Francis Road, Leyton, London, E10

Set at one end of the ever-popular Francis Road, this bright and airy period maisonette has been lovingly updated to create a stylish, warm and light-filled home.

Inside, you’ll find a new kitchen and bathroom, column-style radiators, refurbished original floorboards and a fresh neutral colour palette. Outside, the landscaped private garden provides a place to entertain or relax.

The maisonette occupies the first floor of a semi-detached Victorian property – a stone’s throw from the green expanse of Leyton County Cricket Ground – with a traditional London Stock brick frontage and white-painted stone sills and lintels to the windows and bay.

Shielded by a low wall and hedge, a tiled path leads to a recessed porch and the private front door, which is painted in Farrow & Ball Off Black and has both reeded glass panels and a transom above.

STEP INSIDE

Leave your shoes in the vestibule, where traditional monochrome tiles run underfoot, before ascending the black-painted timber stairs that match the front door. Here, a peg rail provides a home for coats, and honey-toned sanded original floorboards begin and flow into all the living spaces. As seen throughout, the walls have been painted a lovely soft white for a classic yet fresh look.

Ahead, to the front, lies the spacious living room, bathed in beautiful light from a wide sunny bay, fitted with white roller blinds. A white column-style radiator sits beneath, and bespoke floating shelves and in-frame cabinets to the alcoves frame a rendered fireplace with a concrete shelf and hearth.

The primary double bedroom is adjacent and has an equally restful feel with leafy views of the garden through a tall casement, fitted with a roller blind. Another column-style radiator is located here, alongside a pendant light, a pair of custom-built full-height double wardrobes, and a clever slim bookcase.

The welcoming second bedroom sits beside the living room, and shares a similar décor scheme to the primary, with white walls, original floorboards, a column-style radiator and a large casement window with a roller blind and a leafy, front-facing outlook. Currently used as a nursery, it would make an equally pleasant home office or single bedroom.

Continue along the hallway to the roomy dual-aspect dining kitchen. It’s filled with light from a garden-facing window and a second, larger casement in the dining area. Newly fitted (in 2022), the rich-toned wood cabinetry by Custom Fronts with sleek matt black handles includes plenty of useful pan drawers and is complemented by a taupe quartz worktop and upstand.

An inset sink with a black mixer tap sits beneath the window, while integrated appliances include a Samsung oven and induction hob, and a dishwasher to the right of the sink. There’s also room for a freestanding fridge-freezer, and the boiler is discreetly housed. Other details include a rendered fireplace to match the living room; a column-style radiator and glass pendant in the dining area; and a trio of black Nordlux Darci touch wall lights over a run of floating open shelving.

A door leads to the recently fitted bathroom (in 2024), where square russet floor tiles warmed by underfloor heating pair with square white wall tiles laid with contrasting taupe grout, for a stylish, contemporary vibe. Lit by a frosted window, the suite’s brassware by ABI Interiors complements a bath with a rainfall shower and frameless glass screen; a concealed-cistern loo; a chrome heated towel rail radiator; and a white wall-hung vanity basin with a mirrored overhead cabinet (which includes a light, shaving socket and Bluetooth speaker).

Stairs from the kitchen lead down to a covered porch, where you’ll find plumbing and space for two laundry appliances and a door leading out to the garden.

OUTDOORS

The garden extends to 20 feet and is enclosed by charcoal-painted timber fencing and an attractive London Stock brick wall. Paved with Indian Sandstone, it feels nicely private, and is an ideal spot for morning coffee, barbecues or evening drinks.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS:

‘From the moment we first stepped into this flat, we loved its feeling of space, with its high ceilings and uninterrupted line of sight from the front to the back. The light floods through the side aspect kitchen window all morning, then bathes the living room for the rest of the day, turning golden in the evening and dappling the walls through the trees outside.

‘Our little girl has been really happy here for the first three years of her life: we love how close the flat is to open green space, and the cafés and social spaces on Francis Road foster a real sense of community, too.’

GETTING AROUND

The Overground at Leyton Midland Road is a six-minute stroll away and has a swift change to the Victoria line at Blackhorse Road. The Tube at Leyton is around 18 minutes’ walk, making light work of getting to the City, West End, Canary Wharf and South Bank; Stratford is just one stop away.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Francis Road is one of Leyton’s most constantly in-demand locations, thanks to its urban village of independent local businesses. Firm favourites include Phlox bookstore, Dreamhouse Records, Edie Rose florist, Marmelo Kitchen, and Pause yoga studio.

The current sellers particularly recommend Yardarm for supplies and coffee, and the plethora of new businesses opening up under the arches of Leyton Midland Road. Other local favourites include the Filly Brook craft beer hall, Gravity Well Taproom brewery and bar, and Yardarm wine bar. Also nearby are the Heathcote & Star pub and the Coach & Horses, which serves a fantastic Sunday roast.

Just around the corner is Leyton County Cricket Ground with its wonderful Edwardian pavilion, while Coronation Gardens is a 13-minute walk. The location is perfectly placed to enjoy the beautiful green spaces of Olympic Park, Wanstead Flats, and Hollow Pond – all within around 30 minutes’ walk (or a short cycle ride).

You can reach Stratford by foot, with Hackney Marshes and Queen Elizabeth Olympics Park with the Lea Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, VeloPark and London Aquatics easily accessible, along with Westfield shopping centre. The development around the park is on the rise, with the new East Bank cultural hub soon to include world-class experiences, including Sadler’s Wells East theatre, the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion and the V&A East Museum.

SCHOOLS

Popular and well-performing schools with an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’ or above include two local primaries, Dawlish (three minutes’ walk) and Newport (eight minutes), and Norlington Secondary & 6th Form for Boys (nine minutes). Smilers Nursery (‘Good’) is five minutes around the corner.