A downsizer's dream at Mayfield Grange

When Jo and Nick Ounstead were looking to downsize to a new home that would allow them to keep the same amount of living space but with less maintenance, they found their dream property at Weston Homes’ Mayfield Grange development in East Sussex.

Jo, a 49-year-old counsellor, and Nick, a 50-year-old Business Director in retail, purchased their four storey, five bedroom house at Mayfield Grange in December 2010, moving in with their 12-year-old son. With their two daughters now spending most of their time away at university, the family had to deal with a lot of upkeep around the grounds of their previous home, but by downsizing they have still been able to retain a spacious home.

Jo commented: “Our last house had a much bigger garden as well as a swimming pool, but it was all maintenance and with the stage that we are in our lives, with two of our three children leaving for university, we just weren’t using the space.

“What appealed to us most about Mayfield Grange was that we maintained the living space and had the benefit of 20 acres of grounds, but we wouldn’t have to deal with the upkeep.”

Mayfield Grange is the conversion of the former Mayfield College. It consists of a range of new build houses and apartments and The Great Hall and The Chapel. Set within 20 acres of grounds, Mayfield Grange boasts woodland and pavilion which houses a residents’ gym. The homes have been carefully designed to fit seamlessly alongside the period properties in The Great Hall and The Chapel.

Location was not a crucial factor, but Jo and Nick were helped by moving into an area where they already had friends and family close by. Jo comments: “We are local to the area and previously lived in Rotherfield and Wadhurst, so we know Mayfield quite well.

“Mayfield Grange appeals to both of us, as it is quiet and rural and Mayfield is a lovely village. I knew that Weston Homes were developing the site and I knew the site when it was originally a school.

“The peace and tranquility of Mayfield Grange really appealed to us and the fact we also have our friends and family around, makes it a very good balance to have all of those things in one place. We wanted somewhere that was secure and a gated community appealed to us.”

Jo and Nick also wasted no time in making use of a separate room that was originally intended to store wine - by converting it into their very own cinema room.

Jo added: “One of the special features of the property was a separate room that was advertised as a wine room, but we have converted it into a cinema room with a big 3D television and a surround sound system.

“We had the idea of turning it into a cinema room before we moved into the house and because it was designed as a wine store, it hasn’t got any windows, which meant it was easy to set up and didn’t take long.”

Bob Weston, Chairman and Chief Executive for Weston Homes, comments: “Many downsizers today are looking for homes that are large and spacious. Just because people want less rooms does not mean they want less space. Mayfield Grange lends itself to the downsizers market not only because of the size of its homes, but also its exceptional and tranquil countryside location.”

For further information on Mayfield Grange, visit: weston-homes.com/mayfieldgrange