GUIDE PRICE: £1,100,000--£1,200,000.

INTERNAL VIEWINGS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST.

CHAIN FREE.

Set within the renowned ‘Golden Triangle’ district of the city, this beautifully renovated and generous Victorian house is the ideal family home. Uniquely for the street and indeed the area, it is spread over seven expansive levels of sun filled rooms which include five/six double bedrooms and two stunning reception rooms. It also benefits from a private and attractive south facing rear garden with a brick-built bike shed/storage space. It is clear the current owners have expertly maintained the house in the 32-years they have been here. All period details have been retained and restored so the finish is immaculate throughout, offering a fine example for how these period homes can be brought shining into the 21st Century while retaining their character. Generous room proportions, high ceilings, an Aga in the kitchen and wide bay windows also feature, so this versatile home is ideal for both family time and sophisticated entertaining. The local schools are amongst the best in the city and both London Road Station and Brighton Station are accessible on foot; ideal for London or university commuters, while at Fiveways and Beaconsfield Parade, you’ll find every amenity you could wish for alongside several family friendly gastropubs. Being so favourably located and stylish throughout, this family home will appeal to many.

Style: Semi-detached Victorian house
Type: 5-6 double bedrooms, 2 reception rooms,1 kitchen dining room, 1 covered balcony/sun room, 2 bathrooms
Location: Golden Triangle/Preston Park
Floor Area: Please see floor plan
Outside: south-facing rear garden
Parking: Residents permit zone J

Why you’ll like it:
It is no wonder this area has retained its popularity year on year. The architecture is stunning, characterised by substantial Victorian homes on tree-lined avenues and there is a palpable sense of community. Situated at the lower end of Rugby Road, this beautiful home has easy access to the shops of Beaconsfield Parade including famed Arkwright’s Deli and Sunny Foods – so it is perfectly positioned within the area with stations and the City Centre a mere stroll away on the flat.

This house in particular has plenty of kerb appeal with its immaculate red-brick façade adorned with the architectural features of the period and a front garden awash with scent and colour from hydrangea, roses and rosemary. It is clear the exterior has been maintained over the years with sash windows and pointing like new. The front path has also been retiled using the traditional patterning of the era. Stepping inside, the scale and beauty of the house becomes apparent with soaring ceilings and period features which flow into the first reception room to the left.

Sitting room:

Unusually, this house has retained its original layout with two reception rooms to the front of the house, making it hugely versatile and ideal for families with older children which may wish to entertain independently on occasion. The front room is large and bright with restored sash windows forming a wide box-bay on the northerly wall which brings a beautiful light into the room during the afternoon, and there is ample space for the whole family to cosy up together on sumptuous furnishings. Taking centre stage, a grand marble mantelpiece surrounds a wood burning stove which provides both warmth and atmosphere to wintery evenings.

Second reception room:

Mirroring the first reception room in some respects, this room has had many uses over the years having evolved with the family as they grew. From a play room, to a teenage lounge and a work space for study, this room could also become a seventh bedroom if needed, as it is peacefully positioned looking out over the garden. During more recent renovations to the house, the balcony to the rear was enclosed to create a sun room with a vaulted ceiling, creating a second living space accessible via French doors.

Kitchen and dining room:

As a split-level property, you step down to the kitchen and dining room which is another expansive room with a vaulted rear extension and timber framed, double-glazed French doors opening completely to the garden. Hand-built, the kitchen cabinetry is solid tulip wood in a modern country style, offering a huge amount of storage while leaving space and plumbing for freestanding appliances. The Aga will stay for both cooking and warming the space throughout the year, and there is ample space for a large dining table and chairs within the extension. This is the ideal space for entertaining – particularly during the summer when the garden becomes a seamless extension of the home.

Lower ground floor bedroom:

Once the cellar of the house, bedroom five was created several years ago on the lower ground level. This tranquil room may not have the high ceilings found elsewhere, but its raised sleeping area alongside the arched window to the garden is magical. A great room for teenagers or for guests, it is peacefully tucked away from the rest of the house and has plenty of built-in storage within the corridor outside. There is also access to a vast cellar space for additional house storage, which is useful in a house of this size which has already converted the loft. Alternatively, there is scope to extend this room without extensive and expensive underpinning to create a utility room – certainly food for thought.

Garden:

Beautifully maintained, the rear garden has been well designed using a variety of plants adding texture and colour along the borders. In the centre, brickwork forms a circular pattern with a statue in its middle which can stay, leaving space for dining alfresco. An elderflower tree and a holly tree provide dappled shade throughout the year which is welcomed in high-season due to the southerly aspect of the garden. A treat for the senses, the sound of birdsong fills the air, making it hard to believe you are so close to the city. At the far end of the garden, a brick shed with a Sussex tile roof brings both form and function to the space, and there is an electricity supply, outdoor lighting and water hoses. As a semi-detached property, there is gated side access, so you can bring bikes, buggies or gardening equipment through to the rear without traipsing them through the immaculate house.



First floor bedrooms & bathroom:

Returning inside, carpeted stairs lead you to the first-floor landing, passing original stained-glass windows within the stairwell. Directly ahead is the study/bedroom six which has built-in desks with space for up to three people to work from home or revise for exams. It is another calming space with garden views, and should you wish to remove the cabinetry, it would be a lovely double room.

Bedroom three sits centrally, again with a southerly aspect and garden views, while bedroom two sits to the front looking out over the peaceful street. They are both generous double rooms with period features and an immaculate décor to include wooden floors and a new vintage style, cast iron radiator in the front room. They all have easy access to the bathroom which has a modern take on a period style with brick tiling around the separate shower cubicle and wall panels around the traditional bath suite.
The principal bedroom suite & bedroom four:
A further flight takes you to bedroom four which is currently used as a home gym, but is again, a lovely double room with southerly views, now taking your line of sight over the treetops of the garden and the roofline opposite. Up on the top floor, the loft was converted to create the principal bedroom where you can take yourself off to truly relax away from the hubbub of family life. This room has deep eaves storage and Velux windows so you can star-gaze as you drift off to sleep. The en suite is classic in blue and white with a full bath suite with a shower attachment on the taps.

Agent’s thoughts:
This is an outstanding family home which has been lovingly and tastefully renovated. It is a harmonious and well-designed house which needs to be seen to be admired.

Owner’s secret
“We have lived in Rugby Road for many years and have raised our family here. It really is the best place for children to grow up as there is so much to enjoy nearby and there is a wonderful sense of community in the street. As the children grew, they would walk to school together and pop to the park on the way home or play in each other’s gardens or along the street on their bikes. We consider our neighbours to be good friends, so they will be a wrench to leave, but we have made many happy memories here which we hope will provide a welcoming energy for the next family who chose to live here.”

Where it is
Shops: Local 2 min walk, North Laines 15 min walk
Station: London Road 5 min walk Brighton Station 15 min walk
Seafront or Park: Preston or Blakers Park 5 min walk each, seafront 25 min walk/10 min bus ride
Closest Schools:
Primary: Downs Infant and Junior Schools, Balfour Primary
Secondary: Varndean and Dorothy Stringer, Cardinal Newman RC
Sixth form: BHASVIC, Newman College, Varndean Sixth Form
Private: Brighton College

This is a stunning family home in a popular location which is well served for shops, parks and schools. There are plenty of local green spaces, and great transport links, but you are also only a short walk from everything this vibrant coastal city has to offer. The A27/A23 and stations are also within easy reach, for those requiring fast links to the universities, Gatwick or London on a daily or weekly basis.