There is an elite group of residential roads in Wales that can genuinely claim to be the most unique, the most sought-after, and the most recognisable in our nation - and Windsor Esplanade, Cardiff is one of them on all three fronts.
The street sits in a prime Cardiff Bay location, directly opposite Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve and can boast uninterrupted, panoramic views across the water to the barrage and Penarth headland. And with a road name that includes the word 'esplanade', you know it's going to be a posh place to live and a memorable address to impress.
It's a street of two halves - the glorious period homes of the past and the posh contemporary homes of the present. At the far end of the quiet, dead-end road, before you get to Cardiff Yacht Club, you find the modern apartment complex called Lacuna. This distinctive building, with glass balcony fronted apartments overlooking the bay vista, fan out from a central circular tower that give the building a distinctive design.
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And Lacuna needed to have a distinctive design to stand out on the streetscene when it was built, because it has strong competition - just down the road, as you turn the corner into the esplanade from Windsor Terrace, a row of magnificent terraced homes offer one of the most visually appealing property gems in the capital.
This row of 19 very special homes, in the shadow of the luxury five-star St David's Hotel and commanding one of the best bay views from a period home, is listed as a Grade II gem as a complete terrace, not only for their architecture and appearance but also for their collective historic value.
According to British Listed Buildings, the terrace is thought to have been built between 1856 and 1871 probably by Alexander Roos - the architect to the Marquis of Bute who has been credited with the design and layout of Cathays Park as well as the West Lodge at Cardiff Castle. But his talent spread through the city via designs for churches, parks, dock offices, detached villas and even the city's sewer system, according to charity The Georgian Group, who are the national authority on Georgian architecture.
But surely many would argue that Windsor Esplanade is Roos' finest landmark achievement in the city, or at the very least the most recognisable and loved by local people. The fancy facades including stone carved detailing that crown the frontage were designed to create an outstanding first impression of Cardiff to the ships arriving at the docks as they are some of the first buildings in the city that were seen.
The terrace was built to accommodate a variety of professions flocking to the thriving docks during the second half of the 19th century. The census from the time lists residents as sea captains, merchants, ship brokers, coal merchants, marine agents and even pilots, all attracted to the booming Cardiff docks area. Find out what it's like to live on the terrace here.
There are so few of these beautiful homes within this terrace in existence that they now command attention every time one of them appears on the market and number 16 now for sale is no different, although maybe it stands out from the crowd as the interiors inside are just as breath-taking as the distinctive exterior design.
In 1996 you could have bagged this beauty as your home for only £77,000 but it would not have looked as stunning as it does in 2022 - the current owner has created a stylish and spectacular family home that is worthy of praise and noted as surely a source of interior design inspiration. Find out the interior design trends influencing home decor in 2022 here.
If you can detach yourself from the bay view outside, the front door opens into a world of pretty colours mixed with bold accents, timeless design with splashes of contemporary, restored period features with the best 'on trend' interior statements and possibly the best two bathrooms in the area, if not the city.
Each room has its own distinctive personality and vibe depending on its function and its location within this three-storey beauty. But there are colours and styles that thread their way throughout the whole home as an over-arching decor scheme to ensure that each room is visually connected with visual interior flow - that each space can easily slot into the style and have a visual relationship with the next.
The hall instantly delights with classic Minton floor tiles, wall panelling, deep skirtings and detailed cornicing. Through the stripped, panelled internal door, the living room at the front of the home can boast a bay window overlooking the bay view and is a special space to relax or socialise.
From the peaceful pale pink walls, to the warm honey blonde sofas and deep inky blue accents, the room is a visually engaging space. Add in the period fireplace, dado rail, cornicing and stripped wooden sash windows and the room balances elegance with modern energy, and restful tones and tactile textures with pops of strong colour and statement metallic items.
Down the hallway can be found a second reception room and it could be considered the 'awkward' middle space that some terraces suffer from - a space cocooned by other rooms in the heart of the home can be dark and that some homeowners struggle to allocate a function, as well as light, to the space.
But this home has embraced this room and lavished it in walls of the dark blue tone that runs throughout the home's decor, and allocated it as a home office, study and music room, with creative thoughts being assisted by the strong yellow accent colour and light accessed via glass French doors to the rear kitchen diner lounge.
And this large and welcoming space at the rear is surely the social heart of the home, with walls gone and rooms combined, the room offers the popular open-plan layout. The kitchen is nestled within the rear wing that extends out into the garden and fully embraces the strong dark blue tone on the cupboards, soft grey on the walls and classic hanging statement lights and metro tiles.
The dining area off the kitchen is a zone that includes classic chair design that currently seats six but could accommodate more. The adjacent lounge area happily welcomes a large, squishy sofa, again bringing to the decor the deep, dark blue shade. Plus there is storage on the opposite wall utilising the recessed area next to an original chimney breast and is a welcome bonus as a well-placed home for books and personal treasures.
The glass doors from this sociable room open out into the garden, which reveals another fabulous area to gather and enjoy the company of family and friends via a space tucked behind the end of the kitchen and utility room wing. This area has been transformed into an alfresco dining space under a pergola laden with foliage and fairy lights that makes this outdoor spot feel like it exists at a Mediterranean villa not in the Welsh capital.
Back inside and up the stairs to discover three bedrooms, with the largest at the front spanning the whole width of the house and with a triple aspect of that mesmerising Cardiff Bay view directly from the pillow. The stylish interiors continue coupled with the period features, as they do in the remaining two bedrooms on this floor, but arguably it's the bathrooms on this level that can demand the most attention and admiration.
The ensuite bathroom to the rear bedroom is an absolute stunner. Afforded a large section of the bedroom's former space at the end of the garden wing that sits on top of the kitchen, this luxury of extra space is filled with a glamorous and achingly cool bathroom design that includes a mesmerising statement roll-top copper bath.
From the moody dark blue wall panelling that offers accessory display opportunities as well as an extra layer of period property style charm, to the pretty patterned flooring - every detail has been given care and thought.
So the basin sits on a traditional style console table that has been finessed with a soft, modern purple shade and statement handles, plus a classic metallic tap adding the traditional accent that is then picked up with the metallic fixtures and fittings in the shower and via the towel radiator.
The use of glass walls for the shower means the design is not compromised by any bulky, view distorting additions, but is sleek and seamless - lucky owner of that bedroom that they get to claim this five star style bathroom as their own.
But the other occupants of this dream home shouldn't be totally jealous, as the family bathroom is another space where the interiors are super special too, including a statement gold bath that will make any occupant in the bubbles feel like royalty.
The final two bedrooms can be found in the converted attic and both are a good size but maybe the stand out space is the large one at the front, and not only because of its best bay and water views from this top of the property spot.
From the windows up here you get a close up view of the carved stone detailing that tops the facade of this home - one of the many finer details that Roo added to the design of this terrace to ensure it forever remains one of the most special streets in the capital.
The historic house with the gorgeous interiors is on the market for offers in excess of £635,000 with estate agent CPS Homes, call their Roath branch on 029 2045 4555 for more details. And don't miss the best dream homes in Wales, renovation stories and interiors, join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter, sent to your inbox twice a week.
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