Hainault Road, Upper Leytonstone, London, E11

Space, character and original features – this charming five-bedroom Edwardian house has it all and scores highly for location, too. Set on a tree-lined street in a peaceful pocket of Upper Leytonstone, it’s walkable to both the Underground and Overground and is just a stone’s throw from the scenic Hollow Pond.

As you move through the rooms, you’ll discover beautiful details such as stripped timber doors, fantastic ceiling coving, cast-iron fireplaces, and copious amounts of inbuilt storage. The same thoughtful approach applies to the landscaping of the long, mature garden outside.

Upon arrival, the house greets you with a traditional red brick gabled frontage and white-painted stone sills, lintels, and columns to the box bay windows. It sits behind a white picket fence, with a brick-paved drive (for off-road parking) bordered with plants such as euphorbia, pittosporum, grape hyacinths, and a blossoming cherry tree. A covered porch with pretty white-painted timber detailing protects a wide black-painted period front door with glazed panels and a brass letterbox.

STEP INSIDE

Lit by a transom window, the hallway beyond reveals the ornate coving (present in several rooms), while the white walls are painted a soft grey below the dado rail. The warm-toned solid slow grown French oak wood flooring underfoot flows through a stripped timber door (with an original brass fingerplate) into the living and dining spaces to your right.

The living room is bathed in sunshine from a wide box bay, highlighting the intricate ceiling coving and a large rose with a brass chandelier. The centrepiece, however, is a stunning cast-iron fireplace with dark marble and tiled surround. Dove grey walls feature a traditional picture rail, while a floor-standing white triple-column cast-iron radiator fills one alcove.

The house has a lovely, versatile flow, with the double-glazed doors easily closed for a cosy feel or opened to the dining room. Here, you’ll find another showstopping fireplace – this time in creamy marble with a checkered tiled hearth – along with further detailed ceiling coving and a floor-standing radiator to match the one at the front.

A second set of glazed internal French doors opens up to the kitchen, which, like the dining room, can also be accessed from the hallway. Two white-painted exposed brick arches help create zones for cooking and dining, while solid reclaimed beech block flooring runs underfoot. To the rear, the timber sash window and French doors to the garden flood the space with light and allow for an impressive sightline through the entire ground floor.

Wooden shaker-style cabinetry with brushed chrome handles pairs with an ivory worktop and white satin metro tiled splashback, contrasting nicely with the sage green walls. There’s a 1.5-bowl sink with an integrated drainer and chrome mixer tap, as well as a 1000mm, 8 ring Stoves range cooker with stainless steel extractor hood, a Zanussi dishwasher, a Bosch washing machine and an LG American-style fridge freezer. Other details include an original inbuilt storage cupboard, a vertical column radiator, and opal globe pendant to the coved ceiling.

Returning to the hallway, take the neutral carpeted staircase with white-painted spindles to the first floor, which has a wide landing with enough space for a piece of furniture, such as a bench seat or console table.

The primary bedroom lies to the front, lit by a large box bay with timber sashes. Oak engineered flooring echoes the natural tones of the wide exposed brick fireplace, the walls are painted a calming grey to the picture rail, and the ceiling features yet more elegant coving. There’s also a radiator and an original inbuilt double wardrobe.

A second good-sized double bedroom can be found beyond, with off-white walls and a tall sash window with a leafy garden outlook. You’ll also discover a long bank of full-height wardrobes and an en suite shower room (with a wash basin in the bedroom).

Adjacent to the primary is a single bedroom with neutral carpet and dove grey walls, lit by a sash window with fitted blind. Currently used as a nursery, it would work equally well as a home office. The fourth single bedroom sits beside the bathroom and shares a similarly restful décor scheme, with a neutral carpet underfoot and garden views.

You’ll find the family bathroom towards the rear of the house. Subtly patterned wallpaper, dark wood flooring and white metro tiles form the backdrop to a bath with brass taps and shower, a pedestal basin, and a traditional low-level toilet. Integrated shelves and a matching mirrored cabinet provide useful storage.

Take a second staircase to the converted loft. The large, dual-aspect bedroom here could work equally well as the primary and is filled with light from a pair of Velux windows to the front and wide sliding doors with a private balcony to the rear. There’s a run of integrated walnut-toned full-height wardrobes, while further storage to the eaves lies behind clever mirrored sliding doors. The oak engineered flooring here flows into the en suite bathroom, which features a shower, basin, close-coupled toilet and traditional-style chrome heated towel rail.

OUTSIDE

The 80-foot garden has a wonderful country cottage feel. A paved patio with a brick-built storage shed, which was originally the toilet but has since been converted to a boiler room housing a combi-boiler installed four years ago. A grassy lawn is framed by flowerbeds filled with mature plants, including eucalyptus, lavender, hellebores and trees.

Circular stepping stones travel down to a further paved area – ideal for barbecues – and a brilliant stone and timber L-shaped chalet-style outbuilding. Currently used for storage, this versatile space could make a fantastic workshop, art studio, gym, teenage hangout or home office.

GETTING AROUND

Hainault Road occupies a convenient spot in Upper Leytonstone, a 14-minute walk from Leytonstone Underground (Central Line – 24 hours at weekends) and an easy 17 minutes from Leyton Midland Road station. Alternatively, hop onto the A12 and head down to Stratford to shop and enjoy sporting events and concerts at the London Stadium. From there, you can continue to Canary Wharf or take the A11 into the heart of the city. The M25 is within easy reach, where you can head out of London via the M11 towards Cambridge.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

The town centre is nearby, where you’ll find local favourites on the High Road, such as The Red Lion pub, Wild Goose Bakery, Panda Dim Sum, Yard Sale Pizza, and many more. For larger supermarkets, a Tesco and Aldi are around 12 minutes’ walk away.

Our local sellers particularly recommend Filly Brook, The Birds or the Heathcote and Star for drinks, Out of the Woods (just down the road) for weekend brunch, Homies on Donkeys for Mexican fare, Wild Goose Bakery, San Marino café for hearty breakfasts, and J'Adore French patisserie.

Others love The North Star, Gravity Well Taproom, the Sir Alfred Hitchcock Hotel and Decanteur for drinks; Yardarm for wine; Burnt Smokehouse; Perky Blenders for great coffee; Bocca Bocca or Eat My Pizza for delicious pizza; Mum Likes Thai Food; Fitness Hub Leytonstone for community-based exercise classes; the friendly local newsagents for essentials; Primrose Florists for flowers and plants; and the Noted Eel and Pie House. Gail’s Bakery, The Ginger Pig and Harvey’s greengrocers in nearby Wanstead also get regular mentions.

Some fantastic open green spaces within walking distance include Hollow Pond (10 minutes) with Wanstead Flats and Park beyond. Alternatively, walk to Highams Park to visit the lake and tea hut for pizza or head to nearby Epping Forest to enjoy the wilder great outdoors.

SCHOOLS

Gwyn Jones Primary (rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted) is just a three-minute walk away. You can also reach Leytonstone School (‘Good’) in three minutes, Barclay Primary School (‘Outstanding’) in 12, and Leyton Sixth Form (‘Good’) in 12 minutes. You’re well-placed for nurseries, too, with the popular Footsteps Day Nursery and Noah’s Ark Community Pre-school just around the corner.