Stamford Hill Mansions, Stamford Hill, London N16

Stretching to over 1,000 sq ft, this bright three-bedroom apartment lies on the third floor of a handsome mansion block in Stamford Hill, Hackney. It has been subject to a complete refurbishment by the current owners, who have paired a palette of pale blues, calamine pinks and deep yellows with oak flooring. Extending from the kitchen is a private west-facing balcony, a delightful spot for outdoor dinners. The apartment is well-placed for the shops, bars, restaurants and green spaces of Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington and Clapton.

Setting the Scene

Stamford Hill has a fascinating history, where the echoes of the Roman era still resonate today. Centred around renowned Ermine Street, a major thoroughfare stretching from Bishopsgate to Royston, the area has witnessed centuries of vibrant trade. The area retained a largely rural character until the late 19th century, with the arrival of the railway and the tram system. Stamford Hill was a busy interchange, at the point where the tram line coming north from the City met the Hackney tram line, ushering in a new era of prosperity and urban growth.

The Stamford Hill Mansions is a single-level, purpose-built block built in c.1920. At the front of the building, a pair of panelled doors open to a communal hallway, where stairs rise to this apartment’s private third-floor entrance.

The Grand Tour

The apartment takes a lateral arrangement, with living spaces branching from a hallway that runs the length of the plan. Here, engineered oak parquet floors run underfoot, and broad, reeded-glass transom lights draw light into the space. Oak floors continue in the living room and the kitchen, creating a cohesive palette across the plan.

The living room, at the front of the apartment, is bright and voluminous. It has high ceilings and three expansive sash windows that frame green views of the London plane trees in the communal gardens. The walls, cornices, skirting boards and window shutters are washed in powder blue, and there is a built-in cabinetry on one side of the room.

Designed by Anniken Shwartz of Plain English, the kitchen has a peninsula bench arrangement. Walls washed in ‘Gamboge’ by Paint and Paper Library, a colour that pairs elegantly with ‘Drakensberg’ grey kitchen cabinets by British Standard. Finished with fossil stone work surfaces, custom fitted by Euromarble Stone merchants.

The kitchen is also fitted with a deep butler sink from Kohler and Rudge and Co brass fixtures. There is also a four-ring Lacanche range cooker set with decorative tiles from Balenium. Open shelves provide useful storage for pots, pans and jars of herbs and spices. A door opens from the kitchen to a private balcony, perfectly positioned for dining outdoors.

Three bedrooms lie along the hallway, all with large sash windows with timber shutters, built-in wardrobes and pale pink colour schemes. One of the bedrooms is currently arranged as a study, and all have windows facing quiet Holmleigh Road.

A spacious bathroom is at the end of the hall. It has a pair of sash windows, and the room is lined with reissued archival wallpaper, ‘Belton Scenic Pavilion’ from Little Green. Soft tonal tiles are from Balenium and Marlborough. On one side of the room is a ceramic washstand; on the other, there is a free-standing roll-top bathtub and a Burlington shower unit.

The Great Outdoors

A four-panelled door with a reeded-glass transom light opens to a west-facing balcony, where Balau hardwood decking and trellis meet with creeping wisteria. Railings, painted to match the mustard yellow hues of the kitchen, are topped with a thick chamfered Balau hardwood and matching boards. There is space for a bistro table and chairs, making it an ideal spot to enjoy the evening light.

There are communal gardens at the front of the building, with lawned areas and borders filled with privet hedging.

Out and About

Stamford Hill Mansions is a 15-minute walk to much-loved Stoke Newington Church Street, home to Spence Bakery, Whole Foods, Rasa, The Good Egg, Shrine to the Vine and many other culinary delights. The Jolly Butchers pub is at the end of Garnham Street and is something of a local institution, specialising in craft beer and excellent pub food.

The apartment is a 10-minute walk from Abney Park, one of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden cemeteries. The park’s 13 hectares of woodland were planted as an arboretum by the Victorian horticulturalists. Now recognised as a Local Nature Reserve, the park is home to veteran trees, a variety of wild plants and flowers, and a remarkable diversity of insects and fungi. Newer opening Abney Park Café serves breakfast and lunch and hosts supper clubs throughout the year.

Clissold Park is slightly further afield and encompasses a children’s playground, tennis courts, a bowling green and a paddling pool. Fink’s Pump House is the go-to for takeaway coffee, sandwiches and soft-serve ice cream.

Stoke Newington Overground station is nearby and provides quick access to Liverpool Street via the Weaver line. There are also local bus routes into the West End and the City.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease Length: Approx. 993 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £2600 per annum
Ground Rent: n/a
Council Tax Band: D