Alan Walker readily admits that when he and his wife Sandy initially viewed Sussex House he remained far from convinced.
'We only lived a short walk away, so we knew the property – it was always one that Sandy admired – but I have to say that when we first had a look inside I was quite taken aback,' he said. 'I struggled to see the potential. It was all a bit of a mess. Fortunately, Sandy, with her design background, knew there was something special beneath the surface. It’s probably one of the best decisions we’ve made.'
Alan and Sandy bought Sussex House in 2013 and what followed was a comprehensive six to eight month renovation that meticulously restored the four-bedroom home in St Johns Road, Loughton, to its former glory – true to the vision of original owner, renowned Essex architect Geoffrey Bateman.
Today the property is a fine example of modernist design with a long list of interesting features, including black brickwork, golden joinery, terrazzo floor and teak panelling. Much of the interior is original from when the house was built – including the doors and large aluminium framed windows that flood the house with natural light.
The couple used old photographs of the property as a guide to ensure their changes were in keeping with Bateman’s original modernist concept – with an emphasis on volume and asymmetrical shapes.
'It’s not a listed property – so there were no issues from that perspective – but it is a period property and for us it was important that we remained true to that ideal,' Sandy, a retired furniture designer continued. 'One of the first things we uncovered, for example, was a small area of beautiful red mosaic tiles in the kitchen which we decided to continue in the bathroom and other areas as a way of tipping our hat to Geoffrey Bateman’s original vision.
'He was just so clever. Take the electrics. You don't see a single wire, he managed to hide everything. That’s the thing about this house – at the time it was very cutting edge – he was experimenting with brand new materials and systems, the use of plastics was very new, as were laminated surfaces. There’s also no drain pipes on the exterior, no guttering. So there’s nothing that's ugly.
'Parts of the property are now virtually the same as when he built it in the 1960s. Even when we made our own additions – the summer house is a good example – it’s in keeping with the authentic style. It looks like an extension of the original house.'
The couple are also quick to praise the expertise of the local workforce who made their dream a reality.
'It’s testament to the skills that we have in the county,' Alan, a semi-retired golf professional, said. 'It’s our project – but it’s also very much an Essex project.
'Carpenters, glazers, electricians, painters and decorators – they all came from local recommendations and would spend hours going through every last square inch. Even down to finding the correct style of screw for the windows so that it was all in keeping. No detail was left untouched. Everyone respected the history of the property and was sympathetic to its style.
'Our builder, who was a personal friend of ours, actually lived in the house whilst he did the work. He sadly passed away last year, but he knew this house like the back of his hand by the time he finished. Nothing was too much trouble and he aways had a solution.'
After more than ten happy years at Sussex House Alan and Sandy have decided the time is right for pastures new – and have listed the property for sale with Savills in Loughton.
'It will be very difficult to say goodbye. There isn’t any part of the house – inside and out – that we haven’t refurbished,' Alan said. 'We’ve put our heart and soul into it, but we feel that it’s now time to pass the baton to someone new so they can have their own memories.
'It will make someone a great family home. It’s only 12 or 13 miles as the crow flies to London – you get some exceptional views of Canary Wharf from the first floor roof terrace – so it’s perfect for those who need to be close to the city, but you also have the likes of Epping Forest and plenty of countryside on your doorstep.
'The lower ground floor also has potential to be used as a completely self-contained apartment with its own living area, kitchen, bedroom and shower room – ideal for teenagers, those returning from university or older parents that want some independence.'
Sandy adds: 'It’s been a labour of love and hopefully we've been a custodian to the property, because we've tried to do it with respect. We hope to pass it on to someone who loves it as much as we do. We feel that we’ve done Geoffrey Bateman the respect he deserves.'
Sussex House is on the market with Savills Loughton for a guide price of £1.85m.
020 8498 6600
savills.com
