This excellent four-bedroom house was designed by Kent-based architect Dennis Darbison in 1964 and reaches over 2,600 sq ft internally. The house lies at the end of a private road, a short walk from the centre of Maidstone, in a half-acre plot that occupies a wonderfully quiet clearing in the trees.

The house has only ever been lived in by one family, and as such retains outstanding mid-century features and many cleverly-conceived design details. Inspired by trips to Wisconsin, the house was commissioned to reflect the intentions of 1960s modernism in America, using ragstone from the local quarry and cherry-wood panelling to embed it in its wooded surroundings.

A sweeping U-shaped drive leads to the front door. At the heart of the house is a large entrance hall with a wonderful terrazzo-tiled floor, hardwood staircase and double-height windows. To the right, is a long living room with a fantastic stone and slate fireplace set in a wood-panel surround and glazing along the opposite side of the room opens the space fully to the south-facing garden.

Across the hall is a ‘rumpus room’, used over the years as a study or snug, the dining room and a large kitchen. The latter retains its original fixings and cabinetry with wood trim, copper oven hood and a chequerboard lino floor. Adjacent to the kitchen is a traditional larder and a large utility/plant room. Also on the ground floor is an internal garage and workshop with access to the garden.

The house requires updating throughout, offering an increasingly rare opportunity to renovate a large and almost completely original mid-century home. The house has been thoughtfully-composed throughout with good-quality materials and many personal details such as inlaid Kleenex dispensers in the bathrooms. As it was built to suit a growing family’s needs the rooms have been laid out to make the best of natural light and use restricted palette of wood, ragstone details, and neutral finishes to create a coherent concept.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms and a family bathroom. The largest bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and all retain their original in-built cabinetry.

Outside, the garden looks onto the mature trees of Oakwood Park, and adjacent to the house is a wood-store and potting shed.

Just outside the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Maidstone is well-connected for access to rural Kent, the coast and central London. Services run from Maidstone East to London Victoria in just over an hour, and from Maidstone West to London St Pancras in approximately 49 minutes. Both stations are a twelve-minute walk from the house. Access to the Eurostar at Ashford and Ebbsfleet International is also close by.

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.