Much as I love the splendours of Brighton’s seafront Regency facades, I have to admit that I prefer the more modest Victorian homes that lie just behind. Few can afford the few remaining Regency piles, whilst there are some splendid examples of Victorian villas, especially in the streets that run down to the sea in Kemp Town.

 This property is exactly that, a fine double fronted Victorian house on a grand, but not unmanageable scale. Twenty years ago a property like this would have been a dream for someone obsessed with restoration and renovation. And thankfully the majority of the original features remain intact and in good order; everything from high skirting boards and original architrave to heavily modelled coving and complex decorative panelled ceilings. Original windows, glass, fireplaces and an imposing staircase also remain in place. But this is not a slavish restoration project, and whilst respectful of period charms it is now a striking contemporary home with modern conveniences to match.

 Broad chequered tiled steps rise to a large front door and lobby, beyond which the staircase continues to the upper floor. On the left of the hall is a massive dining room with a large fireplace, bay window and opening into an equally large modern kitchen. It achieves the enviable combination of smart dining but with the host only a few feet away, almost open-plan but not quite. Also to this side is a very large cloakroom. 

 Across the hall is a massive double drawing room running from the front to the rear of the property with a large bay at the front and windows overlooking the rear garden. Matched original fireplaces have a strong impact and the current owners have arranged the space as two strikingly different seating areas, one furnished in cool monochrome, the other in vibrant burnt orange to stunning effect.

 Dropping down at the rear of the hall is a large laundry and utility room and a door giving access, via a cast iron staircase, to the garden behind. Here a paved central terrace is completely surrounded by exotic mature planting that thrives in the sheltered west facing setting. A smaller raised terrace acts as a secret al fresco dining area.

 Taking the wide stairs to the upper floor there is a modern family shower room on the half-landing and at the top of the stairs a huge landing is illuminated by a massive jade green Art Deco Murano glass chandelier as well as by natural light from a rear window. There are four bedrooms in total, two front and two rear, and all are spacious and light – the front getting the early morning sun and the rear getting the evening light. Of the two front bedrooms, one has a stylish en-suite bathroom, quite probably using a space one intended as a dressing room or nursery but most certainly not created by carving a slice out of an original space. The bedrooms also have fine decorative panelled ceilings, all in excellent condition. In fact the entire property has undergone a great deal of modernisation including excellent insulation, rewiring, plumbing and sound insulation between floors, many of which have been sanded, stained and polished. This is a delightfully luxurious family property with masses of space, character and charm – but it does not stop there.

 There is also a two bedroom apartment ‘below stairs’. And there is no sense of servants’ quarters; on the contrary, this is as well appointed as the upper floors except that the ceilings are understandably not as high. It is also light and airy being only partly below ground. The two bedrooms are both large, as is the sitting room. A modern bathroom adds a further level of luxury and the modern kitchen dining room is well designed and plenty big enough for entertaining. At the front, access is through a private front entrance and vestibule and there is a door out to the garden behind. An apartment on this scale has so many options, room for grownup children, a practical home for an elderly parent or even privately let to bring in extra income.

 Situated in one of Kemp Town’s most popular streets, the house has easy links to the city centre and marina and there are local shops, cafés, restaurants and bars on the doorstep. Nearby are several of the city’s most popular private schools and the beach is a short

walk away at the end of the street. The current owners have a taste for modern furnishing but as with all the best schemes, they are not fixtures and it would be very easy for a new owner to stamp their personal style on this lovely home with great ease.