noir by david cliff - TUCKED AWAY NICELY

This is one of those good-looking homes, sympathetically decorated with a mix of modern and traditional tones, offering a variety of character features. It is immaculately presented, generously proportioned, grown-up and versatile.

This stunning home delivers on all levels of presentation and accommodation and, location-wise, it really stands out. Just a short walk to the to the re-generated Wokingham town centre, train station and both Evendons Primary School (rated "Outstanding” in the lasted Ofsted) and Luckley House School along with access to nurseries and preparatory schools, including Waverley and Holme Grange, The Laurels is also currently on a direct bus route to both Reading Blue Coat and Shiplake College senior schools.

Not a bad start I think you'd agree …and it just gets better.

Set back from the road off a private drive, you have a beautifully screened frontage which hides a good-sized gravel driveway giving you plenty of parking.
So, under the attractive, open porch and log store into a lovely sized entrance hall, where there is plenty of room to greet guests and get shoes and coats off. Immediately right leads to the WC and then beyond you have the turning staircase taking you upstairs as well as an understairs cupboard.

Off to the left takes you into the TV room; a great space featuring bespoke, built-in storage and a large window keeping things light and bright with a lovely log burner and exposed brick inserts. Who doesn't love some flames and the smell of a real fire?

Another standout room must be the main sitting room. The thing here is the 15ft width as well as the 21ft length of the room. So many living rooms are circa 12ft and having that extra 3ft makes a DRAMATIC difference, you'll really notice it. The open fireplace creates cosiness and a stunning focal point. The rear wall is glazed with doors and windows giving views and access to the beautiful gardens whilst also allowing light to flood in. It really is a stunningly spacious but warm room.

The study or office has clearly become an increasingly important room in recent years (we’ll come on to the stunning garden building later) but this in-house office really works. You’ll see that it is currently set up, fit for purpose, with bespoke, fitted furniture and ready to go.

So, the room that EVERYONE wants nowadays is the kitchen, family, living space; the heart of the home where we all congregate with family and friends for day-to-day living and relaxed entertaining. We have just such a room here for you at The Laurels. It’s stunning! The kitchen area is a great sized space, with underfloor heating and is sensibly proportioned to give you plenty of workspace along with a 7ft island unit that allows you to prep, sit, or serve up a selection of plates to graze on. The island unit also gives that break between the purposeful kitchen area and the seating space which opens as one huge through space and has oodles of room for a sofa along with a large dining table and chairs. This is such an amazing area to entertain, chill with the family or just appreciate the huge roof lantern above, again allowing light to pour in along with giving such a lovely feature to the room. The bi-fold doors, with integral blinds, then enable you to spill out onto the gardens. Just having these open in the warmer weather really does allow the outside in.

Ok, so one room that I do get carried away with …. I LOVE a good utility room! Don’t judge me, I have dogs, three boys, football boots and a lot of washing! This utility room is huge and so practical, I stood there for a bit and just thought “I want mine to be like this!“ Regretfully, it isn’t but I’ll leave you to get excited or not. A doorway from here then gives an internal access to the double garage which is, again, very practical, and just makes life easy as well as a door to access the garden.

Moving upstairs, we have another feature that I also love in older homes: the split landing with stairs rising on either side which gives some real character and interest. It also takes you on your journey to four generously sized bedrooms with lots of potential to add a fifth (subject to planning) either over the garage or into the loft, as other neighbouring houses have done, if you wanted to. The bedrooms are all good sized and great shapes too making them easy to furnish. Three of the bedrooms look out onto the interesting and established gardens with one looking out on to the screened frontage.

Now to the gardens … these really are a huge selling point to this home (which sits on a plot approaching 1/3 of an acre), full of interest, beautifully landscaped and planted for year-round interest with large central lawns and well positioned seating areas that follow the sun. Hidden pathways and planting screen certain areas that then open up.
One such screened space is home to the most stunning garden building …. it’s a bit special. This building is beautifully constructed and insulated, with electricity, heating and internet access serving so many purposes for you. Currently used as an entertaining space with an amazing sofa seating area, you can easily see how it could also be an incredible den, office, studio or treatment room, for example. You really do have to see this; I was incredibly jealous!