THIS week's featured property is a stunningly beautiful house offering masses of living space and a secure garden - all in a safe and quiet neighbourhood, as Susan Goodson discovered

WALKING up to the door of Martin Lawson’s home there are a couple of hints that this three-storey Victorian property might hold something special inside.

For a start it is impossible to miss that you are in a good neighbourhood with properties of individual character. Then the house is guarded by remote-controlled Stately Gates.

Once inside, visitors are greeted by an immaculate hallway with the original mosaic tiled floor.

While the original character of the house has been respected throughout there are hidden modern safeguards such as smoke alarms, CCTV and a concealed sound system.

Looking at the house from top to bottom, only the finest quality work has been carried out and that is echoed in the stunning decor.

The Lawsons bought the house in 1995 and Martin describes its transformation as “putting the house back to the way it was meant to be” and then extending it and carrying out what can only be described as a beautification process.

This is no exaggeration and Martin admits it took more than 16 years to get the house exactly as they wanted. Even the carpets are only a few years old because when their three daughters were young they only put in cheaper types. These have now been replaced by top quality carpets.

The house - Willowbank, 5 Fairfield Lane, Barrow - has three reception rooms, a Shaker-style kitchen, a utility and cloaks room, six double bedrooms including an en-suite, two family bathrooms with four and five-piece suites, landscaped gardens to the back with an enticing barbecue area, separate patio seating, two garages (one to the front and a second detached in the garden to the back) and to the front of the house off-road parking.

Explaining the layout, Martin said: “I spend most of my time in the kitchen, dining room and garden room area because it is just such a wonderful space to be in.

“When we bought the house it was divided into flats upstairs and the dining room was the kitchen with a step up to a tiny little room.

“I went away working for seven weeks and when I came back the extension was finished and we had this big new kitchen and the garden room, it was amazing.

“The only thing I chose are the tiles on the kitchen floor, which are Italian slate.”

What was the kitchen is now the dining room - two steps lead up to the kitchen and then the garden room - all open plan.

Just some of the eye-catching features of the kitchen are the pelmet lighting, black granite with sparkle work surfaces, a central island unit with wine rack, drinks fridge and integral breakfast bar.

The kitchen also has a music and radio system, installed by Searle Audio, which is included in the sale. The whole area is flooded with natural light.

As this part of the house looks out over the back garden, which is completely cut off from the front of the property, there is a lot of privacy.

Martin also loves the lounge, which has always been thought of as the library due to the collection of books kept in a bespoke-built display unit. The eyes are also drawn to the feature alcove/chimney breast of teal blue with subtle metallic/ivory motif. This is a peaceful television-free room with a quiet calm atmosphere.

Martin added: “The second reception room or the family room is where I watch my sport on the television.

“Upstairs on the second floor the three bedrooms and bathroom were very much our daughters’ area.

“Rebecca, Roxane and Rosie have all left home now but they are still removing their things from the loft.

“We could have had seven bedrooms but we made one of the rooms into a second bathroom instead.”

The first floor has three bedrooms and its own bathroom as well as the master en-suite.

Outside the insulated garage is definitely a place Martin has spent a lot of time and most handy people would be happy to spend time in it with all its mod cons.

This is a perfectly beautiful and safe family home, but very sadly Martin’s wife died two years ago and with his daughters grown up it is a huge house to be living in by himself.

The house - Willowbank, 5 Fairfield Lane, Barrow - is on the market with Corrie and Co for £549,950 (part exchange would be considered). For further details or to arrange a viewing please call the agent on 01229 825333 or drop into the Barrow offices at 68-70 Duke Street.