WowHaus

Looking amazing after a renovation, this 1960s Sir Philip Dowson midcentury modern house in Long Melford, Suffolk is up for sale.

Long Wall is the midcentury modern dream and the kind of architecture you might associate with California rather than Suffolk. But this is in the Suffolk countryside, offering plenty of architectural style and some great views too.

The house dates back to 1963. It is grade II-listed and described as one of the finest post-war houses in Britain. It’s also a credit to Sir Philip Dowson of Arup Associates, the man behind the house.

It’s also a credit to a subsequent owner too. I don’t know what it looked like in the mid-1990s, but in 1995, architect Hugh Pilkington ‘meticulously refurbished’ the house, producing what you see here.

Now ‘refurbished’ is often a word that sends a shiver down my spine. All too often it can result in a full skip outside and a rather bland interior, devoid of any character. Not so here.

The refurbishment saw ‘minor’ changes to the house, leading to three bedrooms rather than two, as originally conceived by the architect. Beyond that, it’s a case of bringing out the best of what was already here. More recently, extensive work has been carried out to the flat roof, which is the kind of thing you probably want to hear.

There is so much to love and appreciate with this house. It takes its name from the ‘long’ brick wall that runs through it and extends to the back and the front, providing ‘privacy and shelter’.

Apart from the wall, check out the walls of glass, wood ceilings, the built-in storage, that wonderful period kitchen area and the parquet flooring, as well as the lovely flow throughout that open living space.

Talking of the living space, the large open-plan reception room and kitchen are the focal point (or hub) of the house, designed by the architect to establish ‘ a relationship between the hearth and the horizon’.

It leads onto a west-facing brick terrace, and beyond that, you can take in all of that lovely countryside beyond, which is mainly open fields. Peace and seclusion if you move in here.

Other space includes the entrance hall, the master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two further bedrooms and a family bathroom. There’s also a garage integrated into the house too.

That’s not quite all as apart from all of the land here (you get two acres of your own secluded gardens with the house), Long Wall also has a swimming pool. Talking of the pool, the current owners have full planning consent for a pool house over the existing pool, which is outlined on the agent’s listing if you want to know more.

More images on the agent’s site if you want them, as well as details about viewing and so on. But before you consider that, check that you have something in the region of £950,000 to buy it.

Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.