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The expert conversion of this stone-built agricultural barn has created a four-bedroom country home that's full of traditional character yet with contemporary styling and lots of luxurious, light-filled spaces.
Set amidst the beautiful rolling countryside of the Usk Valley, Sycamore Retreat is a Grade II listed barn, formerly part of Llandowlais Farm. The barn and two adjoining outbuildings were renovated and rebuilt in 2016 to provide just over 3000 square feet of accommodation, stylishly presented with a fine eye for detailing. The barn is full of character, featuring original oak beams and vaulted ceilings and with a charming arrow-slit window in the oldest part, now the principal bedroom. Extensive use of bespoke oak joinery adds to the ambience and large windows, glazed internal walls and a gallery landing give an uplifting feeling of light and space.
This lovely property sits in grounds of just under half an acre, which provide ample outdoor space for entertaining and for enjoying the beautiful rural surroundings. "One of the things that drew us to the barn were the breathtaking views over the fields to the Usk Valley and the hills beyond. The back faces south and we get lovely sunrises and sunsets. We even see the sunset through the little arrow-slit window in the principal bedroom."
Another attraction for the vendors was the opportunity to create a modern, work-from-home office next to the double garage, complete with heating, power and internet connection. "It was a blank canvas, so we kitted it out and put in panelling to make a wonderful, separate place to go to for work. It's great having my own space where I can sit and think and work in peace and quiet, looking out over the countryside."
The vendors also loved the extra space offered by the double garage, which they have made use of as a home gym, whilst a large gravel area in front of the barn provides generous parking for everyday use and for guests.
Sycamore Retreat is situated almost equidistant between the popular village of Llangybi, with its traditional village pub, and the charming market town of Usk. "It's three minutes' drive to either and we are just a minute away from Morris' of Usk, a garden centre, café and farm shop where we go regularly for fresh bread and supplies."
Usk, one of the oldest towns in Wales, enjoys a picturesque riverside setting and is a regular winner of Wales in Bloom. It is known for its strong sense of community and has a vibrant independent shopping scene, a wide choice of inns, hotels, cafes and restaurants and a variety of clubs, societies and sports facilities. Amenities also include a doctor's surgery and veterinary clinic and, for families, there's a Church in Wales Primary School, two riverside playgrounds and a park. The town hosts a packed calendar of regular events including a Country Market and Farmers' Market and annual events include Usk Show, a traditional agricultural show.
Sycamore Retreat is two miles from The Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel with its spa and gym and the world class Celtic Manor golf courses are about 8 miles away. The property benefits from excellent access to the M4 corridor and on to Newport, Cardiff or Bristol and there are mainline rail services from Newport.
Step inside:- - In part of the space where the former barn doors would have been, a pair of glazed doors set in full height glass panels open to a hallway with a vaulted ceiling, overlooked by a gallery landing, creating an impressive, airy entrance. The feeling of light and space is enhanced by the internal glass walls which separate the hallway from the spacious kitchen/diner/family room. The effect of the glass walls is to open up the view from the hallway to the vast, glazed space once occupied by the rear barn doors, which frames the glorious countryside beyond.
To the other side of the hallway is a feature wall, showcasing old timbers reclaimed from the barn, whilst a beautiful bespoke oak staircase leads up to the galleried landing above.
Indicative of the careful detailing in this quality barn conversion, the whole of the downstairs accommodation has natural stone tiles whilst all the internal doors are oak ledge and brace, made by a local joiner and featuring traditional door furniture. The large windows are fitted with remote controlled electrically operated blinds. There is underfloor heating throughout the ground floor and in the principal bedroom and bathroom, whilst the other bedrooms have classic-style column radiators.
Providing the heart of the family home, the stunning open plan kitchen/diner/family room easily accommodates a large family dining table and a casual seating area, which can be arranged to make the most of the views through the glazed panels to the front and rear of the property. "The sitting area is a nice place to sit and have coffee or a place to entertain friends whilst you are cooking." The stylish and sophisticated family living space features contemporary wall panelling throughout and in the kitchen area there is an extensive range of luxury fitted kitchen units with Carrara marble worktops and matching upstands. The kitchen includes an aga range cooker, a Belfast sink, a floor-to-ceiling larder cupboard, a built-in fridge freezer and an integrated dishwasher. It also features a central breakfast island.
From the rear of the barn, a pair of glazed doors set in glazed panels open to a large south-facing patio, ideal for outdoor dining. "In the summer, we leave the double doors open and we have a big 10 foot table on the patio."
This is just one of aspect of the barn's layout that makes entertaining easy. "In addition: It flows really nicely and it really comes alive when we have lots of people over." Guests can congregate in the spacious kitchen/diner/family room or spread out into the separate living room, reached down an oak staircase off the kitchen area. This extension was rebuilt in traditional style on the footprint of a former outbuilding. It is an impressive room, with a vaulted ceiling and exposed a-frame and roof timbers. At one end there is a wood burning stove set on a slate hearth in an open fireplace with an inset original beam over. The room has carpet inlaid into an engineered oak surround and features panelled walls in the same style as the kitchen/diner/family room, with a purpose designed space for a large TV.
The living room has a glazed door leading out onto a sunken terrace, providing seamless indoor/outdoor space. The private, sheltered terrace is enclosed by walls made out of railway sleepers and to one side is a useful wood store, meaning logs for the woodburning stove are always close at hand.
At the top of the stairs leading down to the living room there is a useful downstairs cloakroom, whilst a door off the back of the kitchen opens to the boiler room, which also provides additional kitchen storage space. Across the entrance hallway is a utility room.
The bespoke oak staircase from the hallway leads to a half landing, off which lies the principle bedroom. It then continues to a further galleried landing, off which there are three further double bedrooms.
The stunning principal bedroom takes full advantage of the rural views to the back of the barn and even has a glazed door out to a private, gravelled terrace. "The sunrises are amazing - it's a beautiful light. You get the best views from the kitchen and this bedroom. It's lovely to wake up to the views and to sit in bed and have a cup of coffee whilst enjoying them, or on a summer morning, to go out into the garden."
The lovely room, in the oldest part of the barn, is open to the apex and features original roof timbers and an arrow-slit window high up in the end wall. The room benefits from a luxurious ensuite shower room, with natural stone floor and wall tiles.
Two further double bedrooms, each with a vaulted ceiling and exposed beams, share a modern, fully-tiled Jack and Jill shower room. There is also a family bathroom with a walk-in shower and a contemporary-style, free standing bath deliberately positioned under the rooflight. "You can sit in the bath and look at the stars!"
The fourth bedroom is currently fitted out as a spacious dressing room, but could easily be converted back.
Outside - The property is approached via a remote controlled, electric five-bar entrance gate which leads to a large gravelled parking area in front of the detached double garage, which has electrically operated doors.
Alongside the garage, with its own access, there is the separate study, which the vendor uses as a work-from-home office. Above the garage is useful attic storage space.
The site slopes gently and the garden is laid out over several levels and enclosed by a mixture of natural hedging, laurels and timber feather board fencing.
There is a raised lawn sweeping around the rear of the garage. "We have a lovely tree swing there, in the huge old sycamore tree which gives the barn its name."
The sloping lawn continues around the back of the barn, which is south facing. Here there is a gravelled terrace opening from the principal bedroom and there are two further large paved patios, on different levels, enjoying the views over the rolling Monmouthshire countryside. "We get the sun on the upper patio and the lower patio is more shaded in summer. The top patio opens from the kitchen and that's where we put our outdoor dining table. The lower terrace makes a nice place to sit in the evening around a firepit." The lower terrace was used as an outdoor kitchen by previous owners and has a convenient water supply and external power points.
At the front of the barn, more intimate outdoor entertaining space is provided by the sunken enclosed terrace which opens from the living room. Old railway sleepers are used as a rustic feature both as walls around the terrace and to retain the flower beds in the rear garden.
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- Beautiful Grade II listed barn conversion
- Combining traditional character with contemporary styling
- Stunning open plan kitchen/diner/family room
- Four bedrooms, three bathrooms
- Breathtaking countryside views
- Detached double garage & ample parking
- In grounds of just under half an acre