Old Wokingham Road, Wokingham, RG40

Contact Tim or Julia from Stowhill Estates Berkshire for more information about this property – 0118-207-3030

Character features meet modern design

Set behind private electric gates and sitting within 0.75 acres of carefully maintained gardens, this attractive, extended Victorian home offers a balance of character, space and privacy – all within easy reach of Crowthorne and Wokingham.

The property has been thoughtfully extended and modernised, with a layout designed to connect the interior with the surrounding gardens. The result is a light, welcoming home with plenty of space to relax or entertain, permeated with original character features, such as high ceilings and fireplaces, intertwined with modern conveniences and design.

Enviably handsome, both outside and in

From the private driveway, the property is accessed via a half-height gate which leads to a pretty and private walled front courtyard / patio garden. This is a really secluded, useable space, be that for suntrap seating, general entertaining or pre / post dinner drinks - all the more likely thanks to the direct access from the double doors in the orangery!

The front door is enveloped by a welcoming and practical porch. Inside, the house combines original features with stylish décor at every turn. High ceilings, fireplaces, decorative touches all embellish the bespoke design choices – the antithesis of minimalism!

Space to relax and entertain

The entrance hall offers practical places for hanging coats and hiding shoes. To the left is the cosy, dual-aspect sitting room / snug. A well-proportioned, bright room with a central gas living-flame fireplace which could be reverted to an open fire if preferred. This is the only part of the downstairs that adjoins the neighbouring property and as you leave the room and head in to the dining hall, you realise how much more there is to this house.

The dining hall is a versatile space; happy as a separate dining area or large reception space, it provides access in three other independent directions to the stairs, the kitchen and the rest of the downstairs accommodation as well as the under-stairs WC. It also features another fireplace, again converted to gas living flame currently.

Home working and home playing

Work and play are both important in equal measure and this house delivers on both fronts in abundance. Along the corridor from the dining hall, you pass the office on your right-hand side; a calm and tranquil space tucked away and overlooking the greenery of the front courtyard garden.

At the far end of the corridor is the beautiful family / cinema room which is an open-plan space connecting directly with bright and elegant orangery - the perfect indoor dining space if your preference is for a larger reception hall instead of a dining hall. As mentioned, the orangery also provides direct access to the front courtyard garden giving the overall flow of the house a lovely feel.

In the expansive family / cinema room, clever storage solutions like the pocket-doors on the full-height cupboards mean you can convert the space into cinema mode really easily, with the projector screen electronically dropping down from the ceiling but being totally concealed when not in use. A set of French doors connect you to the rear garden and around the room are some wonderful design choices such as the deco pepper-pot radiators.

Dinner is served

The kitchen overlooks the rear garden and has been fantastically well connected to the outside space via bifold doors which open on to a covered, enclosed and heated outdoor terrace. This space is a true extension of the kitchen and features the same Italian porcelain tiling for an indoor/outdoor experience.

Whilst offering a practical space to cook, the kitchen is as stylish as you might expect with copper splashbacks adding flare and off-setting the classically neutral palette - evidenced nowhere better than by the polished concrete-effect worktops. All of this has been implemented around standout features such as underfloor heating, a beautiful gas fired 2-oven AGA, double sink with boiling water tap, chef’s table inspired island / breakfast bar with a 2-zone wine fridge below and the cleverly tucked away utility area in one corner. This is a bright and sociable space, perfect for everything from cosy coffee chats. to family meals, to summer barbecues and everything in between.

A bedtime story

Upstairs, the house provides four good-sized double bedrooms and a fifth room that could be used as a nursery, single bedroom, dressing room or additional study.

The sizeable principal bedroom is dual aspect and includes an intelligent use of built-in storage space and lots of natural light via the multiple windows. There’s also a chic, underfloor-heated en suite bathroom with a 4-piece suite and bespoke tiling in the walk-in shower.

Should you want to extend the suite even further, the 5th bedroom (single room) is directly adjacent, and the entire area can be closed off as a private space, meaning the 5th bedroom can become an ideal nursery, perfect dressing room or perhaps an additional office space if you don’t need all 5 bedrooms.

Bedroom 2 is also dual aspect and spacious with an en suite including a bath. Along the landing you pass bedroom 3, another good-sized double overlooking the front of the house, followed by the spacious family bathroom with large walk-in shower. At the far end of the house, above the sitting room / snug, is bedroom 4 – another double aspect double room spanning the house from front to back.

A garden oasis

Outside, the house is accessed via a large, gated driveway with parking for in excess of 10 cars should you need it, plus a detached double garage with potential for conversion to an annexe (STPP). The gardens have been designed and implemented with love and care and offer the perfect blend of open lawns, mature planting, pretty borders and plenty of place to sit out and enjoy your labours, perhaps sharing a bottle of wine or a hot chocolate around the fire-pit.

The plot also includes a generous lawned orchard opposite the house across the driveway – a large, versatile space that could just as easily accommodate a swimming pool and garden furniture, if desired. This area is also currently home to a well-equipped garden studio building providing another option for an office, a hobby space or perhaps a creative retreat.

Round and about

The Hollies, on the outskirts of Wokingham, is surrounded by woodland and countryside and offers a terrifically balanced lifestyle location for those seeking both tranquillity and accessibility.

For nature enthusiasts, there are several walking routes and forests nearby, perfect for gentle or more invigorating walks. You can also access the local sports pitches on foot form the house which are great for a quick stroll, jog or dog walk.

Both Wokingham and Crowthorne are just a short drive, making it easy to venture into more urban surroundings in just a matter of minutes. Both provide great shopping, gyms and evening entertainment, including inviting coffee shops and excellent restaurants catering to various culinary and gastronomic requirements. The Lexicon in Bracknell is another popular option and only a minute or so further afield. There’s a fantastic craft village nearby, Holme Grange, which is a hidden gem of independent and artisan craft shops in a collection of converted barns.

The property offers convenient access to London via rail with Wokingham, Bracknell, Martins Heron or Crowthorne all under 10 minutes and Twyford (into Paddington with the Elizabeth line) in ~20 minutes. By road, both the M3 and M4 are less than 15 minutes away.

Behind the property and via pedestrian access is Pinewood Centre (the perfect place to pick up some new hobbies and interests), which boasts a whole range of community clubs and societies, such as Pinewood Football Club, Pinewood Shooting Association, Pinewood Judo Club, Pinewood Gymnastics Club and the Boxing Club. There’s also a model railway that snakes around the woodland for over half a mile, slot car racing and a large-scale Scalextric as well as a café.

For the more conventional sporting interests, you’re surrounded by towns and villages that provide all the facilities required for football, cricket, tennis and rugby, and you’re over-served when it comes to golf clubs with The Downshire just up the road and plenty of others locally including Sand Martins East Berkshire Golf Club all within 3 miles, plus a fantastic family crazy golf course just up the road in Finchampstead.

When it comes to schools (either independent or state), you’re really well placed as Wokingham and Crowthorne are both excellent locations for families. Holme Grange School is few minutes away and just a little further is the world-renowned Wellington College and prep school. Luckley House, Edgbarrow (Ofsted-rated excellent) or St Crispin’s are also easily accessible.