Richmond Road, Leytonstone, London, E11

Equidistant from Wanstead Flats, Hackney Marshes, and the Olympic Park, this bright two-bedroom Victorian maisonette offers space and tranquillity just a stone’s throw from Francis Road’s artisanal community and some of the best pubs and restaurants in the area. Inside, original doors link together bright, characterful rooms painted with Farrow & Ball shades.

As you arrive at the property on leafy Richmond Road, London Stock brickwork pairs with stone lintels to the original sash and colonnaded bay windows to form a visually appealing exterior. Set behind a low brick wall with high hedgerows, an original tiled path leads through the front patio to the recessed entrance, where you’ll find your private front door.

STEP INSIDE

Come through into a hallway, where a tall front window and a pendant light illuminate Farrow & Ball ‘Calke Green’ walls. Underfoot, attractive chequered floor tiles meet bold green paint following the mounted shoe rack and bannister line up the oak-clad staircase onto the split-level landing, which immediately grants a sense of space with its super high ceiling.

Laid in 2022, the solid oak parquet floor runs into the bedrooms and living room on the upper landing and ahead into the dining room, which, like the landing and kitchen, is painted in Farrow & Ball ‘All White’ to draw the light and fresh decorative scheme together. Illuminated by a huge east-facing window for a lovely morning glow filtered by Venetian blinds, it’s the perfect spot for mealtimes and features wooden alcove shelving.

From here, an arched walkthrough flows into a bright kitchen with a tiled floor and splashbacks. There’s a good range of wrap-around cabinetry with chrome handles and contrasting tops, with a stainless-steel sink nestled below a recently double-glazed aluminium window overlooking the garden. Integrated appliances include an oven with an electric hob and extractor hood. There’s also space for a tall freestanding fridge freezer and a laundry appliance.

Adjoining the kitchen, you’ll find a fully tiled, spot-lit bathroom warmed by a tall, matt black heated towel rail to match the fittings. Recently refreshed and updated, it’s complete with a bath with a glass screen and overhead shower, a basin vanity unit with a mirror cabinet above, and a modern loo beneath a double-glazed aluminium window.

Return to the upper landing to discover the main living space at the front, drenched in natural light by a southeast-facing canted sash bay window and further lit by a pendant to the ceiling rose. Elegant coving trims the soft cream walls and marble mantelpiece, allowing the cast-iron period fireplace and herringbone floor to really pop. On either side of the chimney breast, bespoke alcove shelving and built-in cupboards provide plenty of practical storage and create a space for a television.

Beside the living room, there’s a charming, neutrally decorated bedroom or office with Venetian blinds fitted to the front sash window. Matching blinds screen a view over the garden in the primary bedroom. You’ll also spot a chandelier pendant fitting, beautiful brass reading lights, and a stripped wood door to an integrated wardrobe with a cupboard above.

In the dining room, another stripped wood door opens to stairs descending to the rear hall, where you’ll find a utility area with water and electricity that can used for a laundry appliance and access to your private courtyard garden.

OUTSIDE

Enclosed by high fences and trellising, the 29-foot garden is laid with crazy paving and plant borders for a low-maintenance setup, while a raised planter offers more space for growing flowers, herbs, or veggies. Mature peony, rose, jasmine, passion flower plants and bushes bring further colour and interest.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘Our favourite cosy corners and memories include the way the lounge is drenched in sunlight in the morning and how the archway from the dining room connects to the kitchen, allowing for convivial dining and hosting. We love the parquet floor, original features, such as the ceiling roses and fireplaces, and how light it feels as the sun travels from front to back during the day.’

GETTING AROUND

The property is exceptionally well connected with so much local transport, including plenty of bus routes stopping in nearby Grove Green Road. Equidistant between Leyton and Leytonstone Tube and close to Leytonstone High Road Overground, the home is an easy walk to all stations, making short work of getting into Central London and Canary Wharf, as well as for trips to Camden, Hackney, Hampstead, and Stratford for retail therapy at Westfield and wide-open space in the Queen Elizabeth Park.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Richmond Road – a friendly, community-minded street – is just two minutes’ walk from the wonderful village scene on Francis Road, with shops, bars and delis, including Marmelo Kitchen for coffee and fresh bread, Yardarm for lunch or dinner and a fantastic wine shop, Phlox bookstore and Edie Rose florist.

A range of events are regularly hosted on the road, from the recent ‘Francis Road Lates’ with food trucks, cocktails, and discos for the kids to Halloween parties and Christmas carols.

Several great pubs – the Red Lion, The Northcote, Heathcote & Star and The Filly Brook – as well as High Road Leytonstone’s pubs and cafés, are all within a short wander. Local owners often recommend Unity Café and the delicious fare at Mum Likes Thai Food.

The entire development around the park is on the rise, and the new East Bank cultural hub will soon include world-class experiences, including Sadler’s Wells East Theatre, UAL’s London College of Fashion, and the V&A East Museum.

There are several local parks in the area, as well as good running routes through to Hackney Marshes, Wanstead Flats (drop by Back to Ours for fresh coffee and pastries), and Epping Forest. For local walks, head to Hollow Ponds or Walthamstow Marshes and Wetlands, both nearby. Also worth visiting are Brewster Road Park (adjacent to a community garden), Victoria Park, Hackney Bumps Skate Park and Sidmouth Park.

SCHOOLS

Several well-performing local schools and numerous nurseries are close by, including Newport Primary (four minutes’ walk, Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’), with the area particularly well-located for sought-after activities and groups for babies, children, and parents. Norlington School and 6th Form and Connaught School of Girls (both Ofsted ‘Good’) are also a five-minute walk away.