Surrenden Crescent, Brighton

Elegant and detached, this exquisite family home has pride of place set at the top curve of Surrenden Crescent, looking out over the green of Preston Valley. It offers space and light in abundance, with each of the five double bedrooms and three reception rooms providing ample room for a family to grow. Built in 1998, the house is in excellent condition, fitted more recently with contemporary fixtures and fittings, so you can move straight in – yet there remains scope for further renovations with extensions into the loft space, or to convert the two storey garage, which would make this home even more spectacular.

It is ideally located within catchment for some of the highest achieving schools, and transport links by train or car are excellent. The South Downs National Park is accessible in just 15 minutes on foot, and there are several beautiful parks nearby, with Hollingbury Woods and Golf Course being firm favourites for dog walking. Brimming with potential, this home is sure to attract the attentions of developers, investors and families alike – looking for their ‘forever-home’ in a prestigious and hugely attractive area of the city.

The House: - Characterised by substantial, detached family homes, set back behind grass verges, border walls and mature trees, Surrenden is a prestigious location within the city. The homes show a wonderful mix of architectural styles, ranging from the 1930s to contemporary, and while this house was built in 1998, it has a Neo-Tudor appearance with hung tiles, dark beams and ornate brickwork which give it an air of grandeur. Attractive on the approach, you cross a generous driveway, stepping down to a scented and beautifully planted front garden. Being slightly lower than the road line provides privacy from it, where you can enter to the side or more formally through the front door.

From the moment you enter, the scale of the house becomes apparent offering a line of sight through its depth to the garden and far-reaching views beyond. The entrance hall is incredibly wide and welcoming with soft carpet underfoot flowing up the turning staircase to the first floor then down double width steps into the first, elegant reception room.

Reception Rooms: - Stepping down through double doors into the main reception, you are greeted with high ceilings and the classic decoration of a Regency home. This is a sophisticated room with plenty of glazing allowing natural light to bathe the space from the west. Ideal for entertaining, French doors lead through to the conservatory, which was a more recent addition, almost mirroring the shape of the formal living room. While this is heated and insulated for use all year round, it is a delightful space for relaxation and formal dining during the summer, when the garden is green and in bloom, forming a pretty backdrop.

Also accessible from the living room is the formal dining room which has access to the sun terrace, so these rooms have a charming sense of flow as the weather warms, so you can spill outside to dine alfresco. There is a third sitting room, ideal as a TV room snug, so this layout works particularly well for families with older children who may wish to entertain independently on occasion.

Kitchen Breakfast Room & Utility: - Forming a large L shape, the kitchen has clearly defined areas for informal dining, cooking and socialising. From the kitchen table there are pleasant and private views over the front garden, facing east to bring in a beautiful morning light. While the modern country kitchen cabinets are original, they are clearly of the finest quality, fitted with newer appliances. These include integrated ovens, a gas hob, a dishwasher and an American fridge freezer. A separate utility room houses space for a washing machine and dryer, plus space for a freezer if need be. With side access, you can bring in muddy boots, paws and buggies without traipsing them through the immaculate, carpeted house.

There is a separate WC on this level too, plus a sizable home office – or bedroom six if required.

The Garden: - This was one of the main features attracting the current owners here, as it is not overlooked at all. Mature birch trees and the raised position of this house means you can only see the rooftops of the homes below, while from the wide sun terrace you look right out over the green of Preston Valley. From here you catch the last of the sun’s rays and the sunsets are beguiling. A lush area of lawn stretches the width of the property; ideal for children to play, and there are areas for planting a kitchen garden alongside a greenhouse and well-established shrub borders.

The double garage is detached at ground level but has a second level below it which has been converted for use as a habitable space or dry storeroom– ideal for your garden furniture and games. It would also work perfectly well as a gym, studio or workshop due to its versatile nature.

Principal Bedroom Suite: - Perfectly positioned; the principal bedroom suite had the finest views from the first floor, taking in the city to the south, then over treetops and windmills you spy the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park – a lovely reminder of how close you are to both the coast and the countryside. As the most generous bedroom, it offers a vast amount of built-in wardrobe space with ample clothes and shoe storage for two. Even with a king-size bed, there is plenty of floor space with room to spare for further pieces of bedroom furniture. The en suite shower room is contemporary in neutral stone tones, with dual basins alongside a double width, rainfall shower. A stylish heated towel rail and a gleaming vanity unit complete the polished look.

Bedrooms 2-4 & Family Bathroom: - There are four further bedrooms on the first floor, all residing from the galleried landing. All are double in varying sizes, and all have been fitted with built-in storage and plush carpet underfoot. They have equally leafy views from their picture windows which are double glazed to ensure a truly restful night’s sleep. Bedroom two benefits from a modern en suite shower room with gleaming white gloss vanity units, a curved cubicle with a power shower, and LED spotlights. The main bathroom exudes classic glamour with a monochrome palette and a freestanding, double-ended bathtub with space for two. It also has a separate shower cubicle to refresh in the morning before work.

Loft Space: - The loft space is vast and has gambrel style ends so there is already plenty of headroom should you wish to convert it. There would be enough space for two or three bedrooms, although for a house of this size, you may wish to create a cinema room, a games room, a studio or a gym perhaps.

Vendor’S Comments: - ‘This was the ideal family home for us, and we chose the location specifically for the schools where our children excelled at every stage. They also enjoyed their independence as they grew with excellent connections into the city by bus, train or car. With so much space, we have enjoyed entertaining both inside and out where the views are breathtaking and the unique position on the hill gives us maximum light but also maximum privacy. We are perfectly positioned between the city, the sea and the countryside, so you get the best of all worlds, and as a commuter or many years, it was perfect having the station just 10-miutes away on foot. We simply no longer need the space, but we will miss it here.’

Education: - Primary: Balfour Primary, Westdene Primary
Secondary: Varndean and Dorothy Stringer, Cardinal Newman RC
Sixth Form: Varndean College, BHASVIC, Newman College
Private: Brighton College, Lancing College Prep. Windlesham Prep.

Good To Know: - While this house sits in a tranquil setting, it is incredibly well-connected by road, train and bus to the centre of Brighton & Hove, where you’ll find Georgian lanes, theatres and several shopping districts, each with their own unique character and style. The clean beaches of Brighton & Hove are just 15-minutes away (or 6-minutes on the train from Preston Park Station), where you can swim or picnic on the lawns. The South Downs National Park is equally close for hikers, dog walkers and pub lunches, while commuters to London can travel from Preston Park Station in just over an hour door to door.