Sometimes, a house reveals its character from a sweeping driveway. Sometimes, it's an gnarled and studded front door, a centuries-old fireplace or a bedroom overlooking immaculate grounds.
And sometimes, it's a picture on the kitchen wall: in this case, a vintage travel poster featuring Portofino, underling the ways in which this elegant, light-filled home brings a touch of Mediterranean chic to a charming corner of West Sussex. Set just back from Kingston Beach, near Littlehampton, it's for sale via Knight Frank at £4.5 million.
Tempted as you might be to spend all your time in this wonderfully grand kitchen — with its huge ceiling, Smallbone units, windows taller than most houses and french windows opening out onto the terrace and pool — there is much more to explore. It's an eight-bedroom home of around 7,500 sq ft, with a string of reception rooms, including a vast drawing room that's over 30ft long, and some — not least a wine room, with direct access both to the gardens and to the adjacent dining room.
The highlight upstairs is the principal suite, which includes two bedrooms that take up the entirety of one side of the house, and which are linked together by a balcony and a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. One of the two bedrooms has a separate en-suite, should you wish to keep things more separate. The remaining bedrooms are all on the other side of the landing, and include one section which could be used as a self-contained space for family members, live-in staff or otherwise.
The vibe is charmingly laid back and relaxed throughout, with a series of outdoor spaces that link the house to the mature, secluded gardens. There's no direct access to the beach, which while a shame in some ways, does shield you from the gaze of those taking the sea air on the path that runs along the shore in this part of the south coast.
The Channel is only a few steps away, past the 'boat house' on the property's southern boundary and out through a pair of gates onto a private road leading down to the shore. Sailing and other water sports are here for the taking. And all in a house that's 90 minutes on the train from central London.
For sale via Knight Frank at £4.5m — see more pictures and details.
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