The Modern House
In the scenic and prosperous home county of Surrey, forty minutes by train southwest of Central London (and about an hour by car), a serene country estate fortified behind brick walls and electric gates infuses a spare, modern sensibility with understated period elegance.
Available via The Modern House for £7.5 million (about $9.5 million), the seven-acre spread is in the historic Borough of Elmbridge. Sometimes referred to as Britain’s Beverly Hills, some of the well-known folk who have made their home in the posh Elmbridge area include Mick Jagger, Andy Murray, Kate Winslet, and a whole mess of professional footballers like John Terry and Frank Lampard.
An antique marble fireplace add gravitas to the simply appointed living room.
The Modern House
Dating to the 18th century, the Elmbridge estate was recently subjected to a detailed restoration and modern-minded update by the current owners. Measuring almost 4,300 square feet, the three-story, white-painted brick residence’s pared-back palette and minimal furnishings allow the home’s humblest materials and thoughtfully curated details to shine. There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus a powder room, along with an attached one-bedroom, one-bath apartment.
The natural pine floors add warmth; the main staircase has been stripped to expose its natural wood structure; moldings are traditional but unfussy; and walls are a flat, cottony white that prioritizes views of the home’s verdant gardens and surrounding woodlands. Much attention was also paid to the lighting, which includes a curated array of fixtures with select pieces by designers Charlotte Perriand and Rose Uniacke and a chandelier by illustrious glassmaker F&C Osler.
The manicured grounds give way to several acres of woodlands.
The Modern House
Antique marble fireplaces adorn the living and dining rooms, both of which also have French doors that open to an artfully irregular stone-paved terrace and a vine-draped pergola that runs along the back of the house. In the 25-foot-long galley kitchen, the oak base cabinets and smoked oak doors were handmade in Holland. The countertops are honed marble, as is the integrated sink. There’s a good-sized pantry as well as a small breakfast area overlooking the gardens that stretch out in front of the house.
Behind the kitchen, the attached apartment is ideal for guests or staff and includes a small sitting room and a pint-sized designer kitchen. The wee “cottage” also opens to a secluded garden with additional access to the rest of the grounds.
Bedrooms are simple but sumptuous.
The Modern House
Among the three bedrooms and three baths on the second floor is the primary suite, which comprises a spacious dressing room and sun-flooded bathroom. Tucked up into the third-floor eaves are two more bedrooms and a bathroom.
The pristine lawns, sculpted topiary, and graveled terraces that surround the house give way to woodland paths that wind through several acres of pine, birch, and other native trees. Within the curtilage is a hidden walled garden, and elsewhere on the property is an original workshop that has been restored.
Click here for more photos of the Elmbridge estate in Surrey.
The Modern House
