IF YOU'RE the type of person for whom enough is never enough, you might well have met your match in Forest Lodge, a stunning property in a stunning location which – despite it being a well worn cliche – really does have everything a home buyer could want.

And then some...

Although it would not be a stretch of the imagination to say that estate agents selling a property can be prone to 'flowery' language in their descriptions, Elite Properties' description of Forest Lodge as "quite simply one of the finest homes in County Durham" is probably not far off the mark.

Transformed from its previous incarnation by the present owners, Forest Lodge is now an extensive family home with free flowing formal and informal accommodation making it perfectly suited to modern family lifestyles.

Turning off a country lane and entering through electric gates, Forest Lodge is approached via a sweeping gravel driveway with ample space for parking.

The front door, beneath a pillared portico, opens into the hall which leads to the central formal reception and staircase hall with Karndean flooring off of which most of the ground floor accommodation lies.

Briefly this includes a cloakroom, snug with a bay window and a feature fireplace housing a wood-burning stove, study/home office with a feature fireplace and a bay window, utility/dog's room which has the benefit of a built-in dog shower – an inspired piece of design to suit country living animal lovers, cinema room and, running from the front of the house to the back the semi open-plan kitchen, dining room and drawing room. Divided into three areas by bifold doors, this space includes a beautiful bespoke kitchen designed and hand made by The Traditional Furniture Company in Sheffield which forms the heart of this country house. It is home to a range of wall and base units with silestone work surfaces and various integrated appliances including two hide and slide self-cleaning ovens, a steam oven and a microwave and, thanks to a roof light and large expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass windows and doors to three aspects, enjoys not only stunning views but is light and airy.

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

Steps lead up into a family dining area with a door to an extensive east-facing terrace then on into the spacious drawing room with a solid roof conservatory reaching out on the eastern elevation, giving access into the garden and terrace and providing the perfect setting for stylish – yet informal – entertaining.

There is also a utility/larder room fitted with units similar to those in the kitchen.

The first floor accommodation – comprising five double bedrooms, a family bathroom with floor to ceiling travertine tiles and top-quality ittings including a large bath and walk-in wet room area, plus two luxuriously appointed en-suites off guest rooms – is arranged off a superb galleried landing.

The master bedroom is a particular highlight, with a dressing room and en-suite shower room plus a Juliet balcony overlooking the gardens, grounds and paddocks to the south.

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

The enclosed nature of Forest Lodge will suit those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of town and city life together yet still enjoy a convenient location.

The grounds and land – which extend to around 12.5 acres in all and complement the house beautifully – are an important part of Forest Lodge, with the gardens having been carefully designed to require little maintenance yet offer a most attractive setting. There is an appealing combination of landscaped gardens in the area immediately surrounding the house and less formal grounds and a kitchen garden slightly further away, beyond which are the post and rail fenced grass paddocks. The view of the forest in the middle distance and arable land on the horizon is quite special in summer and is a delight when the leaves are changing colour through autumn and winter.

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

Forest Lodge, Elite Estates

Forest Lodge also has a tennis court and an excellent range of timber stables set in a courtyard around a concrete yard with central drain. These stables comprise six loose boxes and useful ancillary storage space which could be turned into further stables. There is an outdoor school or menage close to the stables.

Last, but certainly not least, are three beautiful recently constructed holiday cottages which, like the stable block, have the benefit of a separate access from the country lane. They offer an excellent opportunity to earn an additional income.

Forest Lodge is situated in the pretty hamlet of Knitsley, near Consett and on the doorstep of the North Pennines AONB, and enjoys a sheltered setting with a phenomenal outlook to the south and east. It is on the market at £1,95m.

For more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact Elite Estates on 0845 6044485.