A little gem hiding on a suburban road

This four-bedroom detached house in Neath has Arts & Crafts-style original features and a hidden basement level not seen from the street.

WANDER down one residential suburban street and you might pause at the end of the driveway of this particular detached home.

From the outside the design is intriguing, with two wings of the property partially hiding the front door, which is found under a slate-roofed porch roof reminiscent of a Japanese pergola roof.

Coupled with the distinctive porch, spotting the intricate stained glass window in the front door might bring you to hope that the inside of this special home might be hiding even more beautiful Arts & Crafts features to discover.

And you would not be disappointed, as this house on Westernmoor Road in Neath can boast eye-catching elements of this distinctive period of interior design in a number of its rooms.

The Arts & Crafts movement was founded in 1887 and was one of the most influential design groups of recent history.

Most historians agree that the most famous and pioneering Arts & Crafts champion was designer and writer Williams Morris, whose internationallyrecognised iconic designs and patterns are still popular and influential today.

This home built around 1905 and located near Gnoll Country Park in Neath might not be the most obvious place to find an Arts & Crafts gem but a little period gem it most certainly is.

Push open the front door and step into a world of decorative wall beams, fancy ceiling coving, wall plate racks and wood panels that are original, not painted MDF batons.

The stained glass front door provides a grand entrance, with the angular walls inside boasting oak wall panelling and two large stained glass windows.

As with much of this unique house, the hall has intriguing elements to discover, including a hidden cloakroom – find it if you can behind one of the sections of wall panels.

There’s also a fireplace hiding in the corner too, an unusual addition to a period family home.

The original period staircase is not only in place but restored to its former glory.

According to the estate agent selling the property the home has been lovingly restored by the current owners.

But the staircase is not the main event on this level of the house: wander into the main lounge and the amazing fireplace (pictured above) is likely to take your breath away.

Surrounded by a carved oak frame, the structure is so big you can stand up inside ether side of the fire. The space even has its own ceiling beams and windows and the current owners have tucked a coffee table neatly into the space too.

The stunning pale blue tiles complete the visually mesmerising centrepiece of this vast room that is over 21 feet long and easily accommodates a piano as well as ample seating.

This apparent ground floor includes a separate formal dining room and spacious Shaker-style handcrafted kitchen that includes space for a table large enough to seat eight.

There’s also a walk-in pantry and traditional dresser.

The original butler’s pantry, which is hidden behind an original sliding oak door, comes with original cold slate shelves.

This floor also has a cloakroom and then there’s the discovery of an inner hallway and a mysterious staircase leading down.

From the pavement this house looks like a pretty standard two-storey period detached property but, as well as the surprise and pristine original features, the house is hiding a whole third floor, only seen from the garden as it’s hidden from the street.

Wander down this staircase from the ‘ground’ floor above and you will discover a light, bright and welcoming garden room with a more contemporary vibe inside, and it also has a feature fireplace.

With plumbing already to be found in the wet room and second kitchen, all that remains is to turn the current gym into a bedroom to create a separate apartment across this lower ground floor.

The full extent of this surprise basement level and the actual size of this family home can be fully appreciated from the garden.

Even the garage has two storeys.

Up to the first floor (which is actually the second floor) and there are four double bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The master bedroom has an ensuite, ornate coving and a fireplace featuring pretty pink insert tiles and bedroom two can also boast an original fireplace.