Napier Road, Leytonstone, London, E11

Offering an ideal mix of looks and location, this spacious three-bedroom Victorian house sits on a quiet, friendly street just a short walk from leafy Wanstead Flats and Wanstead Park, with the town centre and both the Tube and Elizabeth line close by.

Inside, you’ll find good-sized rooms with a lovely flow, decorated in a cohesive palette of heritage shades, with thoughtful details at every turn.

Standing out from its neighbours, the house greets you with a London Stock brick façade and freshly painted white stonework to the bay and arched porch. A path with  Victorian-style tiles leads past a front garden to the recessed front door. Featuring pretty coloured stained glass, it’s painted in punchy Hermes orange to welcome you home with a cheerful pop of colour.

STEP INSIDE – TRADITION WITH A TWIST

Subtly coloured by the stained glass, light streams into the hallway, where the Hermes orange repeats on the back of the front door. There are lots of pleasing details here, from the modern Victorian-style floor tiles (matching those outside) to the walls painted in Little Greene’s ‘French Grey Mid’, and the star-shaped lantern to the coved ceiling. New brushed-silver sockets and switches were installed throughout the house a couple of years ago, and the radiator with an elegant rattan-panelled cover is another ubiquitous touch.

To your right, the living room is a calm space with walls painted the warm neutral tones of Little Greene’s ‘Mushroom’ and wide-plank oak engineered flooring underfoot. The double-glazed bay has obscured lower panes for privacy, and a modern radiator beneath, while a pendant fitting hangs from the tall, coved ceiling.

The oak boards continue in the second reception beyond – currently used as a dining room and playroom – lit by an almost full-height window. The walls here are ‘Driftwood’ by Valspar, a beautiful dusky grey-blue that contrasts nicely with the white coved ceiling, enhanced by a statement MADE Whitney cluster light. Beside a radiator with a rattan-panelled cover, a door opens to useful storage under the stairs.

Continue through an arch towards the kitchen, passing the door to an incredibly handy separate utility and WC. Inside, navy blue shaker-style units with antique brass knobs complement a walnut-stained worktop with a ceramic sink, and a Kinse brushed brass mixer tap, while stylish blue star-patterned tiles match the cabinetry. As well as space and plumbing for a washing machine, there is also a close-coupled loo.

Newly renovated in 2023, the kitchen is filled with light from three side-facing windows and wide double-glazed French doors that open to the garden. Dove grey Howdens cabinetry with antique brass knobs paired with a white quartz worktop and a splashback with glossy Moroccan Zellige tiles in a soft off-white to match the walls.

The well-thought-out layout includes a large pantry cupboard which houses the boiler. There’s long open shelving in raw timber, and an extractor is hidden within bespoke housing. The Whitebirk Barley fluted-front ceramic butler sink is fitted with a traditional-style brass boiling-water tap. Appliances include a stainless steel De’Longhi Vintage range, a Lamona integrated fridge-freezer, and a Beko dishwasher. There’s also a column-style radiator in the seating area – the perfect spot for a relaxing morning coffee.

The property has a wider-than-average side return making it ideal for a kitchen extension (subject to planning permission).

Head upstairs, via a staircase painted in the blue-green tones of Little Greene’s ‘Etruria’, to the first floor, where characterful sanded floorboards begin and flow into all three bedrooms. There’s a pendant light and radiator with a cover here, as well as access to the loft that could be converted, subject to the usual planning permissions.

The primary bedroom is a sunny, peaceful space that captures the morning light through a pair of tall windows fitted with pale blue roller blinds, flanking a radiator with a rattan-panelled cover. Woodwork in the blue tones of ‘Brighton’ by Little Greene adds interest to the white walls, and there’s plenty of space for either bespoke or freestanding storage.

Adjacent, the second bedroom looks out to the garden through a casement window with a radiator beneath. The walls here are Little Greene’s Driftwood – a warm, pinkish-neutral – for a cosy feel, rising to a white coved ceiling with a pendant.

You’ll find the family bathroom towards the rear, with grey star-patterned floor tiles to echo those downstairs. The traditional-with-a-twist scheme sees white elongated wall tiles paired with concrete limewash-effect painted walls, and a bath with grey panelling, a frameless glass screen, and a traditional-style chrome rainfall shower. A Heritage wall-hung basin with traditional chrome taps sits beneath a frosted window, while a close-coupled loo with a walnut seat completes the suite.

Situated on a corner plot, the house has more space than its neighbours, so the third bedroom is a good-sized, roomy double. With walls and ceiling colour-drenched in ‘Setting Plaster’ by Farrow & Ball, and woodwork in a contrasting mulberry shade, it features a column-style radiator and enjoys garden views through a tall casement window.

OUTDOORS – A LEAFY LANDSCAPE

The current owners tell us the garden, which extends to 30 feet, is a real suntrap, bathed in sunshine from mid-morning through to the early evening. Enclosed by timber fencing and surrounded by greenery, it feels like a calm, nicely private oasis during the summer months.

Fully landscaped, a wider-than-usual paved side return courtyard segues to a large patio, framed by flower borders – ideal for sangrias in the sunshine – which leads to a low brick wall and raised shrubbery.

Mature planting includes two magnolia trees, English lavender, mature hydrangeas, rhododendron, camelia, and cheerful daffodils, which return every spring.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘We fell in love with how spacious this house was compared to others we viewed, with such a great flow, and we’ve loved living here for the past five years. So many great places have opened up on our doorstep, and the area feels more vibrant and interesting than ever. Napier Road is very quiet, with hardly any traffic, and our neighbours are so kind and caring – we have a great community here. The house has been the perfect home for us, with plenty of space for parties, BBQs and now baby play dates, and we’re happy for it to become a home for someone new to have as much fun as we’ve had here.’

GETTING AROUND

Leyton Underground for the Central line is just a short walk away, with the Elizabeth line available in the other direction at Maryland rail station – both reachable by foot in under 20 minutes – or the 257 bus, which stops round the corner on the High Road (2 minutes’ walk). From here, it’s just a short journey to Liverpool Street and one stop from Stratford’s major interchange with the DLR, Central and Jubilee lines, along with shopping, cinema and food at Westfield and East Village. Various local bus stops run regular services to Stratford, too.

Leytonstone High Road (Overground) is also nearby (13 mins). Stratford International is also a short bus ride away, from where the high-speed Javelin train takes you to St Pancras International in seven minutes.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Napier Road is part of a quiet pocket of Victorian streets between the lower end of High Road, Leytonstone and the wonderful Wanstead Flats – a walking, jogging and mountain-biking paradise that acts as a gateway to Epping Forest. Nearby Chalet Wood also provides a beautiful carpet of bluebells every spring.

Alternatively, run through Hollow Pond and beyond, exploring the forest trails, or head to Langthorne Park for pools, wildlife, basketball courts, a play park and an outdoor gym. You are also just 1.5 miles from the Olympic Park with all it has to offer.

Within a six-minute walk is the lovely Leytonstone Tavern (check out the fantastic burgers and roasts). Tamping Grounds for coffee, Kotch for pizza, and The Rookwood Village pub, with its stylish interior, deck, and electronic darts, are also close by. Stroll a few minutes further to explore Winchelsea Road’s artisanal food and drink scene, including the Wild Goose Bakery for custard tarts.

The current owners particularly recommend Le Regret for tasty morning coffee and pastries or wine in the evening; Joyau for chic dinner or wine in the sun; and Earl’s in the skatepark for legendary sandwiches.

The High Road is only a few minutes’ walk away and has many cafés and convenience stores at its southern end. If you like traditional Neapolitan pizza, check out Bocca Bocca or Yard Sale. Other local favourites include Sunday roasts at the Holly Tree pub, after-work drinks at Mammoth taproom, the Leytonstone arts trail, and Cann Hall Park, with its coffee shop, play areas and skatepark.

SCHOOLS

The popular Jenny Hammond Primary School is just three minutes on foot and rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted. Davies Lane Primary School is a short walk away (16 minutes) and is rated ‘Outstanding’. You’ll also find Buxton School within a ten-minute stroll and a few nurseries nearby.