WowHaus

The Saltings 1930s Connell, Ward and Lucas modern house in Hayling Island, Hampshire is back up for sale at a reduced asking price.

In fact, it was first up for sale a couple of years ago, but since then it has had a change of agent and a gradual reduction in price. That downward trajectory will hopefully help this one find a new and appreciative buyer.

As you might recall, this is a grade II-listed classic dating from 1934, the work of the much-loved Connell, Ward and Lucas. You might recall the place in Kingston Upon Thames and the 66 Frognal modernist house in London NW3, both by the same partnership, with more in the archive you fancy a browse.

The Saltings was one of the first designs by the team (they started working together in 1933) and it is pretty much everything you would expect of early period modernism in the UK. From the outside, at least.

It sits on one of Hayling Island’s quiet residential roads, with ‘panoramic sea views’ from every level of the house and a large private garden maintaining privacy, as well as giving you plenty of outside space to enjoy.

As I mentioned last time this was featured, the house has gone through a few changes over the years, but in terms of the architecture, things have been put right in more recent years, not least when it comes to the windows.

Those aren’t original, but the replacements have high-quality steel frames with double glazed panes, keeping the ‘look’ of the originals but added in some extra glazing to boost the warmth.

Outside of that, the structure is as it should be, an L-shaped house in white, with those black walls of glazing breaking things up in a very eye-catching way, as well as boosting the internal light and framing those sea views.

The house is accessed by secure gates and an ‘expansive’ driveway, taking you up to a south-facing terrace (designed to catch the afternoon sun) and the house itself.

As I said, the exterior is faithful to the original design. The interior, however, has been significantly modernised and updated. But it isn’t something I am being critical about. For good reason.

As I said, the house has changed hands over the years and some of the changes externally were not at all appealing. I suspect the internal space suffered a similar fate, although I can’t be sure. The most recent owner has done his or her best to bring back the period appeal with ‘great thought and sensitivity’ over the years, creating a setting fitting of the architecture, but making an effort to create a family home rather than a museum of the era.

The finish is generally rather neutral, with some of the period touches still in place. Just don’t expect it to be a step back to the 1930s. It really isn’t that. The current interior is a mix of both the old and the new, with enough of the old to keep the purists onside I would say.

The ground floor is described as open and light, featuring a large reception room to the front, and a dining area and separate kitchen, linked by a wide hall. An opening under the stairs leads to an integrated garage via a utility room. A second, larger terrace is at the back of the house and beyond that is the rear garden.

Head up the staircase to see the first-floor layout, which has four bedrooms, a separate dressing room and two bathrooms. One of the larger bedrooms has a ‘semi-segregated area’ and a small south-facing balcony.

A second staircase takes you to a rooftop room, which was designed to access the expansive roof terrace complete with cantilevered concrete awnings said to ‘frame the far-reaching views in all directions’.

The photos should fill in the rest of the gaps, so check those out here and on the agent’s listing. This has just gone back up for sale and with a price drop to £950,000, down from the original price of £1,225,000. Still not cheap, but perhaps more affordable for someone.

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