1970s Clive Plumb modern house in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
An unusual design but a great project for someone. This 1970s Clive Plumb modern house in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, is up for sale.
I say ‘project’ because this 1973 design by the noted architect does need some work to bring it back to its best. But that’s not bad news as far as I am concerned. Quite the opposite.
The house, which you can see photographed here not long after construction, has barely been touched since it was constructed around 40 years ago. That originality is a massive pull.
As is the architecture itself, which resembles a pavilion in style, with significant amounts of glazing to bring in the light and examine your surroundings. It’s a house that catches the eye decades on and, as I said, has barely changed.
That’s the case for the interior too, which has appeal if you look beyond the existing furnishings but will need a degree of investment to bring it back to its best.
Yes, the walls are stripped in places, and others are perhaps in need of some updated decoration. The kitchen, whilst very much of its era, may well be something you will love or hate. The bathrooms, too, are very much of an era. But that’s all minor detail.
The pull of this one is the distinctive architecture, the original wood flooring, the distinctive staircase, the glazing, and as a result of all that, the potential it offers. It might not jump off the page right now, but with the right person behind it, this will be a house that gets noticed inside and out once more.
A great setting too. Not just Ross-on-Wye, but also, according to the agent, because the house sits in ‘one of the town’s most sought-after settings’, which is ‘just inside a conservation area’. The town centre is just half a mile away and, by all accounts, a pleasant stroll too.
The house itself, known as White Keys, is set well back from the road, sitting in the middle of a sizeable lawned area.
The main entrance leads into a reception hall, winding around the distinctive wooden staircase.
The heart of the home is the large and open kitchen/dining/family room, which is very much the entertaining space, not least with the kitchen being open to the living room via a breakfast bar.
Note also that during the warmer months of the year, four sets of sliding doors can be opened, leading out to a wooden deck that wraps around the home. So very much outside/inside living that’s ideal for a party.
The ground floor is pretty much divided into two main wings. The west wing includes two bedrooms – one of which is large enough to accommodate a double bed, while the other is more suited to being a child’s bedroom or home office. This area of the home also includes a bathroom – complete with a bath, bidet, basin and WC.
The east wing includes a double bedroom complete with a high, pitched ceiling. From here, a hallway, which includes plenty of hanging space, leads through to a shower room. Beyond this point is a laundry room which has space and plumbing for both a washing machine and tumble dryer, plus hanging space.
There is another bedroom just off the reception hall, in between the east wing and the open-plan kitchen/family room. This room – which has previously been used as a music room/library, also includes a set of sliding doors accessing the wooden deck. But that’s not quite all the space. The last part is perhaps the most interesting.
From the outside, you can see what looks like a glazed roof. Head up that staircase, and you get an additional sitting room, which offers plenty of natural light via the skylights, plus some rather appealing views.
A fascinating design and one in need of saving and turning into a hip living space for the 21st century. If you can see yourself in this modern house in Ross-on-Wye, the guide price is £550,000.
Images and details courtesy of Hamilton Stiller. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
