Bridging open countryside at the top of the hill and both London Road and the North Laine at the bottom, this spacious maisonette is quietly tucked away in a pretty Victorian terrace where the permit parking has no waiting list. Set up and back from the leafy street, new life breathes through this period townhouse with double glazing and restful decoration throughout, and a sensitive blend of old and new begins in the inviting hallway, where an arch and the ceiling height are unspoilt.
Light and spacious, the elegant living room is all about enjoying friends and family with ample space for sofas. There’s a window seat beneath the broad bay window and guests can relax in rare seclusion as the room is raised privately from the street. The room has graceful proportions and original coving, and the wood burning stove has custom made, reclaimed timber shelving on each side.
Next door, the bright and cheerful kitchen has handmade units and practical working surfaces. There’s plenty of space for a big family table, plumbing is in place for a dishwasher and a washing machine, and both the fabulous Smeg range and Smeg fridge freezer could stay, subject to circumstance.
Past under stair storage, at the end of the hallway the bathroom is a study of good design. The roll top, taloned bath acknowledges the buildings history and has both a shower attachment in traditional style and a shower above it, and it is carefully positioned so the door to the garden is not obstructed – a slightly unorthodox arrangement but not an unusual one in these homes built on the Downs. Opposite, in its own room with natural light and a hand basin, the w.c. is beautifully private.
Outside, a recently renewed deck has space for seating, and with lower gardens and homes behind it’s a sun trap which is safe and gated. At the foot of the staircase, the spacious garden is a peaceful retreat scented by an apple and a bay tree, honeysuckle and jasmine, and it’s designed for low maintenance so you have more time to enjoy an al fresco lifestyle.
Returning inside, upstairs with thick carpet to hush any footfall, and past a window which frames a picture perfect view to the coast, the first of the double bedrooms is a quiet, comfortable double with character in the painted brick, and looks across the city below to a glimmer of sea.
On the landing there is access to the large attic which is fully boarded with lighting and was given permission, now lapsed, to create an en-suite principal bedroom.
Spanning the whole of the front of the house, the restful principal bedroom is bathed in light. There’s a double fitted wardrobe to fill and an alcove for another, and with calm decoration you can move straight in.
