Make hay while the sun shines

WHEN the owners of Sainfoin first stepped through the gates of a tired Sixties-era bungalow in 2010, they didn’t see dated brickwork or worn interiors. They saw potential.

Fifteen years later, that vision has become a remarkable contemporary home that fuses light, scale and craftsmanship.

Set behind double gates in Little Croft Road, Goring, the approach to Sainfoin is impressive, a sweeping drive with space for 10 cars, plus a garage and carport.

Once inside, the impact is immediate — an oak-framed entrance opening into a reception hall featuring porcelain tiles and natural light pouring down from the atrium above.

The ground floor has been designed for both comfort and flexibility. The main sitting room, with its wood-burner and wall-to-wall sliding glass doors, creates an almost seamless connection to the south-facing garden.

Glazed doors lead into a handmade kitchen, its walnut island and granite worktops anchoring a bright social hub that opens to a breakfast and family area.

A separate dining room, study and utility provide further practicality and there are three ground-floor double bedrooms — one with an en suite.

Upstairs, the main suite has vaulted ceilings, garden views and a dressing room while the en suite pairs a freestanding bath with a walk-in wet-room shower.

The owners, who previously lived in Streatley and spent several years in Egypt during an oil and gas posting, say the space has been a joy — particularly during the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, when “the house never felt confining. It’s light and airy and works beautifully when everyone’s at home.”

Outside, the half-acre garden is private and level, edged by mature hedging.

A broad terrace runs the width of the house, offering a secluded setting for summer lunches, while a greenhouse and vegetable patch sit neatly at the far corner.

With its southerly orientation, the garden basks in sun from morning to evening.

At more than 4,400 sq ft, Sainfoin is generously scaled without being unmanageable. Energy-conscious buyers will note the 32 solar panels, underfloor heating and Gigaclear broadband.

Goring’s amenities are a
10-minute stroll away, including the mainline station (London Paddington in under an hour), riverside walks, pavement cafés and the Coppa Club at the Swan, a four-star hotel with gym.

The current owners, now in their seventies, are searching for a smaller property nearby. “We have wonderful neighbours, endless walks and so much on the doorstep,” they say. “But it’s also a superb house for entertaining — the kind where friends want to stay on long after the evening is over.”

Sainfoin was so-called by its gardening-enthusiast former owners — Sainfoin translates from the old French to “healthy hay” and today it’s a home that’s equally full of life.

l Sainfoin has a guide price of £2,150,000, freehold. For more information and to arrange a viewing, call Warmingham & Co on (01491) 874144.