Popham Street, London N1

This two-bedroom split-level apartment is situated on Popham Street, just off Essex Road in Islington. Entry is on the ground floor, with a private rear garden extending from the lower-ground level. The apartment’s pared-back, neutral scheme is complemented by light that pours in through wide windows across the plan. Popham Street is wonderfully located for Upper Street and the Regent’s Canal, both around 10 minutes from the apartment, as well as for Canonbury, De Beauvoir and Dalston beyond.

The Tour

The front door is painted a cheerful primary yellow and opens into the entrance hall. Here, light-painted timber floorboards ground the space, and there is a coat rail and a tall radiator placed against one wall.

A set of stairs descend to the lower ground floor, where the living room’s fresh white walls are balanced by a grounding grey-painted concrete floor. Full-width windows and double doors open onto the private garden and ensure that natural light abounds.

Next to the living room is the neat kitchen. Cream cabinetry sits alongside a modern Smeg range oven with an induction hob. Stretches of open shelving have exposed ply edging and square ceramic tiles form a smart splashback. More full-width windows look to the garden, access to which is granted through a rear door. There is a utility cupboard at the bottom of the stairs, with an larder just outside the kitchen.

There are two double bedrooms upstairs on the ground floor. Both bedrooms are laid with lye bleached timber floorboards and have wide windows that look out over the rear garden.

A family bathroom completes the plan. The sink is set on an open marble shelf, with mirrored cabinets above. There is a beautifully textured rust-red bath panel that contrasts wonderfully with the white ceramic wall tiles.

Outdoor Space

The quiet garden has a mature trees and a flagstone patio that abuts the rear part of the house, with bespoke timber fencing to both sides and a brick wall at the back. There is a central lawn and plenty of space for a dining table and seating. The secluded space has a banana tree, two acer, and three silver birch trees towards the rear. Planted beds contain japonica and ferns and a pretty clematis climbs the fencing along one side.

The Area

Popham Street is exceptionally well-placed in the heart of Islington. Upper Street is a five-minute walk to the west, with De Beauvoir, Haggerston, Highbury and Dalston in walking distance to the east. The wonderful Regent’s Canal and its winding path – home to Towpath – are to the south and the New River’s idyllic stretch through Canonbury is north.

At one end of the road is pub The Alpaca, with the much-loved Pophams bakery, serving up freshly baked goods and top coffee, at the other. London institution Jolene also has an outpost just around the corner from the apartment. The designation of the area as a ‘Low Traffic Neighbourhood’ has made the area exceptionally quiet, with Popham Street itself a no-through road.

Despite its calm feel, the buzz of Upper Street, with its shops, bars and restaurants, is easily reached. Local favourites here include Sushi Show, Tofu Vegan, Ottolenghi and The Duke of Cambridge. There are plenty of cultural offerings too, with The Almeida Theatre, Victoria Miro, Screen on the Green, Sadler’s Wells and the Estorick Collection all easily reached on foot. To the north is Essex Road, which connects to Canonbury and to Balls Pond Road, which in turn leads to Dalston.

There are a handful of stations within easy reach of the apartment. Essex Road is the closest, around a 10-minute walk away, where services run to Moorgate. Angel Underground Station is a 14-minute walk away for Northern Line services, with Highbury and Islington Station around a 17-minute walk north for access to the Victoria Line and Overground services both east and west. The area is also well-served by bus routes that connect to the likes of Barbican, Holborn and King’s Cross in one direction, and to east/north-east London in the other.

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease: Approx: 83 years remaining; The sellers are open to discussing a lease extension as part of the sale.
Service Charge: Approx: £900 per annum
Ground Rent: £10 per annum
Council Tax Band: C