This exceptional house has come up for sale by The Solent with its own jetty and waterside cabin
Calling all sailors to one of the most exceptional contemporary homes on the market, on one of the most sought after roads overlooking The Solent. River House is a remarkably modern home with lots of flexible space and promising outbuildings in the popular harbour village of Itchenor. And it’s only an hour and half away from London by train.
The pretty riverside spot is known for its wealth of healthy, outdoor pursuits, with a thriving sailing club that competes at the highest level, a distinctive listed club house and moorings for all the boats and yachts your heart desires. The surrounding wetlands are also a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with plentiful wildlife and an impressive array of birds.
But if you’re looking for a country bolt-hole, this architect-designed house on Spinney Lane should pack in enough to keep you occupied. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to flood the lower floor, an open plan kitchen, diner and family room, with some useful additions such as a study and a walk-in larder. The master bedroom suite – with a dressing room and private terrace – resides upstairs with four further bedrooms, two of which are ensuite. The interiors are as bold as the architecture, all striking prints, dangling spherical artworks and even a stencil of Marilyn Monroe on the bedroom wall.
But the real potential of this house can be found in the grounds. There’s a triple garage and wine store, with space for a garden shed or even separate living quarters above it. There’s an outdoor swimming pool – heated, of course – and a separate pool house with its own kitchen and shower.
Then, if you really want to get away from it all, there’s a two-storey waterside cabin with its own private decking, electricity and a jetty. And if it’s the calming trickle of water you crave, you don’t need to go near the river; waterside gardens of about 3.6 acres surround the house.
If you’re moving out of London, the nearby villages of Birdham and East Wittering will seem parochial, stocked as they are with essentials like a doctors surgery, a post office and a small supermarket. But if you want to go farther afield, there are plenty of pubs, restaurants and shops only a 15 minute drive away in the cathedral city of Chichester. And, surprisingly, this is one rural beauty spot where you’ll get to see all the year’s hottest plays before they arrive in London, with an impressive number of them from the Festival Theatre transferred to the West End each season.
River House is on the market for £5m with Strutt & Parker. Call the Chichester office on 0243 832600 or visit struttandparker.com for more information