1960s Geoffrey Bateman midcentury modern house in Loughton, Essex
A dream of a renovation, this 1960s Geoffrey Bateman midcentury modern house in Loughton, Essex, is now on the market.
Not that you would think Sussex House has been renovated with a casual glance. This landmark 1965 design, built for the architect’s own use, is still faithful to the original plans and packed with original detail.
But look closely and you will see that this house has undergone a comprehensive program of renovation. Sometimes, that involves ripping out everything of note and starting again. Not here. This update is a credit to the current owners and a testament to the original design, which has adapted well over the decades.
The exterior looks largely untouched. In some ways, it is typical of the era, but it is also striking in its originality. You know this is a 1960s design, but you’ve never seen anything quite like it. Expansive and straddling different levels, it’s a house that can’t fail to catch the eye despite being quite understated. It’s great to see all that brick, too, in the era of rendered properties.
If the outside impresses you, the inside will really knock you out.
As I said, this house has undergone a detailed renovation, taking great care to maintain and highlight the key features of the past while also ensuring the house serves its purpose as a family home in the 21st century. It’s a tough balancing act and one many people fall foul of. This is an example of just how to do it.
Keeping furnishings and fittings of the era in place certainly helps, but it’s the core of the interior that really jumps out. The black exposed brickwork, the teak panelling, the statement staircase, that amazing terrazzo flooring, a stunning landing at the top of the stairs (combining pretty much all of those elements), the timber ceilings, full-height glazing, and, of course, the terracing. This is the 1960s dream.
There are some more contemporary updates, too, but they are fitted in keeping with the original design aesthetic. Yes, the kitchen is modern, but it works within this house, as do the fireplace in the living room, the media units, and the fitted furnishings. It is modern but with a nod to the past. I would happily let the owners loose on my own house!
Oh yes, there’s space too. Lots of space. 2,800sq. ft., to be precise. And a design that utilises all of that space to great effect.
The ground floor consists of the entrance hall, which leads to an inner hall with staircases to the first and lower ground floors. As I said earlier, the staircases are features in themselves, setting the pattern of a minimal but striking finish throughout.
The large main reception room has a feature fireplace and adjacent shelving, timber cladding to one wall and exposed brickwork to two walls. The dining area beyond has access to the garden. The kitchen breakfast room has a range of cupboards and integrated appliances, plus a door to a utility room. Also on this floor are two bedrooms, a family bathroom and a guest cloakroom. That’s as much as many houses, but this one has much more.
The first floor offers a main bedroom suite with a shower room and some eye-catching fitted wardrobes. Note also the first-floor family room, which has access to the large roof terrace, which I suspect is quite the place for a gathering.
There is more space on the lower ground floor, which has the potential to be used as a self-contained apartment. The current layout includes a reception room and kitchen area, a bedroom, a shower room, and a study. Two separate doors to the side walkway, one serving the reception room, enable use as a self-contained apartment.
Of course, the outside space is substantial, especially when you add in that roof terrace. The house is approached via a paved driveway providing parking for several cars, with a double carport beyond. If you love your cars (and I know many of you do), that’s a big selling point. The remainder is laid to artificial grass and flowering borders with a variety of trees and plants.
The rear garden has been landscaped with a paved sun terrace, a decked area, an ornamental pond, a putting green (not something you see often) with an artificial grass surface and a pergola. To the right of the garden is what’s described as a ‘substantial brick-built detached summer house’ with sliding doors to the garden, plus a door to a store room.
So a lot of house and a stylish one too. This 1960s Geoffrey Bateman midcentury modern house in Loughton is on the market with a guide price of £1,850,000.
Images and details courtesy of Savills. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
