Six Bedroom | Detached Home | Spacious Garden | Heated Pool | In Out Driveway | Double Garage | Countryside View | Desired Location | Large Receptions
The property Occupying a sought after semirural location, not far from the historic market town of Maldon is Ashlea, a beautifully presented and exceptionally stylish six-bedroom family home, which boasts an wealth of space, inside and out, including an extensive open plan kitchen-dining space and a large but elegant living room. Outside is a large wrap round garden, complete with In-out driveway, double garage, outdoor swimming pool and spectacular countryside views.
Vendor interview "We believe the house began life as a rather modest bungalow, but it was greatly extended both up and out by a previous owner, and during our time here we've made substantial changes that have enhanced the property no end, " says the owner. "It was all a bit dated before we started the work, and the layout wasn't really conducive to modern family life. We wanted to open it up, create a better feeling of both light and space, and also a much greater sense of connection with our lovely big garden, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results of all of our hard work."
"The focal point of the house is now our enormous open-plan kitchen, dining and living space which has three huge sets of bi-folding doors which essentially open up the entire back of the house to the garden. We wanted it to be very much a modern home, but we've added touches such as big oak beams, country-style kitchen units and we've dressed certain rooms with more ornate furniture to add both elegance and charm – i'd say we've struck a really nice balance. It's a great house for busy family life and it's an amazing house to entertain in, simply because we have so much space both inside and out. For us it's been the perfect family home."
"The garden is one of the features that I think we'll all miss when we leave, particularly the children, " continues the owner. "We've added a huge swimming pool that runs parallel with the doors that lead out from the kitchen, and around that is a vast patio terrace. We also have a pool house complete with home gym, the lawn is large enough for our sons to create a gigantic football pitch, and beyond that is nothing but open fields so the views are just spectacular. During the summer months we'll have the doors pushed open and we'll spend our days messing around in the pool, eating out on the terrace and my husband and I can relax in the sun while the children are tearing around the garden… It's an idyllic place and a house that we've loved coming home to."
Favourite room: "As a family, we'll spend most of our time in the open-plan space, but my favourite part of the house would have to be the master bedroom suite. It's a real sanctuary and when we made the renovations we added a very large balcony, which has actually been structurally designed to be able to take a hot tub. My husband and I will sit out there on a warm summers evening with a glass of wine and just gaze at the stunning view. It's a lovely way to end a busy day."
Favourite aspect of the grounds or surrounding area: "The location is absolutely fantastic and offers a little bit of everything. We're surrounded by beautiful countryside so it's very tranquil here and the views are just so lovely. However, we're also very close to the lovely town of Maldon and Promenade Park, where we spend a lot of time with the children. There are some really good schools in the local area – including Cold Norton Primary which is Ofsted Outstanding – and we're close to the train station in Fambridge so it's a great spot for a commuter."
Memorable event (if not another favourite room or unique feature): "The house is just gorgeous, but there's still the potential to do more. We actually still have planning permission in place to add a huge extension. We didn't go ahead with it because we simply felt that we didn't need any more space, but it could be an exciting project for the new owners."
What they'll miss most / why they are leaving: "What will we miss? All of it, " says the owner. "It's a place that has afforded us all a really superb lifestyle and it's been an incredibly happy home."
location Ashlea is situated on the Farmbridge Road approximately 4 miles to the south of Maldon and one mile from Latchingdon. The nearby villages offer a good range of local facilities including village stores, post offices, garage and schooling. The town of Maldon offers a more extensive range of facilities including supermarkets. Stations providing popular commuter routes to London Liverpool Street are at Fambridge, Battlesbridge, Wickford and Chelmsford. Danbury is approximately 7 miles linking through to the A12 providing a dual carriageway down to London and the M25. The area is also popular for its sailing facilities on the Rivers Blackwater and Crouch.
