St Paul's Road, London N1

This boldly decorated, stylish neo-Georgian house sits in the heart of the Canonbury Conservation Area, a short amble from Highbury Corner. Thought to have been built in the 1950s, the house was restored by the current owners, who have used a varied but refined palette of colours and materials to enhance its Georgian-inspired interiors. Set back from the road and bookended by private gardens, the house has wonderfully green views and is complete with both a private garage and off-street parking space.

Setting the Scene

One of a few elegant examples of Neo-Georgian architecture in the Borough of Islington, the terrace has all of the features of a Georgian terrace: its London stock brick façade is punctuated with large sash windows, while its front door is crowned with a fan-light set in an arched doorway. The current owners have painstakingly restored the house with real attention to detail, including extending the original parquet into the kitchen. This required lifting the previous floor, incorporating reclaimed blocks and relaying them in the same pattern. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

A path leads to the front door, which in turn opens into a sunny, yellow-painted hallway. Through glazed doors is an open-plan sitting and dining room. With light streaming in from both sides, this room is wonderfully bright throughout the day. A reclaimed Georgian marble fireplace surround has been installed in the sitting room, complete with mouldings including roundels which were typical of the era. The walls have been painted a warm ‘Pale Parsonage Pink’ by Paint and Paper Library. French doors open from the dining room straight into the garden, where there is a patio with ample space for another table and chairs.

The kitchen sits adjacent, fitted with a smart DeVol kitchen with mushroom-painted cabinetry, set against granite worktops. Here, shaker open shelves have been installed, perfect for displaying cookbooks. A deep butler sink with chrome tap sits to one side, whilst opposite is a door which leads to the garden.

A staircase, fitted with sisal carpet, ascends upstairs. This carpet continues throughout the three bedrooms. The principal bedroom has been painted a calming Sobek, whilst the second, at the rear of the plan, has been decorated fantastically, with wallpaper by Celia Birtwell. It has green views over the garden and Alwyne Square beyond. A study is currently found in the third bedroom, with a floor-to-ceiling bookcase and space in front of the window for a desk. A shared bathroom combines decorative floral wallpaper with sweet pea motifs by Cole and Son, with nickel fittings, tongue-and-groove panelling and large marble tiles to great effect.

The Great Outdoors

A private front garden leads up to the house, where there are two prettily planted borders complete with a rowan tree bursting with orange berries. To the back of the house is another charming garden, partly paved and partly laid to lawn, with more flower beds framing it, stocked with roses and jasmine. South-facing, it is gloriously bright. A gate opens onto a shared alleyway to the rear of the terrace, which leads to the Alwyne Square where there is the garage, complete with a parking space immediately in front.

Out and About

St Paul’s Road is excellently located for the host of restaurants and bars in both Highbury and Islington. Just minutes from the house, on St Paul’s Road, is neighbourhood favourite, Prawn on the Lawn, and the buzzing Italian, Trullo. Yield N1 is also a great stop for provisions and natural wine. New London Cafe comes highly recommended, as does the Urban Cafe and Bistro. Slightly further afield, Upper Street connects directly to Angel and the heart of Islington and has a wide range of independent boutiques and restaurants. As the name suggests, Smokehouse on Halton Road specialises in barbecue with global references.

For those looking for some culture, the Almeida Theatre has an excellent reputation for the avant-garde shows it hosts. The Estorick Collection of Modern Art, set in an imposing Georgian residence, is always worth a visit for its collection of 20-century Italian art. Highbury Fields is a short walk away and makes for a lovely stroll.

The house is between Canonbury and Highbury & Islington stations, both located under 10 minutes walk away. Via the latter, both Overground services towards east London and Victoria Line services into Central London operate; Oxford Circus can be reached in eight minutes.

Council Tax Band: F