Lettings: Living with the wow factor (From York Press)

Lettings: Living with the wow factor

12:07pm Thursday 19th January 2012

Brian Page delights in a brilliantly restored townhouse offering elegant city centre living.

A SPECIAL column this week – for a special property.

It’s a big and beautiful period townhouse, set in a commanding position on Bootham, just a short walk from the city centre and the renowned St Peters and Bootham schools.

One of the most impressive homes to come on to the lettings market in some time, it has been completely and delightfully refurbished by the owners.

The restoration has provided a skilful blend of the old and the new, with fine period features retained alongside contemporary styling and comforts.

Set across five floors, it provides a series of stylish living rooms, spacious bedrooms and three luxuriously finished bathrooms.

What’s more, it has the added – and comparatively rare for a town house – benefit of a garden and double garage.

It’s also a brilliantly bright house with lots of light streaming in from large sash bay windows, shining on a series of period features including high ceilings, original cornicing, picture rails and period fireplaces.

But enough of the waxing lyrical, let me take you on the tour. The wow factors begin with an elegant and impressive entrance hall with solid wood flooring underfoot and a graceful staircase to the first floor.

But, first, take a look at the lower ground floor where there is a breathtaking kitchen equipped with a range of high-quality integrated appliances, wall and base units and with a splendid central preparation island. There is a pantry with two freezers and a wine store and a separate cloakroom. Double folding doors open into a breakfast family room which in turn opens onto the rear terrace and lawned garden, which contains garden stores and leads to that double garage. This must be a wonderful spot for entertaining or simply relaxing.

Stepping back inside, upstairs we find a dining room to the front with the splendid addition of a dumb waiter brightened by a large bay window.

There is a family room to the rear.

On the first floor there is a large – and very grand in all senses of the word – drawing room with big bay windows, high ceiling, cornicing and an eyecatching period fireplace as a central focus. There is also a master bedroom to the back of this floor and a half landing off which there is a smart shower room.

A similar arrangement on the second floor provides a family bathroom to the half landing, double bedrooms to front and back and a single bedroom/office.

Taking a deep breath we press on up to the third floor where there is a double bedroom with walk-in wardrobe, a single bedroom in the eaves and a large bathroom.

A marvellous home, then, refurbished with skill and care and decorated and styled with an impressive elegance.

It is offered by Arena Letting at a rental of £2,995 per calendar month.