The Best of Both Worlds:
Heritage and Modern Luxury Living at All Saints
The grandeur of Victorian architecture is combined with the very best in modern living at Berkeley's exceptional All Saints development in Meads Village, Eastbourne. Highly detailed and extensive restorations were made throughout the original building to transform it into a unique collection of individually designed homes. Whilst the original period details of All Saints have been carefully restored, the properties also benefit from Berkeley's exacting high specification, low maintenance interiors and a range of lifestyle facilities unique to the area.
Skilfully restored by Berkeley Homes (Southern) Ltd and a dedicated team of experts, All Saints is situated in an architecturally significant landmark building with an extensive history, which dates back to the 19th century. Considerable care was undertaken in converting the building into modern homes that reflect today's lifestyle needs, whilst also retaining the original impressive architectural and aesthetic details.
Gary Hodges, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes (Southern) Ltd comments: "We worked closely with teams of craftsmen, stonemasons and artisans, along with English Heritage to ensure that this magnificent building was restored as a true reflection of Victorian architecture. Residents of All Saints may be surrounded by the building's original 19th century beauty, but we have ensured that they would still enjoy the amenities and conveniences of the 21st century at their fingertips."
Over four years, a considerable investment has been spent converting the building into a collection of homes which are unrivalled in the area. The dedication needed to restore these fine architectural features to their former glory has been immense, a few of these features include original stonework, window surroundings, ironmongery, staircases and balustrades and fireplaces.
The restoration included a total of eight original chimneys which were restored and extensive areas of brickwork that were repaired or sympathetically replaced. Whilst in some areas, the original exterior stonework was cleaned and retained, other areas were beyond repair and were replaced by hard carved replicas crafted by skilled stonemasons. The extensive stone repairs were undertaken by a local company Priest Restoration, which had previously worked on some of the countries most important historic buildings including the Mansion House, Kensington Palace, The Albert Memorial and Somerset House.
Other exterior aspects of All Saints, which were preserved and integrated into the development, are the original exterior cloisters, which were converted into stylish terraces and balconies featured in selected homes. From these converted cloisters, exception views of the South Downs or the sea can be enjoyed. The entire roof was restored using clay tiles carefully selected to match those originally used; a testament to the development's quality of workmanship and materials employed.
The interiors of All Saints also enjoyed the same careful attention of detail. Effortlessly blending in the new and old elements, the homes at All Saints boast many unique architectural features. For example, integrating period spiral staircases into some living spaces; Berkeley has cleverly incorporated these timeless features into the layouts. By converting difficult spaces, such as turrets into shower rooms and storage areas/wine stores, the building's integrity has not been lost. In utilising the buildings' distinct architectural features, the homes at All Saints benefit from a wide choice of layouts, there are small nuances which have been taken into consideration during the restoration process, creating an individual identity for each home.
While the interiors reflect many of the Victorian elements of the original building, many efforts were made to create an energy efficient and modern home for the new residents.
Gary Hodges, continues: "Particular efforts were placed not only in the extensive restoration of the historical building, but also in ensuring that we sought the ideal specification solutions from kitchen and worktop styles, to complementary ceramic tiling and bathroom suites that would best suit each home. All Saints uses various materials, insulation and technology that work together to create a desirable modern living environment within a historically recognised location."
Within each unique home, the comforts of a modern home are found throughout from integrated kitchen appliances to underfloor heating. The bathrooms feature white Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware and chrome Hansgrohe fittings and many of the bedrooms have fitted wardrobes and ensuite facilities. Other modern fittings include the latest electric cabling which provides wiring for a computer network facility, as well as a Sky+ multi-room link.
The apartments at All Saints all feature appliances with 'A' star ratings, dual flush toilets and low voltage and low energy lightening. All of these features combine to encourage energy efficiency and help to bring down costs from energy output. In addition to those features, Berkeley have included landscaping features, such as communal courtyards, designed to encourage wildlife and bio diversity, while creating a tranquil environment for its residents.
Not only do the exterior and homes at All Saints reflect the detailed restoration, but the communal areas also received careful attention including the main communal entrance hall. The original doors and hinges were stripped back, repaired and painted to a high quality finish, a task which took hundreds of man hour to complete. As well, the geometric patterned ceramic tiled floors, which were recreated using old photographs and historical records.
Another example of the careful attention to detail in restoring the communal area is evident through the restoration of the ornate iron balustrades, which were electronically analysed by specialist architectural pain researches, Crick Smith, to establish the exact colour and patterns used to decorate the original staircase. From there, an expert sign writer was employed to paint the intricate high decorative pattern onto the ironwork, a painstaking process which took over a month to complete. To demonstrate the authenticity of the balustrades' restoration, its final section was left in its original state to demonstrate the old from the new.
All Saints has several modern amenities including a dedicated concierge service that can assist residents with day to day necessities from dry cleaning to groceries. The service also provides recommendations on where to eat and current events in Eastbourne, helping residents to take full advantage of all that the area has to offer. There is also a library, as well as a chapel and a small gym at the development. The landscape surrounding All Saints is professionally maintained by the estate management service, allowing residents to enjoy the green space without the hassle of upkeep.
Prices for the refurbished apartments at All Saints start from £275,000 for a two-bedroom home. For more information or to visit the show home, please contact the Sales & Marketing suite at 01323 749521 or visit www.allsaints-eastbounre.co.uk. The Sales & Marketing suite is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 PM, seven days a week.
