Edward Road, London SE20

This immaculate three-bedroom house in Penge, south London, sits at the heart of the coveted Alexandra Cottages Conservation Area. Beautifully renovated and extended by the current owner, the house is defined by an excellent quality of light and a considered palette of materials that includes cork, birch ply and micro-cement. Penge East is a six-minute walk away and provides rail connections to London Victoria in 20 minutes, while Penge West Overground station is 14 minutes away and serves the Windrush line.



The Tour



Edward Road is a peaceful street populated by handsome Victorian workers’ cottages. This house cuts a particularly striking figure, with its crisp white façade and thriving olive tree that provides privacy in front of the ground-floor window.



Entry is through a sleek black front door at the side of the cottage, which opens to a neatly arranged hallway. Original timber flooring painted in Jack Black by Little Greene runs underfoot, a pleasing contrast to the luminosity of the white walls.



Combining the proportions of the traditional cottages with light filled open plan living, the house offers both intimacy and fluidity. An expansive open-plan living, dining and kitchen area extends to the rear and has been the subject of a total reinvention in recent years. Poured concrete-resin flooring runs across the breadth of the space, highlighting its volume. Floor-to-ceiling glazing at the far end of the room provides an all-encompassing view of the private garden. An elongated vertical window at the very centre of the rear wall extends into the ceiling, maximising light and creating a sense of openness.



Birch ply kitchen units bring texture and depth. Set in a functional U-shape, they are are topped with a white countertop and house integrated appliances, including a dishwasher, oven and hob. There is a wonderful flow to the rest of the room, which has space for a large dining table, soft seating and shelving. Side return access is serviced by an additional garden door opposite the kitchen.



The first bedroom, currently used as a study, is set to the front of the plan and has a Victorian cast-iron fireplace, cork flooring and a neutral palette. On the first floor, the principal bedroom overlooks the rear garden and has an en suite WC. Original period floorboards remind of the house's past and continue into the third bedroom, which has views over the neatly pitched roofs and old brickwork of the cottages opposite.



The family bathroom is on the ground floor and is of a generous size. A walk-in shower with black fixtures and fittings is set next to a large vanity sink by Lusso Stone. The old Victorian fireplace remains, its richly coloured and ornate tiling juxtaposing the serene simplicity of the room’s contemporary additions.



Outdoor Space



The private rear garden is paved and set with established shrub borders and handsome trees. A soft cloud of gentle pink flowers emerge from a mature magnolia tree in the spring, providing a delightful backdrop for a morning coffee. For those with green fingers, there is significant scope to reimagine the outdoor space.



A driveway at the front of the house is suitable for off-road parking.



The Area



The Alexandra Cottages Conservation Area is a secluded area within close range of Penge’s growing collection of cafés, restaurants and pubs.



Local favourites include the Penge General Store, which sells organic fresh produce, freshly baked goods and coffee, as well as having refillable stations for stocking up on essentials. Craft Metropolis, for craft beers, and The Bridge House, for great food and shows are both popular spots. On the doorstep of Edward Road is the wonderful Alexandra Nurseries garden centre, also home to a great café and gift shop.



The verdant oasis of Grade II-listed Crystal Palace Park, with its farm and boating lake, is 15 minutes away by foot. Crystal Palace itself is a vibrant area with award-winning restaurants and bars as well as having a thriving art and music scene. There is a farmers' market every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Local favourite establishments include Joanna’s restaurant, Walters Bar and Kitchen, Woodhouse pub and the Everyman Cinema.



Penge East station runs services to Brixton (for the Victoria line) in 11 minutes, to London Victoria in 19 minutes, Blackfriars in 20 minutes and City Thameslink/Farringdon in 22. Trains via Penge West arrive at Canada Water in 20 minutes, London Bridge in 22 minutes and Shoreditch High Street in 30 minutes.



Council Tax Band: D