7 bedroom detached house for sale

Introduction

A stunning six bedroom Grade II listed architectural house of a modernist design with far reaching views of Surrey from the roof terrace offered for sale for the first time since 2001. This impressive property, located on the private and exclusive Coombe House Estate is situated in approximately 1.24 acres with a self-contained one bedroom lodge and tennis court pavillion with kitchenette and shower room.

The House:

From the road, this iconic house reveals itself in stages; at the forefront is the Lodge, with the external spiral staircase leading to the balcony on the first floor. Then through the unassuming gates, one gets a glimpse of what is yet to come and upon entering through the gates and into the forecourt, then one can start to comprehend the complexity of this imposing property, while absorbing the simplicity of its form and design.

The forecourt, nestled between the Lodge and the main house, offers ample off-street parking in addition to the double garage. The main point of entry into the house is a single canopied door that opens onto the terrazzo-tiled entrance hall; this is the central area of the house with the staircase to the upper floors and many doors leading to all rooms on the ground floor.

Double doors open onto the bright drawing room, with a glazed façade of sliding windows offering uninterrupted views onto the grounds and tennis court. The room has Australian walnut flooring and boasts a coal effect fireplace with marble surround.

There is a partially-glazed sun room with copper vents to the heating. It is positioned off the drawing room to catch both the morning and afternoon sun. The whole house floods with natural daylight and with the whitewashed walls, give Miramonte that continued appearance, as built in 1936.

From the drawing room, a pocket door leads to the study, one of the few rooms that retain all the original wood clad walls. The study and drawing room benefit from re-chargeable blinds, and combined air conditioning/central heating found throughout the house.

A hidden door off the drawing room leads to a glazed inner hall with a glass roof and under floor heating with two doors. One to the front external covered walk way and another into the jaw-dropping library; this is an immensely attractive space, lined with shelving and a purpose built-in desk. There is a clever use of the box shelving, with some openings being used as windows, allowing light in, in addition to the light flooding in through the circular roof lantern. To the end of the room is a glazed door into the garden. Externally, the curved structure is cladded with wood.

The ground floor continues to offer a separate dining room and guest toilet with steps down to a wine cellar with recessed concrete bottle holders.
The heart of the ground floor lies in the wonderful space encompassing the kitchen/breakfast/family room. While the three areas are fully interconnected and circulation is uninterrupted, the separation lies in the clever manner in which each space holds its own identity. The travertine-tiled floor with part under floor heating and the bespoke built-in cabinetry both connect the three spaces to each other visually.

The kitchen offers a wealth of work surfaces, an AGA oven, sub-zero fridge and other built-in appliances within a wide range of bespoke built-in wall and base units. The utility room has ample storage and space for a variety of integrated appliances such as a tall freezer, base fridge, washing machine and tumble dryer.

The breakfast area, a glazed semi-circular bay, enjoys views into the travertine-tiled courtyard with a privacy wall from the rear garden and a door leading to this area.
The kitchen/breakfast area flows into the family room; this offers a fully-glazed façade, with sliding doors to the courtyard, two walls of bespoke built-in base cupboards and shelving and under floor heating.

A pocket door leads into the media room, with Zebrano wood features and black out blinds to offer the home cinema effect. The wood of Microberlina is imported from Central Africa, mainly Gabon, Cameroon and Congo and features narrow streaks of dark brown to black.

Another pocket door then opens into the large indoor swimming pool complex. Glazed doors face the rear garden and the pool is surrounded by travertine tiling with underfloor heating. There is a spa pool and separate changing room with toilet facilities and a shower cubicle. A glazed stairwell leads down to the other recreational area, which offers a steam room, sauna, a shower and two plant rooms.

The first floor is home to the main bedroom with oak cabinetry by Rex Helston, including a concealed door to the TV and dressing table. The bathroom offers two Systemline speakers, a separate bath and shower, twin wash hand basins and glazed cabinets. From the dressing area is a door leading to the balcony, with a glazed wall offering privacy from the road and shelter from the West facing sun rays.

The remainder of the first floor offers three more double bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is also a living area with concealed bi-folding doors that can be pulled closed to create a fifth double bedroom with a door to another balcony. Both balconies are part of the original design of the house.

The stairwell leads to the second floor with another bedroom and en suite shower room, and access to a vast sun terrace, flanked with glazed panels. Here, one enjoys a panoramic view of the grounds and beyond, the all-weather tennis court and perimeter landscaping and terraces at ground floor level.

The stunning grounds extend to approx 1.24 acres. The gated forecourt offers parking for at least 7 cars not including the double garage with the self-contained one bedroom lodge above. The gardens have South Westerly aspect to most parts with an all-weather tennis court with other multiple purposes, self-contained pavilion incorporating a luxuriously appointed shower room, kitchenette, fold down double bed and its own heating, air conditioning and hot water. A great additional area for the family to enjoy outside the main house.

The vast terrace that spans the rear width of this magnificent home with steps down to the lawn also incorporates a secluded sun terrace adjoining the large indoor swimming pool complex with a spa, sauna and steam room with changing and shower facilities.

There is a sunny private courtyard enclosed by the media room, family room, kitchen and breakfast area with its glazed semi-circular bay. Other areas of the grounds include lawn and flower beds on the left hand side and rear of the house with a wooded naturalised area to the right hand side.

Being one of ten houses only within the whole of what was known as the Coombe Estate with grounds in excess of one acre, this is a rare gem.

LOCATION

Warren Rise is one of the premiere roads within the exclusive Coombe House Estate which is approached from the top of Traps Lane or from Coombe Lane West. This wonderfully friendly estate is equidistant between Kingston and Wimbledon town centres. Both have excellent shopping facilities, from department stores housing concessions found in famous West End streets and specialised boutiques to a wide range of restaurants meeting the palates from across the world. The A3 trunk road offers fast access to central London and both Gatwick and Heathrow airports via the M25 motorway network. New Malden train station (with direct links to Waterloo) is within walking distance. The 57 bus route runs along nearby Coombe Lane West to Wimbledon from where there are underground links to points throughout the city as well as mainline services.

The immediate area offers a wide range of recreational facilities including five golf courses, tennis and squash clubs and many leisure centres. The 2,360 acres of Richmond Park, an area of outstanding beauty easily accessed from Kingston Gate and Ladderstile Gate, provide a picturesque setting in which to picnic, go horse riding, cycling, jogging or just take a leisurely walk.

Theatres at Wimbledon and Richmond are also popular alternatives to the West End. There are numerous excellent local schools for all ages, private, state and a variety of international educational establishments, many within walking distance.

The Coombe House Estate is extremely well run and managed by the residents. Each dwelling enters into a deed of covenant to pay a foot frontage charge which pays for the maintenance of the roads, verges, trees, gardening and any other maintenance that is required.

The property was built in 1936-1937 and designed by the renowned architect Maxwell Fry, at the height of his career, as a seminal modernist building of its time. It was originally built for Jerry Green, a property developer, keen to be close to the exclusive Coombe Hill Golf Course and to live in Coombe at the time when it was home to large country manors of around 4 acres of grounds. Maxwell Fry wrote that he was employed ”on the general premise that only the best was good enough for Jerry Green”.

Miramonte was indeed a stunning house with its pool and tennis court set in beautiful grounds. It was lavishly described in The Architectural Review of 1937. When it was auctioned in 1945, it was called "A Hollywood House in Surrey".

In the 1980’s and 90’s Miramonte remained empty for several years as the owners wanted to capitalise on the land for development. The council remained firm that the character of the building and adjoining land should remain intact. As a result, the building started to show signs of neglect. The National Trust looked to acquire it, but very little was left inside to maintain, so was Grade II-listed and was left in hope that someone would love it to restore the property back to its original splendour, which is what the current owner did.