5 bed detached house for sale

Crowcastle Lane, Kirtlington OX5

"Sundown" combines the style and clean lines of Modernists such as Eames, Frank Lloyd Wright & Neutra with a clever layout maximising far-reaching views & excellent energy efficiency. But more than that, it is a supremely relaxing & stylish home in a peaceful village location near all amenities.

This just might be the perfect incarnation of a modern house; it could rewrite the manual on form and function. Heat recovery/circulation systems and insulation technology provide consistent temperature and extraordinary energy efficiency. Hardwired broadband extends throughout house and garden office. The bravely unconventional inverted design results in bright living accommodation upstairs to enjoy the views, and bedrooms/bathrooms nestling discreetly downstairs, with a sublime garden room to the rear. Shadowing and light interplay constantly, changing hour by hour and day by day, adding vibrancy and energy. And the flow is so effortless it makes most other houses feel awkward. It's the holiday home you never wanted to leave - and now you don't have to.

The facade is deliberately modernist, but with the appropriate nod to the village environment in which the house sits. High-quality larch combined with honey stone is a welcome use of natural materials. Under the overhang of the larch first floor that doubles as a very useful open porch, a stylish and sturdy timber door is flanked by a large, floor to ceiling front window complete with plantation shutters. Inside, complete calm pervades. A perfect oak floor stretches seamlessly through to the garden room behind. Bedrooms range off to both sides, and a plethora of cupboards are joined by a rear lobby/boot room with seats and hanging rails in providing masses of storage, with a door into the garden beyond.

As the stairs rise to the right with a vast single pane window overhead, the light flow lures you forward with a feeling of positivity and welcome. To the left a pair of delightful, bright bedrooms are both well proportioned, with the french windows of the West facing room opening onto a relaxed, discreet front garden, the perfect spot for a morning coffee. The second bedroom is almost identical, adding a full bank of cupboards spanning one wall, and a glazed door onto the side of the house offers easy access to either garden. Both rooms are served by an immaculate, stylish bathroom combining ultra-clean lines and a dash of monochromatic panache, and offering both a freestanding bath and separate shower.

Opposite, three further bedrooms complete the set. The first overlooks the rear garden via French doors and shutters, with storage fitted to the opposite side. At the end of the hallway another overlooks the frontage, and is fitted in an almost identical fashion to its neighbour. But the principal bedroom is the star of the show. Double aspect with French windows facing east and south, it is deliciously light and welcoming, encouraging the occupant to throw the doors open and enjoy the garden. Cleverly, the storage forms a part wall to the left, creating a dressing area complete with full height mirrored doors. It is also worth noting that planning has been granted to extend to the south side, creating an additional dressing room and en-suite. Serving all three, a further shower room is fitted in the same high quality fashion as the main bathroom.

Turning to the living spaces, we previously mentioned the garden room glimpsed beyond the hall. There are garden rooms, and there are garden rooms... In a similar fashion to the frontage, the first-floor overhang doubles as a deep shelter from sun or rain. But unlike the frontage the whole rear corner of the room is also glazed, with sliding doors creating a seamless connection between the veranda outside and the sunroom. This creates two areas that are just as linked or just as separate as you wish. Whether watching the birds on the feeder come winter with doors tight shut, or enjoying a summer meal on the veranda sheltered from the sunshine, there are few more rewarding spots to relax - and with plumbing to turn the bedroom adjacent into a bathroom, this could easily become the most wonderful bedroom we know.

Upstairs, the design is quite unique and all the better for it. Save for the cloakroom, it is free of any connecting doors, flowing perfectly from one to another. Look right and the living room features a window framed by the mature trees beyond, with an enticing glimpse of the far reaching view to the West. A large roof light overhead and a further single panel window to the side champion that modernist ideal of ever-changing light and shadow, framing a generous and relaxed space that focuses in on the neatest of inset Jetmaster-style multifuel stoves (although our vendors assure us the efficiency of the house is such you're unlikely to need it!). Next door, the study is expertly fitted with a seamless desk and hidden drawers (incl keyboard plinth) to one side and a run of cupboards to the left, flanking a large floor to ceiling window offering an even better outlook than the living room.

From here, the kitchen occupies most of the remaining space, creating the perfect daytime room with a sublime mix of seating, dining and kitchen areas that perfectly integrate with one another. As you might expect, the seating to one corner follows the form and function theme - simple, elegant and comfy, also including drawers beneath for maximum efficiency. Opposite, the natural dining area sits next to a wide run of windows culminating in a central Juliet balcony. Undeniably the best view in the house, it can also be hidden with electronic larch blinds that fully or partially obscure the front windows at the touch of a button. In addition to these, another window overlooks the rear garden (with plantation shutters) and overhead is an electrically operated roof light.

The large, neat island is fitted with two Neff ovens and a rinsing sink, plus a hob above which the Faber extractor is remotely controlled and discreetly inset. Doors to three sides offer huge storage and there is a breakfast bar encouraging you to enjoy that splendid view. The wall units include a sink and more cupboards, in addition to which the larder round the corner has a space for the fridge/freezer flanked by various shelves and prep space. Behind the kitchen the utility room is tucked discreetly away providing a third sink and yet more cupboards, with washing machine and drier placed here to minimise noise, and there is even a drying maiden. Completing uptairs, the cloak room is set at the end of the utility.

The sublime interior is matched by the outside space. Unassumingly set back from the sleepy Crowcastle Lane, a broad lawn borders the road behind which is a natural stone wall topped off with ivy and other plants, giving a great degree of seclusion. Borders stuffed with a wide array of delightful flowers, shrubs, perennials and several trees deliver an appealing and relaxed first impression. They frame the neat gravel driveway that offers easy parking for at least three vehicles with unrestricted space for more on the opposite side of the lane if needed - and there is further space both inside and outside a gate accessed from Park Close to the rear.

Gates to either side of the house lead to a garden that is particularly well planned. To the south side a pair of raised planters are provided for the more keen gardeners, currently containing sun flowers and a herb garden respectively, surrounded by various sheds and log stores. The gravelled path runs along the rear of house past more pretty borders, to the veranda previously mentioned next to the garden room. Worthy of note... The support pillar of the veranda is an "X" shape in planform, mirroring the Bauhaus chair seen in the hallway...

The lawn pleasingly fills the main space, a calming and peaceful outlook. A delightful, well-maintained Willow tree gently weeps over the Northern edge, providing welcome shelter on hot days, and at the bottom of the garden the paved seating area complete with timber benches sits ready for summer dining and parties. Facing back towards the house, the outside office is a particularly fine and useful addendum to the main accommodation. Currently a mix of gym and office, it can turn its hands to many tasks, with a full kitchen that includes washing machine, fridge oven, oven sink and extraction hidden behind discreet doors. It also has plumbing for a toilet, hence expanding this to provide a bathroom and thereby producing an annex would be straightforward.

Sundown is perhaps our favourite modern house in 15 years of trading. The design, execution and sheer level of detail are all quite stunning and effective. But more than that. It's a really wonderful, relaxed and delightful family home in a quite charming setting.