Detached House for sale with 7 bedrooms, Dixwell Road, Folkestone

This majestic three storey detached residence in the heart of Folkestone’s prestigious West End was originally built in 1925 as a weekend and holiday retreat for wealthy Londoners – and could become that again. However, it fell into disrepair but was rescued by the current owners about 14 years ago and was completely gutted and renovated from top to bottom including a new roof with 28,000 tiles, new ceilings, plumbing, electrics, insulation, kitchen and bathrooms. At the same time not only did they retain the superb period features but where some features had been destroyed or removed, they were replaced or replicated. So now you have a beautiful period property but designed for modern day living.

It also provides amazingly flexible accommodation to suit a variety of requirements and makes an ideal multi-generational home. If you have adult children or independent teenagers there is a whole floor they can enjoy. If you have elderly relatives who find the stairs difficult or you need a suite of offices, there is a separate area on the ground floor that could easily be adapted to provide a delightful annex and if you enjoy indoor and outdoor entertaining the superb drawing room and stunning gardens offer the ideal ambience.

It is only about a minute’s walk from the seafront and the mile long clifftop promenade known as The Leas with its panoramic views across to France as well as a Victorian bandstand, access to the Lower Leas Coastal Park and the Leas Cliff Hall. It is also within easy reach of Sandgate and Folkestone town centre, two mainline stations, the M20 and the Channel Tunnel.

The property is set very far back from the road with a driveway leading to the garage with an inspection pit and a pedestrian gate that opens onto a pathway to the main entrance, flanked by hedges and vast swathes of level lawn, part of which could be adapted for additional off road parking. It is at this stage that you can begin to appreciate the L shaped house’s external charm with its high chimneystacks, white walls contrasting with the red roof and multi-pane casement windows. While internally there is the original staircase, original wood floors and fireplaces with open fires, coved ceilings and renovated sash windows at the rear.

The period front door opens into the very spacious reception hall with a cloakroom that includes the original basin and the oak staircase. It is large enough for guests to gather for cocktails before moving down the corridor into the fabulous dual aspect 32.2ft drawing room. This very special room includes a pair of original inset shelving units with patterned glass doors, a large curved bay window and a superb fireplace with a sculptured surround and a beautiful marble inset and hearth as a delightful focal point. There is an adjacent sitting room that also includes a double inset shelving unit with original patterned glass doors, a fireplace with a tiled surround and a door to the rear garden.

Another special place and where the family spend much of their time is the kitchen/dining room with a large bay incorporating a stable door to the rear terrace. This light and bright dual aspect space includes a Belling range cooker and flat fronted glossy white units with Corian worktops, a dishwasher and space for an American fridge freezer as well as a central island/breakfast bar. There is also plenty of space for a large dining table adjacent to the original fireplace with inset tiles and a sculptured surround.

Beyond the kitchen/dining room is a door to what was originally the butler’s domain. This area now includes a scullery, a home office with a charming little fireplace and a good sized family room that used to be the original kitchen and still includes the original kitchen cupboards. There is also a large boiler room, a useful wet room, a utility facility, rear door access to the garage and a back door to the garden. As this is basically a separate area with its own independent external access it could easily be converted into a spacious annexe and even the garage could become part of the accommodation.

The beautiful oak staircase with its carved newel posts leads to the galleried corridor on the first floor. Here you will find a family bathroom with a stand-alone oval bath, a separate toilet and three double bedrooms with views over the beautiful rear garden. These include a large dual aspect double with a fireplace, a full height mirror and a seating/study area, another with a fireplace and a third with a deep fitted cupboard. While the stunning main bedroom has a large bay window, a fireplace and a door to a very large dressing room that could always be used as another bedroom or may be partly converted to include en suite facilities. This floor also includes a good sized study/hobby room that could be used as another bedroom with its adjacent vaulted ceiling storage room that would make an excellent en suite bathroom.

The staircase to the second floor was built as an exact replica of the original even down to the newel posts. It leads to the spacious second floor with its galleried landing, plenty of eaves storage and a large storage cupboard. There is a bathroom with a spa bath, vanity basin and a wet room style shower, a second wet room and three double bedrooms with Velux windows providing stunning views over the garden and beyond. These include one at the end of a corridor that could be a sitting room as this floor would make a great ‘hideaway’ for teenagers or adult children looking for a bit of independence and somewhere to entertain their friends.

Beautifully landscaped and secluded rear gardens greet you as your walk outside onto the spacious crazy paved terrace. This is ideal for barbecues and al fresco dining as well as just relaxing in the sunshine enjoying the delightful vista in front of you or looking back at the impressive rear exterior of the house. There are curved steps up to a crazy paved path flanked by delightful shrubs and flower beds and a large fishpond as well a spacious level lawns interspersed with shrub beds, mature trees and fruit trees with the original brick wall on each side of the garden.