Fairlop Road, Upper Leytonstone, London, E11

This beautifully renovated two-bedroom period conversion with an 80ft-long garden and off-road parking occupies an excellent position in sought-after Upper Leytonstone - just four minutes’ walk to Leytonstone Tube and seven to the Overground. Inside, fantastic character details and a heritage colour palette meet modern design touches to create a stylish and welcoming home.

Set on a tree-lined street, the flat occupies the righthand side of the ground floor of a double-fronted Victorian house, which features white-painted stone sills, lintels and columns to the UPVC double-glazed sash windows. Shielded by a grey-painted timber fence topped with privet hedge, the brick-paved front garden allows room for off-street residents’ parking.

An arched recessed porch leads to a blue, part-glazed timber front door opening to a communal entrance, where you’ll find your private four-panelled front door, with Banham locks.

In the airy living room, restored sanded floorboards give the Designer’s Guild ‘Pure White’ walls a wonderful warmth. A feature wall in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ changes with the light from the tall sash bay window, which is fitted with two-tier full-height white timber plantation shutters and has a modern radiator beneath.

The room has retained many original features, including a dado rail, panelling, and a fabulous Art Deco-style rose with a contemporary triple-arm glass pendant to the high, coved ceiling. Bespoke L-shaped floating shelves and a built-in media unit provide plenty of storage, while hidden wires within the wall provide a tidy set up for a wall-mounted TV. Sleek white flat-plate Dowsing & Reynolds socket and switches seen here are repeated throughout.

The dado rail, panelling and coved ceiling continue along a hallway lit by an ochre factory-style pendant light to the primary bedroom. With white walls and a grey looped carpet, the focal point here is a tall, baton-panelled wall painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Lichen’ green – a nod to the leafy garden framed by a window fitted with shutters to match those elsewhere. There’s another lovely ornate rose to the decorative coved ceiling, this time fitted with a striking copper six-arm pendant fitting. Other details include a modern radiator and a television point.

Beyond, the bathroom pairs micro hex black mosaic floor tiles with bevelled white metro wall tiles laid in brick formation with contrasting anthracite grout. There is a bath beneath a frosted window with a chrome rainfall shower, separate telephone attachment and glass screen; a countertop basin with wood-topped black metal vanity and traditional chrome mixer tap; and a close-coupled loo. You’ll also find cleverly recessed bathroom shelves and a tall charcoal grey heated towel rail.

Returning to the hallway, the kitchen lies to your right, where solid wood worksurfaces and a herringbone marble tiled splashback finish midnight blue and dove grey shaker-style cabinets.

Integrated appliances include a Zanussi oven, a four-ring gas hob with an overhead extractor and a Hoover washer/dryer. The boiler, newly fitted in 2022 and controlled by a Nest smart thermostat, is also housed here. Stone floor tiles run underfoot, and there’s also a butler-style sink with a traditional brass tap, a black bar spotlight, and a part-glazed door leading to the side return courtyard.

The second double bedroom at the rear enjoys views over the garden through a large casement window fitted with white Venetian blinds. Two-tone walls in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Hague Blue’ and ‘Lamp Room Gray’ complement the grey looped carpet, along with a modern radiator and a glass globe pendant light fitting. A bank of custom-made, full-height fitted wardrobes in birch ply – with internal rail, multiple drawers and a built-in utility storage space – runs along the wall. There’s also an attractive integrated desk with a pegboard-style back and adjustable shelves.

Outside, the spacious garden is enclosed by timber fencing and extends almost 80ft. Rendered concrete beds painted in ‘Squid Ink Grey’ by Little Greene separate the paved side return from a lush green Rolawn-turfed lawn, which is edged with natural wood planters and has received specialist care since it was laid two years ago. Mature planting and foliage include two Acer trees, multiple hydrangeas, Pieris japonica, Euonymus and grasses.

At the rear, a raised deck of Balau hardwood creates an ideal entertaining space, complete with an electric point. The current owners tell us the sun starts nearest the house and moves to the decking for almost the whole day from spring onwards, making it perfect for barbeques and beers in the sunshine.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘This was the first place we ever bought, and we've loved making it a real home and starting our family here in such an incredible local area. We particularly adore the light the living room’s high ceiling brings. We’ve also spent a lot of time, money and effort on turning the garden into a space to entertain and enjoy in the warmer months, having a BBQ or firing up the pizza oven. During the winter, the flat is a lovely, cosy place to hide from the outside world!’

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Just around the corner from two great neighbourhood watering holes – the Heathcote & Star pub and Filly Brook craft beer hall – Fairlop Road is equally suited for a wander into the bustle of High Road Leytonstone or down to Leyton Village on Francis Road.

You'll find plenty of local favourites between the two, including authentic Thai cooking and sourdough pizzas at The North Star, locally-brewed coffee at Perky Blenders, Matt Cup and Back To Ours, remarkable wines at Yardarm, and excellent bread and pastries at Wild Goose Bakery.

Other great spots include Gravity Well, Libertalia, and Mammoth tap rooms, Arch Deli and Bar (8 minutes), and the Leytonstone Tavern (25 minutes’ walk) for amazing burgers and roasts. The current owners also recommend Bocca Bocca for pizza, Homies on Donkeys for great tacos, Zaxx for Korean fried chicken, and Burnt Smokehouse (‘Always brilliant, regardless of the queue’).

Nearby Abbots Park and Wanstead Flats with its number of established walks, cycle routes and picnic spots are great for dogs and kids, while a short walk or cycle will lead you to Hollow Ponds and Epping Forest, which offers 2,400 hectares of green open space and woodland. In the other direction, the Olympic Park, Hackney Marshes, Lea Valley horse riding, and ice skating are all within easy reach via quiet cycle routes. The current owners also recommend PureGym for working out and the callisthenics classes at Fitness Hub.

Local schools include Gwyn Jones Primary (6 mins), Leyton Sixth Form College (11 mins) and Leytonstone School (13 mins) – all Ofsted-rated 'Good'. Excel Kids Day Nursery is just 7 minutes by foot.

Leytonstone Tube is under 5 minutes' walk. From here, the Central line whizzes into the City and West End, with a quick change at Stratford to the Jubilee line for Canary Wharf, the South Bank and Westminster. The station sits on the merging point of the Central line loop, which means trains are frequent, and you'll be the first to hop on during the morning rush hour. Alternatively, 14 minutes by foot, Leyton Midland Road Overground will take you to Kings Cross and St Pancras.