Chic, sleek and definitely different, 75 Milton Road, Sutton Courtenay, is a unique architect-designed house with an open-plan ground floor layout and four luxurious bedrooms with equally striking bathrooms.
Its supercool style is echoed by an alluring south-facing landscaped garden with seductive sunken outdoor kitchen – it’s just perfect for a young family, professionals or weekenders, and fantastic, both inside and out, for those who enjoy throwing parties and entertaining.
There’s also a fabulous studio at the end of the garden, complete with shower room, that’s perfect as a home office, granny annexe, gym, or even an income-generating AirBnB-style holiday let. Located on the outskirts of Sutton Courtenay, one of South Oxfordshire’s prettiest and most sought-after villages, it’s beside the River Thames and all the leisure pursuits that offers.
It’s been a passion project for the vendors who, six years ago, took a dated building and painstakingly rebuilt it to create the extraordinary 2,705 sq ft detached luxury home it is today, completed in 2021.
Designed to super-energy-efficient Passivhaus principles, 75 Milton Road has been shortlisted for a prestigious design award. Its individuality is its USP, fitted out and decorated in a mainly monotone colour palette for pared-back polish and a relaxed ambience.
The ground floor is entirely open-plan and flooded with light thanks to the judicious use and placement of windows and bifolds. It extends to a depth of 60ft, punctuated only by a staircase and a partial feature wall.
Stepping through the front door, the double-height entrance hall presents a breathtaking taste of things to come. A carefully curated selection of high-specification building and décor materials in tactile finishes and shades of black and white combine to extraordinary effect throughout this dreamily original residence.
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A good-looking home, from any angle
Number 75 Milton Road stands well back from the street with a grass verge and pavement in between. The front garden fence features white concrete pyramid posts that reflect the interestingly angular shape of the house.
There’s parking for up to four cars on the tarmac and gravelled driveway which lies in front of the integral garage.
The double-height entrance hall makes a luminous first impression with its soaring black and white walls to the glass galleried landing, slanted ceiling and overhead skylight – it’s ‘industrial chic’ at its finest and is the gateway to the luxurious open-plan ground floor which features underfloor-heated micro-cement throughout and glamorous Venetian plaster décor details.
A vast one-pane picture window is the highlight of the 20x13ft living room, creating a seamless link with outdoors, while the stylish custom-made oak and stainless steel staircase creates a partial division with the dining room.
The 20x11ft dining room can accommodate an elegantly large dining table and chairs, equally perfect for family meals or cosy candlelit dinner parties, and there’s a built-in sound system too. It also has a capacious double cupboard that’s ideal for coat and shoe storage.
A central feature wall creates a semi-divide with the super-spacious 40ft-wide family room and kitchen. This is the most beautifully light and uplifting area, the two expanses of bifold doors creating that oh-so-desirable sunny link with the glorious garden beyond.
This is sure to be the hub of day-to-day life with plenty of space for everyone to do their own thing. It would be perfect for a nice big L-shaped sofa in front of a wall-mounted TV, or maybe a home office desk that can double up for children to do their homework while you can keep an eye on them from the kitchen.
Featuring chic white cabinetry under grey composite worktops with funky silver splashbacks encircling a super-sized central island with triple pendant designer light above, the kitchen is a cook’s dream with everything neatly to hand. There’s a duo of split-level Bosch multi-function ovens and a gas hob plus integral dishwasher and wine fridge.
Washing machine and tumble dryer fit into the adjacent utility room, which also has a separate cloakroom/WC, plus there’s an external door to the path between the front and back gardens.
Designer bedrooms
Moving upstairs, there’s lots of sharp angular interest in the vaulted ceilings of the four luxe bedrooms, proving again that there’s nothing formulaic about 75 Milton Road.
Extending to 25x14ft of generous floor space and filled with natural light via a trio of sources including double doors to a seductive glass Juliet balcony, the principal bedroom is a simply stunning oasis of tranquility and the perfect place for the grown-ups to relax. Its charms include a supercool underfloor-heated en-suite bathroom with wet-room-style shower and a dressing area with rails and shelving.
All of the three remaining bedrooms are generous doubles and beautifully presented. Bedroom two would be ideal for guests, complete with glass Juliet balcony and a built-in wardrobe, while bedroom three has copious walk-in storage too. These bedrooms share a really glamorous bathroom with underfloor heating beneath marble tiles, dreamy free-standing bathtub, walk-in shower and designer radiator.
An exceptional garden
The glorious garden is going to provoke gasps of envy from everyone! Landscaped to the current owners’ plans, the most impressive feature is the timber pergola-sheltered sunken garden with curvaceous bench seating and bespoke built-in barbecue.
The garden occupies a coveted south-facing position and offers a superior outdoor relaxation and entertaining experience with a little bit of everything included, all at the very highest of standards. There’s a contemporary greenhouse, manicured lawn, colourful borders, vegetable growing boxes and an elegant paved entertaining terrace – and it’s all securely fenced and shaded in places by trees and shrubs.
At the end of the garden is the 16x12ft detached studio with a bank of bifolds connecting it to the outdoors. It has a wet room/WC and offers numerous options for usage. The building encompasses a large garden store for stowing away mowers and gardening equipment.
Round and about
Sutton Courtenay is a friendly, bustling village with period and thatched homes gathered round the attractive village green, and within a stone’s throw of the leisure options offered by the River Thames.
This is picture-perfect walking country and the recreational pursuits and relaxation it presents are a major attraction of life in this serene location.
There’s Sutton Courtenay CE primary school and a village stores with post office, plus a lively range of events and activities throughout the year centred on the village hall and the River Room with its community cafe at All Saints Church. From a drama society and All Saints’ Singers to toddler group, fitness classes, WI and bridge club, this is a close community in the best tradition.
The village pubs are The Swan Foodhouse & Bar, overlooking the village green, where tapas and paella are a speciality, and a traditional ‘local’, The George, where real ales and craft beers reign supreme. The Fish restaurant has a mouthwatering French menu and is highly rated.
Nearby Abingdon is the place to do a supermarket shop – it has Waitrose and Tesco superstores, lots of lovely independent shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes and leisure options.
Some of the country’s best independent schools are here too – Abingdon School, St Helen & St Katharine’s and Our Lady’s number among them. State comprehensives include Didcot Girls School, Ofsted-rated outstanding, and John Mason, Larkmead and Fitzharry’s Schools, all rated good.
