Elizabeth Mews, London E10

This smart four-bedroom house is set on a private mews in Leyton, east London. Designed by Plop Designs, the row has a striking elevation of weathered red cedar cladding and black brick, adorned with overhangs and angled windows that interrupt the otherwise restrained form. At the rear, a south-facing patio garden extends the ground-floor plan, while a large roof terrace is an elevated spot to soak up the sun. Francis Road, with its independent cafés and restaurants, is a short walk away, along with Leyton Midland (Overground) station.

Environmental Performance

The house has an excellent environmental performance and a 'smart' set-up, meaning that heating and lighting can be controlled remotely. There are solar panels and zoned underfloor heating throughout.

The Tour

Elizabeth Mews is accessed from Coopers Lane, through a set of black wrought-iron gates that open to the communal gardens. The house sits in the middle of a staggered terrace, a formation that creates visually distinct facades. The first floors are clad with cedar, with east-angled windows that protrude to welcome in the morning light.

Entry is to a hallway; from here, a door opens to a spacious open-plan living/kitchen/dining room that stretches the entire depth of the plan. Dual-aspect glazing in the form of bifold doors faces communal gardens in the front and the private garden at the rear - an arrangement that creates a seamlessness between inside and out. In the summer, the doors can be left open to beckon in a through-breeze.

The kitchen is at rear, formed of pale-coloured cabinetry, quartz countertops and integrated appliances by Smeg. A steel sink sits below a glass splashback with muted grey backing. A large WC completes the ground floor plan.

Stairs rise from the hallway to the first floor, where three bedrooms and a bathroom lie. Two bedrooms sit to the front of the plan, both with offset black-framed windows that frame views over the communal garden.

The third bedroom is at the rear of the plan and opens to a private terrace. A shared bathroom sits at the centre of the plan and has is a bath with a shower overhead and large-format ceramic tiles.

The second floor is given over to the main bedroom and its en suite. Three tall Velux windows are set in the sloping ceiling, taking advantage of a south-facing orientation. A walk-in shower rests behind a glass screen. There is also a walk-in wardrobe/dressing room.

Outdoor Space

A private, south-facing patio garden opens from the ground-floor living space, grounded by dark, herringbone bricks and bounded by brick walls and fencing covered in climbing vines. There is ample space for potted plants, or for a garden bench to bask in the afternoon light.

There is a decked terrace extending from a double bedroom to the rear of the first floor. Cedar fencing lines all three sides, and there is space for dining and lounge seating.

The house is set back from a large communal garden behind a path of laid bricks, where a planted bed demarcates the communal and private spaces. The communal garden is laid to lawn, and there is bike parking and charging points to the front of the house.

Out and About

Leyton is a popular area of east London, well-positioned for access to the green spaces and facilities of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, as well as Epping Forest and Walthamstow Wetlands Centre, Hackney Marshes and the Lea River.

The pedestrianised Francis Road is approximately 10 minutes' walk away and has a variety of independent cafés, bars, shops and restaurants, including Yardarm, Marmelo Kitchen, Phlox Books, Edie Rose, Loop, Pause Yoga and Pilates (which has a second larger studio nearby) and Dreamhouse Records.

The Leyton Midland area has several bars and restaurants under railway arches. Slightly further afield, the East Bank has recently opened in the Olympic Park and includes outposts of Sadlers Wells, London College of Fashion, and the soon-to-open BBC Music Studios and V&A East Museum and Storehouse.

There are excellent schools in the area including Newport Primary School, which is only 15 minutes' walk from the house.

Leyton Midland Overground station (Suffragette line) is only a minute away on foot. For Underground connections, Leyton station is within walking distance and runs Central line services.

Council Tax Band: D