Old Grain Store, Whitstable, Kent

Once a 19th-century grain store, this clever two-bedroom house sits on a quiet street in central Whitstable, a short walk from the town’s celebrated shingle beaches. The building has a handsome stock brick façade punctuated by slate-grey window frames and doors. Within, pared-back interiors lay focus on the home’s historic bones and a living space of impressive proportions - a space suited to both entertaining and everyday needs.



Setting the Scene



Famous for oyster farming as far back as Roman times, Whitstable is a pretty working coastal town. With beaches and an ever-expanding array of good pubs, cafés and restaurants, Whitstable has become an increasingly popular Kentish destination. Sweet uniform Victorian terraces and romantic clapperboard cottages make up much of its vernacular. In the northern part of Kent's coast, it also has great rail connections to London via Whitstable station.



The Old Grain Store is an exemplary conversion that encapsulates the building's 19th-century origins, once serving as a wholesale store supplying local bakeries. Original features have been preserved and carefully treated; white-painted beams span overhead, while floorboards and staircase treads have been stained in Farrow & Ball's 'Railings', beautifully complementing the pared-back walls.



The Grand Tour



This home's dark brick frontage sits on the corner of Norfolk Street and Suffolk Street, a short walk from the centre of town. Entry is through an anthracite-coloured front door to a small white-painted porch with coat pegs.



From here, the central open-plan living space opens out. Glazing on three sides makes the space especially light and airy, and its capaciousness lends a certain versatility. Beams span overhead, as well as the old grain hatch, while dark floorboards ground. A small stained glass window set next to a larger window is a colourful feature and one of a number throughout the home.



On one side, a bespoke timber kitchen is well-equipped with stainless steel oven, gas hob and matching extractor hood. An L-shaped counter both divides and unites an adjacent nook, presently used as a dining area. There are also useful cupboards in this space.



Original stairs ascend to the first floor, where there are two double bedrooms, each with painted wooden beams overhead. The principal bedroom is especially spacious and has dual-aspect windows - including a dainty stained-glass window on the north wall - as well as ample fitted storage.



The second bedroom is illuminated by a pretty casement window that fills the space with light. On this floor there is also a traditionally styled bathroom with wood-panelled detailing, plus an additional WC.



Out and About



The lively harbour town of Whitstable has an impressive assortment of independent haunts, striking historic architecture and a thriving cultural scene. Famed for its oysters, the epicurean tradition has continued locally with the annual Whitstable Oyster Festival, and year-round at Wheelers Oyster Bar. One of the best restaurants in Kent is the Michelin-starred The Sportsman in Seasalter, a 13-minute drive away from the house.



Margate is around half an hour's drive east and is renowned for its creative community, exemplified by Turner Contemporary. Synonymous with the town and visually unmistakable, the building was designed by architect David Chipperfield. Wonderful restaurants include Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro, and its fun-loving sister Dory‘s. Sargasso is a fantastic wine bar with a seasonally changing menu, and the family-run Bottega Caruso for homemade Italian cuisine.



The rest of the Kentish coast is also easily reached via car or train. There are plenty of dramatic seaside landscapes to explore nearby - or, for those of the more arboreal persuasion, the Kent Downs is also an easy drive away.



The area has a very good selection of primary and secondary schools, including Whitstable and Seasalter Endowed C of E Junior School, as well as plenty of other primary schools plenty under two miles away. For secondary education The Whitstable School is close by.



Central London can be reached in 90 minutes by car, while Whitstable station has frequent 80-minute journeys to St Pancras International. East London is an hour away by car, via the new Silvertown tunnel.



Gatwick Airport is approximately 70 minutes away by car.



Council Tax Band: B