Melford Road, Leytonstone, London, E11

On a residential street only a five-minute stroll from the heart of Leytonstone, you’ll find this fabulous example of a beautifully modernised three-bedroom Victorian home. Immaculately decorated throughout, the interior design reflects the contemporary preference for clean lines and simplicity while respecting the warm period style to boldly highlight the property’s exemplary proportions and inherent character. 

The current owners have undertaken a range of improvements to inject comfort, including fitting new french doors to the garden, installing a cast iron fireplace and boarding the loft for easy storage in 2017, completely renovating the bathroom and kitchen, including installing a new boiler, in 2020 and changing all rear windows across both floors in 2024.

STEP INSIDE

Set behind a useful front patio and Victorian tiled path, the property features beautiful foliage detailing to a full-height bay window and a recessed entrance archway finished by period tiling, a numbered transom, and a panelled front door with beautiful stained-glass inserts.

Inside, deep-grey wallpaper below the dado rail runs up a staircase fitted with a striped carpet onto the landing for a sense of flow between both floors, while the original floorboards continue into the front-to-rear double reception room on your right.

Here, a canted bay with bespoke plantation shutters meets coving, framing the high subtle lavender walls, elegant ceiling roses, and French doors to the south-facing garden. At the same time, a black cast-iron radiator to match the focal Victorian gas fireplace (installed in 2017) brings additional warmth to a rear dining area.

Return to the hallway, stepping down onto the herringbone flooring that draws you past understairs storage into a stylish kitchen installed in 2020 and lit by dimmable spots. Striking green paintwork contrasts against sleek white handleless cabinetry, while Claybrook grey-and-white triangular porcelain tiling catches the eye as it blends into the coordinated Zenith Cloudy Cement worktops. A vertical designer radiator also ties in with the mounted shelving. 

Overall, the considered design creates a highly functional kitchen complete with an integrated Samsung oven with a Bosch gas hob and concealed Zanussi extractor hood, an integrated Bosch dishwasher, and space for a freestanding fridge-freezer and laundry appliance. You’ll also find a Rangemaster stainless-steel sink beneath a casement window overlooking the side return. A Worcester Bosch boiler (fitted in 2020) is also housed here, which has been annually serviced by BOXT and is controlled by a Google Nest smart thermostat.

A green panelled door to match the feature wall reveals the spot-lit bathroom beyond, warmed by electric underfloor heating. The glass block wall and a Velux window combine to allow in natural light, reflected by white crosshatch subway tiled splashbacks, without compromising privacy. 

Crosswater sanitaryware and features include a luxurious rainfall shower head and chrome controls fitted above a bath with a glass screen, a wall-mounted Bauhaus Glide II 100 American walnut vanity unit with a countertop basin and mirror framed with dedicated wall lights, a centrally heated towel rail, a close-coupled loo and an Xpelair extractor fan. There’s also plenty of space for shelving.

Upstairs, the lower landing leads to bedroom three – a bright south-facing double that overlooks the garden and is fitted with black Anglepoise lamps mounted to the light-grey walls – currently used as a peaceful home office.

The QuickStep engineered oak flooring underfoot continues in the two doubles on the upper landing. Lined with sage-green herringbone wallpaper to reflect the natural tones visible from a window with a roller blind, the rear bedroom is a lovely, calming space, currently used as a nursery.

The primary bedroom fills the front of the house. Painted in warm sandy hues to harmonise with the wooden flooring and window frames to a tall front window and a spacious bay, it imbues the sophistication demanded of a grown-up space.

OUTSIDE

Open the French doors in the dining area, follow a block-paved side return with room for potted plants, and enter a sunny, south-facing rose-strewn garden fully sheltered by high fencing and a mature evergreen eucalyptus tree. 

Extending to 44 feet, it weaves attractive crazy-paved pathways through flower borders and a lawn area, connecting sun-trap terraces on each end of the garden. You’ll also find a useful wooden shed for garden tools or bikes.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

“This has been the happiest of homes and we have loved living here. From cosy nights in front of the fire to barbecues with friends, from being our rescue dog’s first home to bringing up a toddler – this place has done it all. The house exudes positive energy and is situated near some of our absolute favourite shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants whilst also being on the doorstep of some beautiful natural escapes such as Wanstead Flats and Hollow Ponds. The perfect balance of home, city and nature.”

GETTING AROUND

Leytonstone High Road Overground station is approximately five minutes’ walk, while Stratford is 12 minutes by bus for serious retail, restaurant and cultural therapy at Westfield and the East Village. Leytonstone Underground Station is a 15-minute walk away. There’s also a major transport interchange for Underground, Overground, DLR, National Rail and HS1 services. In addition, Stratford, Maryland, and Forest Gate stations offer Elizabeth line services.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD 

Melford Road is a quiet pocket of Leytonstone, about five minutes’ walk from the town centre, with popular spots including The Wild Goose Bakery, Homies on Donkeys, Panda Dim Sum, Leytonstone Tavern for burgers and roasts, The North Star for great pizza and Thai, The Holly Tree, and Yard Sale Pizza. Theatre of Wine is a short walk away and serves up exceptional wine from all across the world. It also organises regular wine tastings on Thursday evenings and even Bring Your Own Baby day-time wine tastings for new mums.

Lovely Francis Road is only 10 minutes on foot and has a fantastic collection of independent shops, relaxed cafés, delis and craft beer shops. Other local favourites include Singburi for amazing Thai food; Bocca Bocca, the local pie and mash shop; San Marino Café; Back to Ours coffee shop; Zaxx for Korean food; and Phlox bookshop.

Finally, the wild and beautiful green spaces of Wanstead Flats and Bushwood are only a few minutes by foot, while peaceful Langthorne Park is great for kids. Alternatively, Wanstead or the Olympic Park are just a short bike ride away.

SCHOOLS

Nearby schools with Good (or Outstanding) Ofsted ratings include Davies Lane Primary, George Tomlinson Primary and Connaught for Girls. In addition, there are a number of excellent nurseries on your doorstep, including The Arches Montessori Nursery, the brand-new N. Family Club, and the Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Acacia Nursery. For younger children who need entertaining you will also find a diverse range of activities, from Musical Miniatures to Baby Sensory and the brilliant Baby Ballers.