Sevenacres, Welwyn

Throwing open the doors to the master bedroom’s Juliet balcony on a summer morning, Marco and Debbie look out over the countryside and watch the wildlife in the fields and the birds in the sky. Their beautiful Tewin home captures fabulous rural views that are enjoyed as much by the couple today as they were when they first bought the house 14 years ago. “This is a fantastic location because it feels very rural and yet we are about halfway between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City,” Marco explains. “We can be on the A1 within 10 minutes or at the station within five minutes, with trains to King’s Cross taking just 30 minutes – and yet we enjoy village life here. It is a lovely place to live because we really do enjoy the best of both worlds.”

PERFECT PLACE

Having returned from living abroad for a spell, the couple decided to seek a substantial home in an appealing setting – and the six-bedroom property on Sevenacres was perfect. “It ticked all the boxes for us,” he recalls. “It had all the space we were looking for and it was in a nice area, with easy travel into London.” Already completed when they first saw it, the three-storey, detached house was set within an exclusive gated development. “It is really just a little community of 10 houses. It is very quiet and safe for children to play out.” The property was immaculate, but Marco and Debbie decided to make it their own by having it professionally decorated throughout. They also landscaped the garden and had the garage converted and fitted out to create a storage room. “This is now a great addition to the house,” says Marco. “I have my golf simulator in there and it could be an excellent hobby space for someone else as well.”

NATURAL LIGHT

Set back from the tranquil road by a large driveway and neat front garden, the property is entered via a gorgeous reception hall, with an elegant wooden staircase and wooden floor. From here, there is an easy flow into all the main light-filled accommodation. To the front, there is a dedicated dining room, but this could become an office, snug or playroom for someone else. “This would be a nice place to work as it is very quiet,” he observes. There is a downstairs cloakroom and a utility room, with a door to the garden, plus useful internal access to the garage from the hall. “It feels very spacious and open and yet you can also close doors to give yourselves separate spaces when needed,” Marco adds.

INDOOR-OUTDOOR LIVING

The kitchen breakfast room and sitting room are at the back of the house. These two spaces could be opened up to create one generous modern family living area, with space for food preparation, dining and relaxation, if that suited the lifestyle requirements of new owners. “We have considered doing this – and adding bi-folding doors right across the back of the house to make the garden a seamless extension of the house,” he admits. As they are now, however, both spaces are more than generous. The chic kitchen breakfast room, with its central island, already has bi-folding doors that can be pulled back onto the terrace. The sitting room is a capacious yet comfortable room, with lovely French windows. “We have entertained a lot here over the years, with people coming in and out from the garden,” he remembers. “This is a great house for parties.”

GLORIOUS SUNSHINE

Most of the bedroom and bathroom accommodation is arranged across the first floor. Here, there is a chic family bathroom, with a freestanding bath, plus four sumptuous bedrooms, two of which have stylish en suite shower rooms. The master bedroom, which also has built-in wardrobes and the Juliet balcony, is especially spacious. “It is also lovely and sunny because it is south-west facing,” he says. The abundant space at this level has also allowed their daughter to have use of two of the bedrooms, while still ensuring overnight guests can be accommodated with comfort.

ROOM TO RELAX

The second floor of the house encompasses two more bedrooms and another en suite shower room. One of the bedrooms is currently used as an office, but again could have a range of uses. “This whole floor is almost like an apartment in itself and it could be ideal for a teenager or someone else seeking some privacy.” Now looking to downsize, the family will miss all the space at Sevenacres, but hopes to be able to remain in the area. “This is such a nice place to come home to and decompress,” says Marco. “As we move onto the next chapter of our lives, we hope others will enjoy it as much as we have.”

SETTING THE SCENE

To the rear of the house, there is a beautifully landscaped garden, with areas of stylish terrace and lawn. There are different seating areas for outdoor entertaining and relaxation, and there is ample space for children to play out. The property has a drive to the front. There is a double garage and a brick-built shed.

“The beautiful Tewin home captures fabulous rural views.”

“This is a fantastic location because it feels very rural and yet we are about halfway between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City.”

“We can be on the A1 within 10 minutes or at the station within five minutes, with trains to King’s Cross taking just 30 minutes – and yet we enjoy village life here.”