An impressive coastal mansion currently used as two dwellings with sea views across the harbour and to the Isle of Portland
Set back from and well above the passing road, The Sea Gazer has very private setting behind a screen of trees that creates the sense that the house is in a woodland clearing. It was built in 1929 and extended over time until 2016 , when it was transformed into a large, American sea ranch style family home by cladding the exterior and adding a two-sided, wraparound veranda. Now with eight bedrooms and over 9,600 ft² of living space, it was completely refurbished two years ago to a very high standard, cleverly dividing the house into two residences with no structural changes. Within the main residence the reception rooms and bedrooms all face south and/ or west, thereby catching the sweeping view and the best of the natural light throughout the day. The house is not listed and has retained some original architectural fittings such as the ornate metal staircase balustrade and the cut stone fireplace and coved ceiling in the sitting room. There are three reception rooms on the ground floor: the drawing room, cosy TV room and superb kitchen/living room, all of which have large, floor to ceiling, sliding/ bi-fold doors to the outside deck.The kitchen/living room with its sea views is a fantastic family-centric space with generous, separate seating and dining areas plus a kitchen fitted with a range of units including two large islands, granite work surfaces, a gas/ electric Rangemaster range cooker plus a comprehensive selection of builtin electric appliances. The house also has a boot room, laundry room and a dedicated dog room. The first floor contains the en suite guest bedroom, three further double bedrooms and the family bathroom, which also contains an infra-red sauna. On the second floor within the roof space, the current owners have created the magnificent principal bedroom suite, which have panoramic sea views and include a large, walk-through dressing room, en suite bath and shower room and a private, dedicated sitting room.Part of the house is currently given over to providing exceptional, self contained holiday accommodation. The ground floor of the AirBnB annexe includes a hall with its own access to the swimming pool room plus a living room, cinema room and shower room. The floor above incorporates an open plan seating area, kitchen, three generous en suite double bedrooms (two with access to the first floor balcony and sea views) and the family bathroom. The house is set in grounds of about 1.29 acres (0.52 hectare), with part separately enclosed as a garden for the annexe.A deep, wraparound veranda supported on timber decking extends around part of the house on two sides with lovely, elevated views over the grounds and the Chesil beyond. Access to the property is via electrically controlled gates leading to a good sized, gravelled parking area with space for several cars. To one side is a tandem, double garage that incorporates a side workshop area. The grounds are lawned to minimise maintenance and are enclosed by tall, close-boarded timber fencing that provides a high degree of privacy. The fencing is supplemented by a screen of mature trees including sycamore, Monterey cypress and beech.
The Sea Gazer is situated in an elevated position set well back from Buxton Road, one of Weymouth's most prestigious residential roads, just over a mile from the town centre. The house is also just a short stroll away from the harbour, Georgian seafront, Sandsfoot Castle and café and the town's award-winning sandy beach. The town is set within the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty fronting onto the West Dorset Heritage Jurassic Coast and is home to world class sailing facilities and a marina, which is only about 2.5 miles away. There are several local stores within walking distance along with the highly regarded Crab House Café, the 5-star rated Catch fish restaurant plus many other