1970s modern house in Basingstoke, Hampshire
First time on the market for this amazing 1970s modern house in Basingstoke, Hampshire, which has barely changed in half a century.
There’s no mention of an architect (and I can’t find one), but this is an individual design, likely dating from the early part of the 1970s and still in the same family ownership.
That’s always a positive. The family that had this built is unlikely to have made wholesale changes, and that’s certainly the case here. The house has changed little in 50+ years and as such, is something of a modernist time capsule in places.
The potential is all over. The agent mentions the size of the plot and internal floorspace, as well as the option to update and extend. But this one offers a great deal as it currently stands.
This is well-designed modernism, with open spaces and bags of natural light from the floor-to-ceiling glazing. Its look has aged well over the decades, but you could argue that it has come around again with the minimal, almost brutal finish within.
Not that the house has stood still over the years. The main features remain unchanged, but the details look to have been updated. The kitchen, for example, is a contemporary affair, but still works well within the setting. The bathroom fittings and some of the furnishings also look updated, as you would expect. It’s a lovely mix of the old and the new. But with so much potential, wherever you turn.
If you check out the overhead shots of the house on the agent’s listing, you’ll see that it has a lovely semi-rural setting, too. This slice of modernism stands proud amongst the more traditional houses that surround it, which it no doubt has done since the day it was built.
I’ve hinted at the details, but there are so many that catch the eye. The architecture itself is the most obvious, a single-storey house with minimal fuss and very much typical of the era in terms of modernist design.
The inside is a little more unusual, with a design that, to me, resembles European modernism of the period rather than a typically British finish.
I think that’s down to the mix of wood and block, which looks as impressive today as it did back in the day. This theme carries through most of the house to some effect, with that zoned-off dining area and its skylight being the icing on the cake.
There is also a lot of living space on that single floor, totalling around 2,000 sq. ft.
The heart of this home is the stunning 46-foot dual-aspect lounge, a light-filled space that opens into the wonderful circular dining room beneath the central skylight. Sliding patio doors connect the living area directly to the rear garden. It’s an area that screams the 1970s.
But that’s not all. Just beyond the dining room is the kitchen, which is both contemporary and in keeping with the overall look and feel of the house.
The principal bedroom has views across the rear garden and benefits from an en-suite shower room and fitted wardrobes. There are three further bedrooms, all with that same minimalist/modernist look. There is also a family bathroom, which looks to have been updated while keeping the original look stylistically. All of those areas are accessed via the entrance hall.
Of course, plenty of outdoor space, with the house approached via a block-paved driveway for off-road parking for multiple vehicles and access to what looks like a large attached garage.
As you can see, there’s also a good amount of garden, mainly laid to lawn, at both the front and the back.
It’s a dream of a house, and it is currently on the market for £750,000.
Images and details courtesy of Brockenhurst Estate Agents. For more details or to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
