O.I.E.O.: GUIDE PRICE: £160,000.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

A light filled, feel good retreat this 2nd (top) floor studio apartment in a beautiful Edwardian property with a sunny communal garden is a breath of fresh air. With a vaulted 285 square feet in which to spread your wings this rare find is uniquely stylish, the skilfully designed interior providing a comfortable living space with a mezzanine platform, a charming partitioned ‘bedroom’ featuring a stained glass window as well as a separate kitchen and contemporary bathroom. Soaring above a quiet leafy avenue with planning granted to extend into the eaves, it is an ideal first buy or investment in an exclusive area 2 minutes from the shops, cafés and small Sainsbury’s of Preston Village and the sports facilities of Preston Park, which also hosts events during our legendary festivals. Perfect for local/educational professionals there are good junior and senior schools within walking distance and the city centre, bordered by beaches, is just 15 minutes by bus with the direct train service to the airports and London just a 5 minute walk.

In brief:
Style Top, 2nd floor studio apartment in period building
Type Studio with mezzanine platform, partitioned sleeping area, kitchen, bathroom
Area Preston Park
Floor Area 285sq.ft
Outside Space Communal gardens
Parking Free on street, permit parking under discussion

Why you’ll like it:
One of a kind, this is an exciting opportunity to step on the ladder in an exclusive, leafy part of the city close to local shops with swift access into or out of the city. In a quiet residential area popular with professionals and families, this sunny studio is private on the vaulted gable top – 2nd floor- of an attractive semi -detached Edwardian building set back from the tree lined street behind a charming communal garden where you can sit beneath an arbour surrounded by scented climbers.

The grand entrance is secured by an answer phone system and first impressions are good as the communal hall is broad and clearly cared for, and the integrity of the building has been kept as the wide, original staircase remains to sweep you up past landings with great views over Preston Valley to the front door of this apartment. Inside, a lobby with rooms radiating from it makes it feel more like an apartment than a studio, and that sense continues in the main room where an artistic eye has created a stylish eerie which has been partitioned into spacious designated areas, which you can use in different ways.

Bright and cheerful, the living area is vaulted and the central gable wall is almost filled by a triple window which stretches from the floor almost to the ceiling, and opens to the flat roof of the bay beneath where the current owner has put a few pots of plants for the butterflies and bees to enjoy. The lounge/bedroom partition has been custom built with fitted shelving and generous mezzanine sleeping/storage platform – and the stain glass panel is placed directly opposite where the sun rises in the morning, so you can enjoy the colours in the main sleeping room, which at 9’11 x 7’4’’ (3.02m x 2.22m) has quite a lot of floorspace even with a double bed in situ. Planning has been granted to extend into the deep eaves to each side of the studio and for a Velux in the south roofline where the ‘bedroom’ now is.

Expert planning continues in the airy kitchen where reclaimed scaffolding shelving which also provide a breakfast bar/workspace are right on trend and ascend to the vaulted ceiling. Good to go with an integrated gas hob and electric oven, plumbing is in place for a washer/drier and there is a spot for an undercounter fridge freezer. Next door, the contemporary bathroom is simple but chic with oak flooring, a shower above the bath, storage beneath the hand basin – and capacity for more.

Agent says:
“One of the best studio apartment’s we’ve seen, this is a great first step on the ladder or investment. There is planning for extending into the eaves on both sides of the studio and for a Velux on the south side, and although parking is free on the street, permit parking is under discussion.”

Owner’s secret:
“A peaceful haven it’s easy to forget just how convenient this location is with the city centre and train station just minutes away. We have loved the garden this Summer and the neighbours are considerate and kind (but not intrusive) – so if you are new to the city, you won’t feel isolated. There is a choice of local parks: Preston Park has a friendly community of joggers, there are tennis courts and the velodrome as well as a rose garden and café, whilst Hollinbury offers golf, woodland walks and direct access to the Downs, and if you love the water, the sea is easy to reach.”

Where it is

Shops: Local 5 min walk, North Laines 10 min drive

Station: Preston Park Station 5 min walk

Seafront or Park: Preston Park 7 min walk, seafront 10 min drive

Closest Schools:

Primary: Balfour Primary School

Secondary: Varndean and Dorothy Stringer

Private: Brighton College

This is an exclusive location within minutes of international shopping, restaurants, cinemas, bistro pubs and the beach. Conveniently located for Preston Park Station and the A23/A27 –for commuters who need to reach Gatwick, the Amex Stadium, universities and London- it feels a world away from the city in an open leafy setting. Close to Preston Park with its running routes, tennis courts and open green spaces which host famous events during festivals, the commercial districts and cultural heart of Brighton & Hove are easy to reach by bus or cab.