The impressive back view of 3 Clarence Gardens, Shanklin.Picture by Jennifer Burton.
HOMEFILE
Location...Shanklin
Bedrooms...Four doubles
Price...£375,000
Agent...The Wright Estate Agency
tel...01983 866822
WHEN it comes to spacious, airy living, enhanced by beautifully-finished bespoke joinery, a period house with dramatic views to the downs beyond Shanklin is the cream of the crop.
Classic cream-painted shelves, kitchen units, wardrobes and even windows made by one of the owners of 3 Clarence Gardens bestow a stylish French air on the property’s superb interior.
The professional carpenter, joiner and builder and his wife immediately felt at home at the substantial four-bedroom detached house when they first saw it many years ago.
Since then, it has been sympathetically upgraded, while retaining details from its 1910 origins, such as deep skirting, cornice, dado and picture rail and a fine oak staircase.
A bright rear PVCu double-glazed conservatory, useable all year round, has been added and a front lean-to converted into a handy utility room.
Tasteful, mostly neutral decor emphasises this lovely home’s generous proportions.
Within a few minutes walk of the town and beach, the house is much more impressive looking at the back than the front.
A graceful rear veranda adjoins a large secluded raised terrace and beyond is lawn, shrubs and roses in beds, a shed and access to a brick-built workshop behind the garage.
The garage is reached via a neatly-paved side driveway providing lots of parking.
Shrubs and plants provide screening in the front garden and, while the main entrance is through rear double doors into a spacious L-shaped hallway with stairs to the first floor, a side entrance is more often used.
This leads to a tile-floored inner hall with a pretty shower room off.
Straight ahead is the front-facing kitchen fitted with matching cream-painted hand-crafted cupboards, drawers, a dresser and shelves.
Within a brick recess is a large, cream range cooker and there is plumbing for a dishwasher.
Next door is the welcoming breakfast room, with matching built-in storage and shelves and a stove-style gas fire.
Off this room is a walk-in storage area and a well-appointed utility room with built-in drying rack and plumbing for a washing machine.
The sunny 16ft by 12ft dining room, with part-panelled walls and an original feature fireplace, has wide rear windows overlooking the rear terrace and garden.
Opposite, in the inviting sitting room, is a built-in dresser and bookshelves, a flame gas fire within a feature fireplace and doors to the ultra-bright conservatory with tiled flooring and access to the rear terrace.
On the spacious upstairs landing is an airing cupboard and attractive built-in pine cupboard.
Bespoke wardrobes are fitted in three bedrooms.
Bedrooms one and two are large, bright rooms with glorious wide rear views taking in sea glimpses, the town and downs beyond. The charming en-suite bathroom to bedroom one also enjoys this outlook.
Front-facing bedroom three is a good-sized double with a fireplace and bedroom four is a small double with a front outlook.
In the attractive bathroom are hand-built cupboards and shelves and a white suite.
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