Devonshire Close, Stratford, London, E15

Just a few minutes’ walk from Leytonstone’s thriving high street and with Wanstead Flats just down the road, this lovely five-bedroom period house fuses Victorian features with contemporary design.

Inside, the spacious rooms merge architectural clean lines with the bold aesthetic of print, Dulux Heritage and Little Greene palettes, Liberty of London wallpaper (custom-made in Barcelona), silver plug sockets and door handles, stained-glass visuals, and designer radiators for a high-spec, sophisticated finish.

The house also benefits from sensor lighting in some areas, an energy-efficient British Gas boiler (2019) fitted with a Hive central heating system, which you can control from your phone or the thermostat, and underfloor heating in the bathroom.

STEP INSIDE

Arriving at the house, you’re met with a smart and elegant frontage with yellow London Stock brickwork, uPVC sash windows, bright white lintels, decorative moulding to the bay window and a traditional recessed entrance.

A mature clipped hedge screens a beautifully tiled patio set behind a wrought-iron gate. The coordinating tiled porch and the panelled front door open into the hallway, brightened by the transom window. Above, the high ceiling features handsome classical-style coving, while bold blue tones beneath the dado rail complement the Elgin Fox engineered hardwood flooring that flows from the hallway into the reception areas.

To your left, deep grey hues to the doors and coved walls enrich the living room, which otherwise feels very light and airy thanks to a canted bay window with fitted Plantation shutters. A highly decorative rose draws the eye to the high ceiling. Custom wallpaper backdrops the bookshelves and echoes the butterfly-inspired stained glass in the renovated Georgian-style double doors, which draw light through from the garden.

Head into the dining area, where the contemporary décor and Victorian features once again combine to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for eating and drinking, surrounded by in-built bookshelves and brightened by a tall window with a Venetian blind to the side return.

The flow of light continues into the kitchen, which was renovated in 2017 and fitted by Handmade Kitchen Co. in Witham. Here, whitewashed walls and large grey format floor tiles blend with the contemporary farmhouse look created by contrasting matt anthracite soft-close handleless cabinetry and cherry butcher block worktops with a waterfall side.

Other details include a black graphite under-mounted Caple sink and tap, an integrated Bosch oven, gas hob, and extractor, space for a concealed laundry appliance and a freestanding fridge-freezer, and a useful under-stairs storage cupboard. A part-glazed door opens to the garden.

Back in the hallway, a fitted grey carpet runs up the stairs and across the first-floor landing. Straight ahead, there’s a fully tiled, spot-lit family bathroom with underfloor heating, an overhead shower, a vanity basin unit and a close-coupled toilet.

Two double bedrooms lie to the side and rear, lit by large windows and painted with calming, warm tones. The back bedroom has a fitted carpet, while the middle double is lined with laminate flooring and is currently used as a gym. The laminate flooring continues in the largest double, which fills the front of the house. Decorated with Dulux ‘Ink Well’, it feels very cosy and inviting yet is filled with light by two large sash windows with Plantation shutters.

On the landing, a second staircase with a matching carpet rises to a loft conversion (2017) used as a fantastic top-floor primary suite. Lit by a skylight, the landing leads into an office/bedroom painted in ‘Ink Well’ to contrast with the verdant green views over the garden from the window.

Meanwhile, dark-grey ‘Bowler Hat’ walls contrast with a white spot-lit sloped ceiling in the master bedroom, along with the laminate flooring underfoot. A large Velux to the front and a uPVC sash window to the garden capture the light from two aspects, ensuring the space is always sunny and relaxing.

In the adjoining bathroom, modern metro tiling pairs with anthracite grey floor tiles to finish a three-piece shower room with stylish sanitaryware, a rainfall fitting, and a chrome heated towel rail. The sloped ceiling and Velux window also bring character to this private retreat.

OUTDOORS

Outside, the garden is a true extension of the house. Enclosed by tall painted fence panels and full of varying shades of green, it feels like an additional room to relax and enjoy nature. Throughout the day, the sun hits different parts of the garden, which is well stocked with evergreens, shrubs and flowers, including winter and summer jasmine, wisteria, and salvias dotted around the raised lawn. There’s room for barbequing on the large block-paved patio, while the side return is useful for housing the garden tools. You’ll also find an outdoor isolated electric plug outlet and an outdoor water supply.

 A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘I fell in love with this place when I first walked through the door in 2010, and I still love it today. The development of the neighbourhood has created a community vibe that works. Culture is everywhere, including The Stratford Theatre. There's so much to do with a great community look and feel. You can meet friends at the farmers markets or meet up for coffee in one of the many fun cafés.’

GETTING AROUND

Devonshire Close is nicely nestled between Leytonstone, Leyton and Stratford, just a 14-minute walk to Maryland Station, which runs frequent Elizabeth line services westbound to Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5 and eastbound to Shenfield. Trains also run to London Liverpool Street within 11 minutes. You can also reach Heathrow Airport in around an hour.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Lying within walking distance of Hackney Wick, Leyton, and Leytonstone, Devonshire Close combines the highlights of East London living with easy access to various green spaces, allowing residents to enjoy a sociable and active lifestyle without leaving the neighbourhood.

For example, The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park sporting complex is just a mile away, where you can play tennis or hockey, cycle for miles, swim at the Aqua Centre, cycle at the Velodrome, or watch basketball at the Copper Box Arena. There are also many gyms in the area where you can do everything from boxing to yoga. Situated in the Olympic Park, East Bank now hosts the BBC, V&A, Sadler’s Wells East Theatre, and top-class universities like UCL and UAL.

Within walking distance, you can explore the vast expanse of open fields and woodlands at Wanstead Flats/ Epping Forest with Aldersbrook, which is stunning all year round, especially in March when the bluebells come out.

Some of the fantastic restaurants and bars on your doorstep include Kotch!, which serves stone-baked Neapolitan pizza, and the Cart and Horses public house, known as the home of Iron Maiden's 1976 debut. There are more options, such as Greek, Thai, Indian, and Chinese restaurants peppered along Leytonstone Road, plus a Tesco Express.

Many of our local sellers have also recommended the Wild Goose Bakery in Forest Gate, The Holly Tree Pub, Dina wine bar, Pretty Decent Beer Company Tap Room, The Rookwood Village, and Joyau wine bar. Or head north towards the Olympic Park, where you will find The Lokma Turkish restaurant, The Darkhorse, and STK, to name but a few.

SCHOOLS

Local schools that are Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' and ‘Good’ include The Jenny Hammond Primary, Colegrave Primary, Davies Lane Primary, Forest Gate Community School, Odessa Infant School, and Maryland Primary.