Vicarage Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG2

Flint Cottage is an outstanding, beautifully appointed detached family home of approximately 2,900 sq ft, occupying one of the most unusually private and peaceful positions available within Reading's prime residential market. Having been the subject of a meticulous and comprehensive programme of refurbishment over the last 18 months, the property presents a rare opportunity to acquire a genuinely turnkey residence, finished to an exacting and uncompromising specification throughout, with all major systems replaced, upgraded or installed anew by qualified professionals.

The property's position is truly remarkable and unlike almost any other home in the area. Flint Cottage sits at the centre of a private residential block, surrounded entirely by the rear gardens of neighbouring properties, and accessed exclusively via a private driveway from Vicarage Road. There is no road, no passing traffic and no public footpath adjacent to the house or its gardens. The result is a level of tranquillity and seclusion that is extraordinarily rare in a town-centre location: the only sound throughout the day, in either the front or rear garden, is birdsong. The property also benefits from an entirely enclosed rear garden with no overlooking from any neighbouring property, offering complete visual privacy. Despite this exceptional sense of seclusion, Flint Cottage is within comfortable walking distance of Abbey School, the Royal Berkshire Hospital, the University of Reading, and the Oracle.

The ground floor accommodation is both generous and versatile. A dual-aspect sitting room extending beyond 20 ft provides an elegant reception space centred on a bespoke remote-controlled gas fireplace with a contemporary surround, offering both a striking focal point and efficient supplementary heating. A separate formal dining room enjoys direct garden access, creating an excellent flow for entertaining.

At the heart of the home is a stunning bespoke Wren kitchen and breakfast room, comprehensively fitted with premium granite worktops, an extensive range of custom soft-close cabinetry and a full suite of high-specification integrated appliances. These include a Samsung double oven with pyrolytic self-cleaning, a Samsung combination microwave oven, a 90cm Bosch induction hob with WiFi-enabled touch control, a Rushel Hobs designer extractor, a full-size Bosch dishwasher, an integrated under-counter refrigerator and a glass-fronted beverage cooler. Feature LED lighting is concealed beneath cabinetry and within the plinth, and smart-enabled functionality is integrated throughout.

A comprehensively appointed utility room provides additional workspace and storage, housing a separate Samsung washing machine and tumble dryer (both WiFi-enabled and under warranty), a large Samsung WiFi-enabled American-style fridge-freezer, a whole-house water softener serving all bathrooms and the heating system, and ample cabinetry. An advanced multi-stage water filtration and purification system is installed under the kitchen sink, providing purified drinking water directly from the tap at all times. The utility room benefits from direct external access.

The ground floor further includes a dedicated home office, a separate study, and a fully refitted cloakroom, all finished to a consistent high standard.

A spacious and characterful landing, featuring a substantial custom-built bookshelf extending over 3.3 metres, gives access to five well-proportioned bedrooms. Custom-fitted wardrobes have been installed in multiple rooms, designed precisely to each room's dimensions and providing generous, beautifully integrated storage throughout.

All three bath and shower rooms have been completely refitted to a luxurious standard, featuring walk-in frameless glass shower enclosures, tall thermostatic shower columns with multiple spray functions and body jets, heated towel rails, and premium ceramic tiling throughout. Bluetooth-enabled heated mirrors with integrated LED lighting and speakers remain permanently fog-free. LED strip lighting is concealed beneath vanity units and within alcoves for a sophisticated ambient effect. Each bathroom benefits from electric underfloor heating with WiFi-controlled operation, allowing remote pre-heating before arrival, and loft-mounted ultra-silent extraction fans with external ducting, humidity sensors, and adjustable run-on timers for rapid, silent elimination of condensation.

Flint Cottage has been re-engineered from the ground up. A new Worcester Bosch condensing boiler has been installed in the loft with ten years of remaining manufacturer warranty, paired with a 300-litre pressurised hot water cylinder, a specification rare in residential properties of this type, providing exceptional simultaneous water pressure to all three bathrooms and multiple showers without any loss of performance. All 15 radiators throughout the property have been replaced with new oversized double-panel units, each fitted with individual Bosch thermostatic radiator valves for independent room-by-room temperature control. The entire electrical installation has been replaced by certified electricians, with all circuits tested and certified to current building regulations. All windows throughout both floors have been replaced with new double-glazed units featuring argon gas-filled cavities for superior thermal efficiency and reduced condensation.

The property has been comprehensively integrated with smart home technology, allowing remote operation of heating, lighting, air conditioning, window dressings and security via smartphone and voice control throughout.

Specific features include:
• Two hardwired smart detection Google Nest Protect devices, one per floor, monitoring smoke, carbon monoxide, heat, humidity and air quality, with instant smartphone alerts and voice guidance
• Comprehensive Ring security system providing 360-degree, 24/7 camera coverage of the entire property perimeter, front entrance, driveway and garden
• Window and door contact sensors and motion detectors integrated into a central alarm system
• Voice control integrated throughout for lighting, heating and security
• WiFi-enabled air conditioning on both floors for year-round climate control
• Energy-efficient LED lighting throughout with dimmers in principal rooms

Externally, Flint Cottage enjoys a beautifully private and fully enclosed rear garden, landscaped and enhanced with a comprehensive, zoned LED lighting scheme, including ground-level spotlights, wall-mounted lanterns, and downlighters, all independently controlled via a smartphone app and voice control, creating a dramatic and secure environment for evening use. A secure, gated aluminium entrance controls garden access, and an external hot-and-cold water supply is available for garden and vehicle use.

The property is further complemented by a substantial double garage and an additional single garage, both with electrically operated Bluetooth-enabled doors and remote access. The double garage is equipped with an electric vehicle charging point suitable for all current electric and hybrid vehicles. Generous private driveway parking is available at the front.

A fully boarded loft with power and lighting provides considerable additional storage capacity and houses the boiler and hot water cylinder. Further benefits include a completely new staircase with a bespoke wooden balustrade, new high-quality flooring throughout both floors, all-new internal doors, fresh decoration throughout in a neutral palette, new skirting boards, and custom window dressings for every room.

Flint Cottage is presented in immaculate, truly move-in-ready condition and represents one of the most comprehensively and thoughtfully refurbished family homes to come to the market in Reading in recent years.