The Larches is situated in the North End area Durham City with magnificent views over Flass Vale Dene.

Having been purchased by our clients in 2002 the house has undergone extensive renovations, extensions and upgrading to make it one of the most desirable detached houses in Durham City.

Careful consideration was taken to retain the original Edwardian features and feel but at the same time bringing in a lot of technology from the twenty first century to create a smart home. 'Intelligent' features include a comprehensive IT structure for all rooms supplied by 'Park Systems' a leading SMART HOME consultancy firm. The audio and lighting circuits are controlled in each room by one central panel/switch, which is able to be programmed for personal requirements. The majority of rooms throughout the property have built-in speakers to the ceiling which are connected via concealed wiring to a centralised communications and IT cupboard for connection to an audio system. Hard wired broadband points and a wireless internet connection system are also available throughout the whole of the property and cinema surround sound is available within the drawing room and wiring is installed for a home cinema within the studio. The house also has the benefit of a SMART integrated vacuum cleaning system with points and sockets throughout the property

The interior design of the property is also highly commendable and impressive, with beautiful colours being used throughout the fabulous well proportioned rooms. Blue/grey Molianos limestone from Portugal is a feature throughout the hallways, bathrooms and the kitchen, all with under-floor heating, with other reception and bedrooms having either original stripped wood flooring or a contemporary stripped wood to match, laid in traditional style with 12'' wide boards.

The house can be well utilised for entertainment space and has the option at first floor level to have seven bedrooms or office and studio space, integrated or self contained as required. The main staircase to the house is lovely and there are two further support staircases, one from the rear of the property and one from a separate access adjacent to the garage.

On the ground floor there is a large entrance porch, opening to a spacious hallway with the stunning refurbished original staircase to the first floor. There are three principle reception rooms all overlooking the private gardens as well as a gym/ fitness room. The expansive Kitchen/Breakfasting room is a stunning room which has been superbly created and designed by the owners to their own exacting standard. It has a beautiful arrangement of handmade walnut base, wall and drawer cabinets and a range of parapan central island units. The worktop surfaces are finished with Kashmir white granite which contrast beautifully with some aubergine glass tops. The kitchen was hand crafted and fitted by Herrington Gate, a highly acclaimed supplier of quality bespoke kitchens. The appliances include two enamel sink units by Kohler with a stainless steel single drainer tap, an integrated dishwasher, a Siemens combination microwave and oven, a wine cooling fridge and an American refrigerator/freezer with filtered, chilled water and ice dispenser, all finished in stainless steel,. The focal point and heart of the room is the four oven aga finished in pewter with a stunning aubergine glass splash-back. The kitchen opens up to the breakfasting area with windows to three sides. It overlooks the beautifully landscaped gardens and the vale below and double doors lead out onto the southern and westerly facing terraces and gardens. Additionally there is a laundry room, cloakroom and a boot room.
On the first floor landing there is a lot of light coming in from the huge window and gives access to all the main bedrooms, primary suite is triple aspect with views over Flass Vale and with is double height ceiling offers a great space accessed via a private passageway past the one of the two dressing rooms and ensuite bathroom has an elliptical limestone bath contrasting with the blue grey limestone flooring, a separate shower cubicle in all a stunning space. There are four further bedrooms two share a ‘Jack and Jill’ shower room, in addition there is an impressive space that could be either an office or another living room. own lobby, concealing original store cupboards and drawer units. The bathroom is beautifully presented with a white Jacuzzi bath set into limestone with side jets and built-in plasma TV, an elipticle limestone basin set onto a limestone shelf with mirrored medicine cabinet above, close coupled wc with concealed cistern, and double shower cubicle with limestone base and Grohe digital shower. The bathroom has Molianos limestone finish to the walls and floors, underfloor heating, spotlighting to the ceiling, built-in TV speakers, high level store cupboards and period corner fireplace. To the second floor there is a sixth bedroom and ensuite shower room.

The Larches enjoys a mature garden site which is well screened for privacy. Its entrance from Larches Road is impressive, with electrically operated double wrought iron gates set into a newly built brick wall and leading into a tegular paved courtyard and parking area. The external areas have attractive lighting set into the boundary walls surrounding the drive. The drive is impressive and leads up to the integral double plus garage with electrically operated up and over doors, professional car showroom lighting, power points, cold water supply, two central heating radiators and sliding doors concealing substantial shelf storage space and ideal for bicycles. This area also has the wall mounted gas fired central heating boiler which is a condenser boiler providing hot water to the whole of the house. This cupboard space also accommodates the SMART central vacuum collection cylinder. A door leads to the third staircase connecting to the first floor accommodation above. There is also a door leading to an under-stairs general store cupboard and a door linking into the main house. The flooring to the garage is finished with polished vinyl and also has a cleverly concealed timber hatch with heavy duty lock which leads to a professionally installed connoisseur’s spiral wine cellar, which is climatically controlled by it’s natural underground position and constructed around a concrete spiral staircase. Constructed at considerable expense it holds some 1200 bottles in optimum storage conditions.
The main gardens and grounds to are situated to the southern and western elevation of the property and have only recently been professionally landscaped around some impressive mature specimen trees and shrubs dating back to the Edwardian construction of the original house. They include beautiful stone terraces that surround the principal reception rooms, providing ideal entertaining space during the spring and summer months. The lawned gardens lie adjacent to very well stocked flower and shrub borders, with a variety of colour. The Flass Vale Dene gives tremendous privacy and screening to the property, as well as enjoyment of the natural wildlife that surrounds this area. The gardens have close bordered fence boundaries, a secondary security fence and external lighting.
The Larches is a truly impressive home situated in the highly desirable area of Durham city, which links to London via the East Line railway within two hours and forty minutes and approximately twelve minutes walk from the station to the house.

Edinburgh is equally accessible within one hour thirty minutes and nearby Newcastle within ten minutes.

Flass Vale Dene is a protected natural wildlife corridor on the edge of Durham city, with lovely trees and walks. This house is situated on the boundary of the Dene and enjoys some of the lovely views from its hilltop location.

Durham is a highly regarded city of culture and historical importance. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, known primarily because of its cathedral and castle, but also because of its very good schools and internationally acclaimed University.

Council Tax Band - F