City been good to you? Do you have five bars to spend on a new house?
Preston Bennett is selling Lakeside, a new house on Pine Close, off Stanmore Hill, for £4.975 million. The 7,500 sq ft property is set in a leafy, south-facing garden of 0.6 acres with its own naturally-fed lake. It stands at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac.
"It is a unique site in Stanmore," says architect Sergios Sergiou, "with an abundance of mature trees, sweeping lawns with gently-sloping banks and a beautifully-landscaped lake - the views to which we have enhanced with the design of the house."
The house is two storeys from the front and three from the rear (there is an extra floor excavated into the back).It is in a modernist style, with echoes of the Bauhaus, emphasised by the white "self-cleaning" render on the walls and expanses of glass. Privacy is a key factor and opaque glass wall panels, electric gates, a door entry system, discreet CCTV and alarm system provide understated screening and security.
The lounge is nearly 50ft long and includes wall-to-ceiling Ramedisio sliding glass doors leading on to the main terrace. Windows are "self-cleaning" glass with electric blinds and curtains. Flooring is Jura blue stone and there is zone-controlled underfloor heating in every room. The lounge also features a tropical fish tank, Dru gas fireplace and 65in plasma 3D television.
Leading off this room is the Vitalli kitchen and breakfast room, with a separate utility room. The kitchen has bespoke units topped with Corian, a separate island and integrated appliances including a Gaggenhau hob, Miele oven, combi-microwave, coffee machine, warming drawer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge and freezer. Also on the ground floor is the 28ft-long TV/family room and a study.
The first floor has a master bedroom suite comprising a 23ft x 14ft bedroom, dressing room with Grafito wardrobe system and bathroom with Duravet sundeck bath and leather massage bed, Siggarini/Gessi shower and bath fittings, Alessi sanitaryware and Aquavision 26in plasma TV. A safe, panic alarms and mini-bar are also built in. Leading from the master bedroom suite is a 25 sq ft terrace and a balcony at the rear, with views over the lake and gardens.
There are three other double bedrooms, all en-suite, another bedroom, a family bathroom and a guest bedroom suite with 42in plasma TV, dressing room and en-suite bathroom.
The lower ground floor has a leisure "club" for family and guests to enjoy, with a 22ft heated swimming pool, spa bath to seat 10; steam room, changing room and gym with mirrored wall and TV. A 30ft games room includes a bar with Siemens appliances.
All the glass in the building is solar-reflective and the windows are set back into the walls to reduce the effects of direct sunlight. With Lutron lighting controls, a centralised vacuum cleaner system, CAT 5 wiring and SystemLine AV, the house is all set for a 21st century technological lifestyle.
Fitted throughout with an automatic irrigation system, the garden is designed to look good whatever the season. The gazebo, terrace and immaculate lawns are ideal for outdoor entertaining. The lake is stocked with koi carp and other fish and there is even a small rowing boat. The resin-bound marble driveway leads to a double garage.
Other houses with a swimming pool on Preston Bennett's books include Old Heathbourne, Heathbourne Road, Bushey Heath, a character house with six bedrooms and a 40ft heated outdoor pool, for sale at £2.5 million.
At the more affordable end of the market, £775,000 buys you the two-bedroom, two-bathroom garden apartment in Stanmore Hall, Wood Lane, Stanmore, which is set in landscaped gated grounds with fine views, and includes access to an indoor swimming pool leisure complex.
