WowHaus

Like a step back in time, this midcentury modern time capsule in Culford, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, could be your next home.

And what a home it would be—perhaps even a film or TV set, too. Yes, it has that level of authenticity, the kind of look and feel that you really can’t replicate. It’s the little details that create the bigger picture—and this one is packed with them.

I have no idea when this house was constructed, but my gut feeling is that it was built in the mid-1960s. Certain touches scream that particular point in time, although some of the fixtures and fittings might well be more from the 1970s. But you get the idea—mid-20th century in all its glory.

And pretty much nothing has changed within this sprawling modern house, either. Or outside, for that matter. That architecture is almost certainly as it was half a century ago—in fact, even further back than that.

The exterior does look like a British take on modernism of the era. Albeit with much bigger volumes. Clean geometric lines, long, low profiles and exposed brickwork, and plenty of glazing. Although not the ‘walls of glass’ you might have expected. But enough for great views and plenty of natural light.

Plenty of land to appreciate from the window, too. Something like four acres, packing in everything from a swimming pool to a tennis court, as well as the expected greenery. Like the house itself, bags of potential here.

But beyond all of that, it’s perhaps the interior that really seals the deal on this one. It’s a remarkable, expansive space that takes inspiration (unusually) from the US rather than being a more austere UK take on modernism.

As I said, little has changed over the decades. Okay, I say that a lot. But in this case, it is literally untouched, right down to the seating and coffee table in the living room.

Interesting details are at every turn. In fact, I would suggest you go through the full image gallery at least twice to pick up on everything here. Each time, you’ll spot something you missed previously.

But for me, the stone fireplace in the living room is an absolute dream—true midcentury Americana. But it’s not the only thing worth mentioning.

Check out the wood cladding on the ceiling, the open-tread staircase, the built-in units and furnishings, the rather unusual light fittings, a very opulent dining space, and the gallery looking down from above.

Also note the built-in audio system with some rather unusual and colourful artwork above, the retro office space with pull-down light, and the decor in the kitchen.

The games room would put any high-end social club or even gentlemen’s club to shame, and the bed in the main bedroom? That’s worth the admission alone. You would never find a bed like that in the modern era and for that reason alone, it needs preserving.

Ok, there are areas that perhaps do need updating, such as the kitchen cabinets and the bathroom, for example. Maybe some of the decoration, too, along with the heating and flooring (although there are some wood floors in place).

Overall, this is more about preservation than complete renovation for me. If you are buying into this one, you really need to buy into the original touches, too. Because it loses so much if you take out all the character. It looks like the ultimate party house of the 1960s, and there’s no reason why this can’t be a hip hangout in the 21st century, too. In fact, with so much space, the guests can stay over, too.

Plenty of land sits between the house and the road, so privacy is pretty much guaranteed here. Follow the front circular driveway (with room for several cars), and you will access a large double garage. I know a lot of you love your cars, so that’s obviously a selling point.

Park up and head in through the primary entrance via a glazed screen. This leads to the ground floor, home to the main reception space. Bags of room, plenty of bespoke built-in units, and level changes, creating a series of places to sit, dine, and entertain.

To one side is the library/billiard room, while a string of rooms comprising the sitting room, dining room, TV room and conservatory open from a connecting gallery stretching from west to east. As I said, an amazing stone fireplace within and a great focal point to have.

The large kitchen and breakfast room sit adjacent, along with ‘handy ancillary accommodation’, a utility room, WC, larder and lots of storage.

At the end of the eastern wing, a sitting room, a double bedroom, and a shower room are located. Note that there is a separate entrance and kitchen area, which means this could be easily adapted as an independent annexe if you need one.

So one bedroom there, but plenty more elsewhere. Would you believe that there are nine further bedrooms positioned on the first floor? Well, take my word for it: there are.

The principal bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, lots of wardrobes and direct access to a roof-top terrace, as well as being ‘a quiet south-facing retreat’.

The remaining bedrooms ‘fan out’ from a central hallway. All are individual in terms of shape and storage, and all are flexible enough to be used as studies, hobby rooms or places to play if you don’t have an extremely large family.

Also present on this floor are two family bathrooms, ‘plentiful’ built-in cupboards, and a secondary staircase leading to the kitchen. But as you might have guessed from the photos, that’s not quite all.

The large ‘leisure complex’ is separate from the main house. That’s right—this is not just a pool; it’s pretty much your own holiday spot.

At its centre is the large swimming pool, which is surrounded by ‘generous areas for lounging, working out and playing ping-pong’. The perfect British holiday – especially with it being indoors.

Like the house, this is pure midcentury modern glamour. It is formed with stonework and ribbons of clerestory windows. A wall of glass means views over the gardens, and a changing room, a shower, a WC, and a sauna add some bonus functionality. If I lived here, I would rarely leave it.

There are substantial gardens, too, covering the bulk of those four acres. A landscaping project from the current owners, it has been purposefully designed to ‘burst with life’ all year round—something you’ll perhaps only appreciate with a viewing.

Speaking of the outside, there is a spacious south-facing balcony and an easterly terrace accessed via the main suite and first-floor landing, respectively, should you want to take in the greenery from above.

Several terraces and patios are also present, along with a full-sized tennis court, various garden stores and outbuildings, a greenhouse, a potting shed, a workshop, and the garage I mentioned earlier.

There is a lot going on, and viewing would make more sense. If you have something approaching the £1,500,000 asking price and love the era, you should do just that.

Images and details courtesy of The Modern House. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.