Large 5 Bedroom Detached Home with Open Views Over Farmland.

Must be viewed to be fully appreciated and offered Chain free, Stratford Way is all you could want in a family home, substantial size and located in a peaceful private non-estate Cul de Sac with with views overlooking fields and surrounded by fabulous walks.

Back in 2000, the current owners watched as Stratford Way was built, hoping to one day live in this exact house. That day came in 2007, and they moved their family of four from central Marston Moretaine, to the sleepier Lower Shelton. When they first moved to the area from London, it was access across the country that appealed most, with the M1 and the A1 within easy reach, and mainline stations in Bedford and Flitwick.

As both their family and the community have grown, more and more has become available, with a range of amenities and activities. They’ve especially enjoyed bike rides around Millenium Country Park and Stewartby Lakes, walks up to Marston Thrift and to Hungerhill Vineyard, and coffee and cake at village hub Marston Beans. Schools became important when their girls came along, and there’s an Ofsted ‘Good’ lower school in the village, with an upper school in neighbouring Wootton.

After a decade here, they decided to give the house a full refresh and various upgrades. They took their time to get things right, with a wide spectrum of works between 2017 and 2020. The kitchen, with its light-filled and spacious interior has been replaced aswell as all the bathrooms. Finally installing a new boiler, through to adjustments like a Hive heating system and new sockets and switches throughout.

Making the greatest difference was knocking through at the back, which created substantial open-plan space. This layout works so well for a family, and it’s the part of the house they use the most. They’ve been able to host all their friends without it feeling cramped, and the French doors in the sitting area allow for spilling out into the garden.

The kitchen is superb for those who love to cook. There’s granite surfacing, ample storage, a Franke sink, an integrated dishwasher, as well as space for a range and a fridge/freezer. The island has bar seating, quartz surfacing, plus further storage underneath. The adjoining utility is useful for keeping laundry separate, and also has a door for coming in with shopping bags or muddy boots.

To the front of the accommodation, the large lounge affords a secondary relaxation space, complete with a gas fireplace for cosy evenings in. The dedicated office, once the other half of the garage, provides privacy to work, or somewhere for little ones to play, keeping toys tidied away. At one point, the owners considered converting this into an annexe for a parent, as there may be possibility (stp) to extend slightly to the side to make this a self-contained space.

Upstairs, each bedroom is big enough for older children, or to use as something else if needed, with the owners using one as a nail salon, and another as an office/dressing room. Bedroom one benefits from an en suite shower room, the remaining four bedrooms share the family bathroom, and there’s a convenient downstairs cloakroom for guests. The landing also has a large airing cupboard for linen storage. The bedrooms at the back give gorgeous outlooks of green landscapes and the garden.

The garden faces southwest and is perfect for relaxing and entertaining, and is well established, with mature and varied borders bringing lots of colour and life. There’s a patio under a pergola covered with passionflower and shaded by staghorn is, and the sides of the house have further paved areas for either seating or storage. There’s mains-operated lighting for spending evenings outside. A gate at the side leads to the front, where there’s a block-paved driveway for three cars, and a garage for another. The plot totals to 0.11 acres. Being at the end of Stratford Way, the owners have appreciated the quietness of the small close. Children can play safely out front, and there are stunning views of the Bedfordshire countryside behind. This is a lovely location, and this is a truly fantastic family home.