep, Montessori School, Lancing College

Good to Know:

Saltdean is a leafy coastal suburb on the outskirts of the city; built around the stunning, Grade II listed, Deco lido which has recently been fully refurbished. Quietly located in the thriving community, with its local schools, shops, cafes and restaurants, this bright and sun filled house allows you to enjoy the coast and the countryside in equal measure.

Escape out onto the South Downs National Park from the secure rear garden gate for dog walks or stargaze below the protected UN Designated Dark Skies within the Nature Reserve. For beach combers and walkers there are rockpools to investigate at low tide from both Rottingdean or Ovingdean Beaches which run below 20km of undercliff and promenade walks between Saltdean and Shoreham-by-Sea.

This property sits just 10-minutes by car from the fashionable Kemp Town Village which hosts the hospital and good schools including the award- winning Brighton College. The Marina is a few minutes more with a myriad of restaurants to choose from as well as a cinema, a health club and a casino. The law courts and Amex are also nearby, as are the South Downs and a 72 par golf course. It is also close to several bus routes serving the city centre, South Coast and Brighton Station, with its fast links to the universities, Gatwick and London. For those who need to commute by car, the A23 and A27 are both readily accessible.