Beautifully decorated and full of light, this lovely four-bedroom Victorian house is set on a tree-lined residential street, within minutes of good schools, the green expanses of Lea Valley Park and the Olympic Park, and both Tube and Overground services.

Inside, you’ll find sensitively updated period features – including fabulous cast-iron radiators and new sash windows – alongside pretty tiles, stylish brass sockets and switches, louvred shutters and plenty of bespoke details, including wall panelling and made-to-measure storage. 

With a London Stock brick frontage, the house features white-painted decorative stonework to the bay window. Shielded from the street by a basketweave brick wall and a scrolled iron gate, a traditional terracotta tiled path leads to an arched recessed porch and a forest green front door, with leaded glazing and a transom window. 

STEP INSIDE – LAYERED COLOUR, LIGHT AND CHARACTER

Step into an internal porch area before a dusky terracotta door with tactile brass knob (seen throughout) opens into the airy open-plan double reception room. 

A versatile space with white-painted floorboards and plaster pink ‘Masquerade Little Greene’ walls, the room is lit by a wide bay window fitted with full-height tier-on-tier louvred shutters. Bespoke storage and shelving picked out in metallic bronze alcoves to the front and rear, framing a chimney breast with a rendered fireplace. Other details include a wonderful antique brass cast-iron radiator with vintage-style valves as well as useful panelled storage under the stairs. 

Continue down a step to find the family bathroom on your right. With Berkley teal blue Victorian-style patterned floor tiles, white walls, and large white tiles laid in brick formation, this relaxing space features a luxurious corner bath with a shower. There’s also a blue storage vanity with a chrome mixer tap and a close-coupled loo.

The extended kitchen runs the full width of the rear of the house. Bright and sunny, with light from a pair of skylights, a casement window, and French doors that open to the garden. Whisper pink modern shaker-style cabinetry contrasts nicely with mint green metro splashback tiles, a wood-effect laminate worktop, and a charcoal grey tiled floor. 

There’s a stainless-steel sink and drainer with a chrome mixer tap beneath the window, while integrated appliances include a Bosch oven, a Samsung induction hob with concealed overhead extractor, an integrated Bosch dishwasher, Bosch double fronted fridge freezer and integrated Bosch washing machine. The boiler is also housed here, controlled by a Google Nest. 

Returning to the living room, take a white-painted staircase with a navy-trimmed neutral carpet runner to the first floor, where the doors to the bedrooms are tonally matched to the restful, powder blue Little Greene walls. 

Bathed in soft, filtered light from two sash windows with louvred shutters, the primary bedroom features elegant panelling on the calming, ‘Farrow & Ball Dimity’ painted walls for added interest. The original floorboards have been sanded and restored. There’s also a long white cast-iron radiator (sprayed in Farrow & Ball Pointing paint to match the ceiling and add subtle contrast to the walls) and a pendant light fitting. 

Beyond is the second double bedroom, lit by a tall sash window, with a green accent wall and a bespoke sage Roman blind that echoes the leafy garden views outside. There’s also a cast-iron radiator, wall panelling that continues across the bespoke, full-height fitted wardrobe, and an oatmeal-coloured carpet underfoot.

Currently used as a fantastic dressing room, the third bedroom sits towards the rear and includes built-in bespoke storage rails and drawers. The walls here are white, and a sash window looks out to the garden. 

Take a second staircase with oak treads and integrated storage to the second floor. Here, you’ll find a large, dual-aspect double bedroom with both a rear-facing casement and a pair of anthracite-framed Velux windows, all fitted with bespoke black-out blinds. White walls pair with oak engineered floorboards, and there’s a modern radiator. 

A door leads to the en suite, decorated to match the family bathroom. Lit by a large Velux window, it contains a walk-in rainfall shower with a sliding glass screen; a glass countertop basin with an oak shelf vanity and chrome mixer tap; a close-coupled loo; and a chrome heated towel rail radiator.

OUTDOORS – A REFINED BACKDROP FOR OUTDOOR LIVING

The 60-foot, south-facing garden feels pleasingly private, thanks to attractive slatted timber fencing. A veritable sun trap, the grey granite-style patio with black tiled border is ideal for barbecues, and leads to a grassy lawn bordered by a flower bed. To the rear, a full-width, large timber shed provides plenty of storage. There’s also an outdoor tap with a hose. 

GETTING AROUND

Downsell Road is conveniently located just minutes from the many shops, eateries, and amenities of High Road Leyton and just a seven-minute walk from Leyton Underground, which runs Central line services into the City and West End, Canary Wharf, and South Bank via the Jubilee line from Stratford. Just one stop away, Stratford hosts the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park and serious retail therapy at Westfield. You can also reach Stratford on foot in around 20 minutes.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Closer to home, you’ll find a couple of parks and recreation grounds, including Drapers Field (at the end of the road) and popular Langthorne Park (11 mins’ walk), which has a playground, tennis courts, café, toy library, and regular activities. You’re also incredibly close to Olympic Park, which has a giant sandpit, a café with a children's area and an adventure playground, as well as lots of great restaurants and more coming soon. 

Hackney Marshes and the Lea Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre are also easily accessible, with Jubilee Pond and Wanstead Flats lying just slightly further afield, forming the southernmost tip of Epping Forest.

You’re spoilt for eating and drinking in the area, with local favourites including Deeney's Scottish street food café (renowned for its famous haggis toasties); Darkhorse restaurant bar at The Olympic Village; the many options for a drink at Hackney Wick, especially Crate; and ice cream from La Gelateria at Stratford East Village, whatever the weather.

Local sellers often recommend The Leyton Star (three minutes’ walk) for fantastic roast dinners, Leytonstone Tavern for burgers, The Holly Tree pub, with its kids’ train, and Heathcote & Star for its Krapow! Thai residency. They also love Figo or Bocca Bocca for pizza, as well as cocktails and small plates at Filly Brook.

High Road Leytonstone is just a 10-minute walk to the east and offers even more choices, with restaurants and shops including Panda Dim Sum. Meanwhile, a swift 20-minute stroll will take you to the bustling Francis Road, with its fantastic collection of independent shops, relaxed cafés, delis, and craft beer shops.

SCHOOLS

Downsell Primary School (Ofsted rated ‘Good’) is just four minutes down the road. There are several nurseries and pre-schools on your doorstep, too.