Albert Road, Leyton, London, E10

Equidistant between Wanstead Flats and the Olympic Park, this gorgeous ground-floor maisonette lies in a leafy residential area adjoining Francis Road.

With many eateries, popular drinking spots, independent shops, and excellent transport links just minutes away, the property has been transformed into a peaceful haven that blends contemporary design with period details.

Column-style radiators, ceiling roses, elegant panelling, wooden shutters, brass switches and sockets, and new stylish light fittings run throughout to sew old and new together, while the current owners fitted a new kitchen and reimagined the garden in 2022.

From the front, traditional London stock brickwork pairs with a full-height colonnaded bay window, white stone lintels, and a recessed front entrance to complement its neighbours. A low brick wall and palm tree partly screen the patio, which leads to a blue-panelled door with a numbered fanlight.

Inside, ample headroom, exposed floorboards (which flow throughout) and white coved walls grant an instant feeling of light and space, while the deep blue paintwork below the dado rails adds a contemporary note. Find coat hooks to one side, along with a storage cupboard.

To your right, the primary bedroom benefits from considerable natural light streaming in through the southeast-facing bay window. Beautiful hardwood tier-on-tier shutters have also been installed to filter the light as needed.

On either side of a decorative cast-iron fireplace with a stone hearth and a modern white surround with shelves, bespoke floor-to-ceiling fitted wardrobes (one double, one triple) with Plank brass handles have been painted in the same rich, warming green as the walls below the picture rail. The scheme is finished with antique brass sockets and switches, a ceiling rose, and cast-iron radiators with brass pipe covers and traditional-look valves.

Bedroom two is just behind and combines picture-rail trimmed coved walls and a ceiling rose with calming two-tone paintwork and hardwood shutters to a large window framing the garden. The chimney breast is also cleverly recessed for fitted shelving and storage space, with room for furniture or a study area to one alcove.

Returning to the hallway, you’ll find an attractively tiled bathroom featuring a recessed tub with a black-framed shower screen and overhead attachment, a glossy white vanity basin unit with chrome handles and a metro-tiled splashback, and a close-coupled toilet.

The rest of the house is filled by a spot-lit open plan dining kitchen and living area, where beautiful panelling (installed in 2021) to the white walls meets another high, coved ceiling, in-built shelving, and big dual-aspect windows that flood the kitchen with light.

In May 2022, the kitchen was replaced with new Howdens’ navy blue shaker-style cabinetry with white and grey veined quartz worktops. Integrated appliances include a Bosch oven with an induction hob and concealed extractor, a hidden fridge and no-freeze freezer, a Belfast ceramic sink with brass handles and swan tap, and a washer and dryer.

By the seating area, a tall glazed door opens to the side return, where cream porcelain tiles interspersed with white cobbles pass raised planters before forming a terrace shaded by a mature palm tree and enclosed by high fences like the rest of the garden.

Edged with more wooden planters filled with flowers and ferns, a natural-looking artificial lawn leads to a tailored-to-size pergola on a matching raised porcelain patio. Basking in the sun, the seating area creates a lovely spot for eating, drinking and socialising.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘We moved to the area three years ago and have loved the process of restoring and decorating our first home. The garden is a real haven and where we spend most of our time in the warmer months. We feel fortunate to live in such a lovely neighbourhood with Francis Road on our doorstep. New venues seem to always be springing up in the arches near Leyton Midland and the little pocket of venues on the corner of Richmond Road. We didn’t realise it at the time but the flat is perfectly located to wander to each. We love the area so much that we are buying our onward home just a few streets away!’

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Albert Road is around a 10-minute walk from Leytonstone Tube on the Central line or 20 minutes to Leyton Tube. Alternatively, hop on the Overground at Leyton Midland Road (11 minutes) or Leytonstone High Road (16 minutes). For journeys further afield, Stratford International and Walthamstow Central are within easy reach.

Francis Road is at the end of the street, offering a wonderful collection of delis, coffee spots, and independent shops. Try Filly Brook for delicious small plates and cocktails, Yardarm for bread and wine, Marmelo for delicious dining, Pause for yoga, and Phlox for books. There's a vibrant local community with several excellent pubs, including the Leyton Technical and the Heathcote & Star, and Gravity Well Brewing.

Also recommended are Mora and Unity Cafe for coffee, Bread & Oregano for Greek gyros, Zaxx for great Korean bibimbap, Leyton Tiffin for curry, Figo or Bocca Bocca for quintessential Italian, Burnt Smokehouse for smoked meats, and Deeney’s for amazing haggis toasties.

A short stroll to both Leyton County Cricket Ground and Coronation Gardens Park, you’re also perfectly placed to enjoy the green spaces of Olympic Park, Hackney Wick, Wanstead Flats.

There is a range of good nurseries, schools, and academies nearby, with Newport Primary, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, just five minutes’ walk away, Norlington School & Sixth Form about 400 feet away, and George Mitchell All-Through School (Early Years, Primary & Secondary, rated ‘Good’), reachable in 15 minutes.