The delightful coastal village of Seaview is known for being a quiet, upmarket seaside resort peppered with impressive Victorian and Edwardian residences and one of these treasures is Sandlands, built around 1895, designed by renowned island architect Stephen Salter who favoured the Arts and Crafts style. The house was originally owned by Admiral Sir Walter Hunt-Grubbe who became Commander-in-chief of the Cape of Good Hope station and went on to President of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. The property offers wonderful sea views and is only a short distance from the high street and seafront, so it is easy to enjoy regular visits to the beach and is known for having spectacular views across the Solent to Portsmouth and the Spinnaker Tower.

The building currently incorporates five delightful apartments but the ‘jewel in the crown’ is this ground and first floor maisonette that was previously two separate flats but has been converted into one very special home. The exterior of Sandlands is awe-inspiring with its amazing chimney stacks, corner turrets, black and white feature elevations, bay windows, patterned brick work and large porch. Fabulous period features can also be found inside the apartment with its very high ceilings, panelled doors, ornate coving and dado rails, picture rails, half height wall panelling, ceiling roses, high skirtings, fire places and original multi-pane ‘skylights’ above the turret windows and French doors.

A paved pathway, flanked by hedging and charming shrub borders, leads to the private period front door of the apartment and opens into the entrance hall with its original herringbone parquet floor. This flooring continues into the formal dining room where you can happily host a lunch or dinner for eight to ten friends and family. It includes a staircase to the first floor, French doors to the kitchen/breakfast room and an open archway to the simply stunning lounge. This impressive room has so many wonderful original features it is difficult to know where to look first. It includes an ornate ceiling, a delightful fireplace with a log burning stove and an ornamental arch to the charming ground floor hexagonal turret, which is made up of five windows where you can sit and admire the views.

There are French doors to the kitchen/breakfast room and open access to the charming garden room/snug. With its wall of windows and an external door to the communal gardens it is just the place for a quiet read. The triple aspect and interestingly shaped kitchen/breakfast room area is light and bright with a vast array of original multi-pane windows on three sides. It includes a gas range cooker together with attractive units housing a fridge freezer and dishwasher while still providing plenty of room for a large table and chairs and a door that leads out to a large private terrace and beautifully planted garden.

Also on the ground floor is an adjacent utility room with space for a washing machine and tumble dryer as well as a superb dual aspect double bedroom and en-suite bathroom with a dual aspect dressing room that could always be used as a single bedroom or additional office. As the double bedroom has independent external access via a pair of French doors this area could be a useful as an annex for an elderly relative or an adult child.

On the first floor you will find the family bathroom and two or three bedrooms including a dual aspect guest room with an original fireplace and the fascinating main bedroom with its ornate ceiling, period cast iron fireplace with inset tiling, an archway to the hexagonal turret where the views through the windows are spectacular. There is also direct access to a large dressing room that could also be used as a small bedroom or nursery. This has a door to the beautiful balcony where you can sip your morning coffee revelling in the views and the ships sailing across the Solent or enjoy a nightcap and a panoramic vista of twinkling lights of the mainland coast.

Outside, as well as the communal gardens, there is a lovely south facing private garden that consists of a large raised patio surrounded by a low wall that is ideal for outdoor entertaining. This leads to good sized lawn, shrub borders and flower beds, a garden shed with lighting and electrics as well as wooden gates with access to the garage and Steyne Road.