Semi-detached house for sale in Florence Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN1

Guide price: £1,750,000.

Another sale agreed by Brand Vaughan preston park office.

Chain free.

Internal viewings available on request.

With an outstanding primary school at the top of this exclusive tree-lined street, this beautiful, semi-detached six bedroom Victorian Villa has an unusually large, south facing garden where a spacious summerhouse has power, whilst inside three bright storeys of 3139 sq. Ft. (291.6m2) enjoy precious original features which include historic stained glass windows and open, marble fireplaces. Ideal for professionals and families it is in Preston Park, recently given a top spot in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live Guide with the playground of Preston Park within walking distance, the city centre a 10 minute drive and there is a choice of railway stations; London Road to central Brighton and Lewes is a 5 minute walk, Preston Park’s direct trains to Gatwick and London are 4 minutes by cab, or 15 on foot, and Brighton mainline station is a 6 minute drive or 20 minute stroll.

With an easy flow, the ground floor has an elegant reception of classic proportions, whilst next door, a versatile dining room opens to a vaulted conservatory which connects to both the garden and to the spacious breakfast room and kitchen. Upstairs, the first floor delivers four generous family rooms and a luxury bathroom, whilst the top storey is ideal for guests and inspires ideas of multi-generational living with two big bedrooms, a shower room and a workshop/art studio/utility room with a sink, which is larger than some kitchens.

Popular for its quiet convenience, this exclusive location is within the golden triangle just 10-15 minutes’ drive from our famous pebble beaches and between London Road which takes you into Brighton, Hove or the A23/A27 in minutes, and Ditchling Road which takes you to the Level at the foot of the vibrant North Laine or to open countryside.

Style Victorian semi-detached villa
Type 6 double bedrooms: 4 1st floor family bedrooms and bathroom, 2 top floor bedrooms and shower room, workshop/art studio, 2 receptions, sunroom, breakfast room, kitchen, cloakroom
Area Preston Park
Floor Area 3139 sq. Ft.
Garden Unusually large south garden to the rear, front garden
Parking Permit zone J
Council Tax Band F

Why you’ll like it:
Quiet and convenient with zone J permit parking which extends to the playground, café and sports facilities of Preston Park (if you don’t want to walk), the village shops at Fiveways and the playground and paddling pool of the Level at the foot of the vibrant North Laine, this is one of the most sought after areas of the city with local bus routes into or out of Brighton giving older children some independence.

Set privately up and back from the tree lined street behind a landscaped front garden, this exceptional house with Sussex tiled gables, impressive arched porch and original stained glass surrounding the front door is on the market for the first time in 30 years. A comfortable family home which has irreplaceable period features, all improvements have been unfailingly sensitive to this house, built in 1894.

The Entrance Hall and Reception:
An abundance of painted, leaded glass features in an elegant hallway around the front door as well as in the internal lobby and above a broad staircase which rises beneath triple stained glass windows. Decorative plaster work includes finials at the foot of an arch and there are both an under stair glory hole and a guest cloakroom tucked away.

Quietly impressive with generous proportions, the reception is light and inviting with coloured sections at the top of the wide box bay, the high ceiling is decorated by swan neck coving, a picture rail remains in situ and there is now a discreet flame effect gas fire within a sculpted, marble fireplace.

The Formal Dining Room and Sunroom:
A restful retreat, the formal dining room is currently used as a family room as it is bright, cheerful and completely private with the sunroom and garden beckoning through French doors. An historic fireplace is open, and there is space for quiet study.

Full of light, the sunroom has twin Velux in the vaulted ceiling and tiles underfoot to ensure a fuss free in/out flow, as it opens to steps to a broad side return and the dining terrace, and also connects to the dining room and kitchen, perfect for parties.

The Breakfast Room and Kitchen:
Guests can relax in comfortable seclusion in a refined breakfast room with leafy views and a handsome ornamental fireplace. A practical home, a floor to ceiling cupboard provides ample storage and with 13’5 x 12’12 (4.10m x 3.7m) there is plenty of space for a large table for family time and if you like to entertain informally sometimes.

All about celebrating company, the kitchen is a welcoming space of 13’7 x 13’5 (4.14m x 4.10m) which leads out to a brick-paved terrace with lights and power, which is level with the large lawn– a feature hard to find in a city built on the South Downs. Inside, the room flows around a sociable central island, and it is well-planned with ample units and child-friendly surfaces. Everything is to hand from a Nexus se multi-fuel range, which could stay subject to circumstance, and designed for ease of replacement, plumbing is in place for a dishwasher and two utility machines and there is designated space for a tall fridge freezer.

The Garden:
Sunny and secure, this tranquil, south facing haven is one of the largest gardens, if not the largest, on this prestigious road.

By the house, a spacious brick-paved dining terrace is lit and there are external power points as well as a water source. Surrounded by mature shrubs and trees planted for all year interest, it is quiet and private. Level with the terrace, the lawn is extensive, and tucked away by a sensory garden for pollinators, a summer house with power is insulated and has a west facing terrace in front of it.

The First Floor Bedrooms and Family Bathroom:
Returning inside, at the top of the stairs beneath an arch, the landing has an airing cupboard and at the back of the house, the first of the double bedrooms is ideal for guests with garden views, and the benefit of a luxury bathroom next door which is big enough for both a bath with a shower attachment and separate walk in shower.

Up a few stairs, the second double room is used as the Principal as it looks across gardens, so it is completely private. There is generous floorspace of 14’11 x 14’7 (4.54m x 4.45m) and a fitted wardrobe in one of the alcoves complete with organised storage solutions and sensor lighting. At the front of the house, two more double bedrooms are light and airy, one with a whole wall of sophisticated storage, and each have plenty of period character of their own, including coloured glass at the top of their broad windows.

The Top Floor:
Private and peaceful on the top floor, what was once the 7th bedroom has become a big bright workshop/studio/utility with water and 11’9 x 9’8 (3.59m x 2.95m) in which to work, rest or play. Two beautifully proportioned bedrooms are tastefully decorated, one at the front with views over the tree-lined street and a sensor lit wardrobe, the other enjoying the garden with a fitted wardrobe on one side of a period fireplace. Central to this floor, a chic shower room is a classic black and white with a Mira shower, so water pressure shouldn’t be an issue, and this level could easily become self-contained for visitors or inter-generational living.

Agent’s thoughts:
“Just a few minutes from Preston Park and convenient for schools, the city and station to London, this beautiful period home with working fireplaces, flexible accommodation and one of the largest gardens we have seen in the ‘golden triangle’, is on the market for the first time in 30 years.”

Owner’s secret:
“We fell in love with the unique Victorian features of the house where the layout gave us flexible options as the family grew, and for us the space was ideal as there was always room for friends and family to stay whenever they wanted to. The sunny garden is large but private, and perfect for ball games with the children or croquet with friends, so we spend most of the summer outside! There’s a great community with al fresco cafés and shops, including a small Sainsbury’s all within easy reach, and although the street is convenient for the city and both London Road and Preston Park stations, it is quiet at night.”

Where it is:
Shops: Fiveways 5-10 mins walk, 2 by car, Preston Village and Sainsbury’s 5 by car
Train Station: Preston Park Station 4 mins’ drive, 15 on foot, London Road 5 mins walk
Seafront or Park: Preston Park 7 on foot, 2 by car, Blakers Park 9 minutes’ walk, sea about 10 by car
Closest schools:
Primary: Downs Junior
Secondary: Varndean, Dorothy Stringer
Sixth Form: Varndean 6th Form, bhasvic, Newman 6th Form College
Private: Brighton Girls, Brighton College, Lancing<br /><br />Ideal for those needing access to the airports and London as Preston Park Station is a 4 minute drive, Brighton mainline is 6, and London Road Station is a 5 minute walk, Preston Park is a favourite location known for its independent friendly shops, cafés, small supermarkets and gastro pubs. Between family friendly Blakers Park and the expansive leafy acreage and sports facilities of Preston Park -which both host events during our legendary festivals- local schools are good and within easy reach, and the National Park bordered by beaches is just a short drive– so a healthy lifestyle beckons! The vibrant arts venues, international restaurants and cosmopolitan shopping of the city are all quick to get to by bus or by cab and for those who need a car, there’s swift access to the A23/A27 and Zone J has no waiting list.