This is a home that understands the rhythms of family life. While many properties are stripped back to open-plan boxes, this house retains a distinct, practical layout that allows a growing family to be together when it counts, and separate when it’s needed.

The kitchen is the undisputed hub of the day. It is big enough not just for cooking, but for a proper dining table where the morning rush is managed and where everyone reconvenes for dinner at 6pm. It’s a room that handles real life effortlessly, whether that’s the post-school homework debrief or hosting fifteen people for a party. Crucially, the owners chose to keep the living room separate. It’s a decision that pays off in the evenings, offering a quiet, dedicated space for adults to decompress, watch TV, or listen to music while the rest of the house settles down.

Comfort here is easily managed. Having moved from a draftier period property in Hampstead Garden Suburb, the owners found this home noticeably easier and cheaper to keep warm. With a modern boiler, Hive smart controls, and double glazing, it retains heat well in winter, while the wooden floors downstairs make keeping things clean, even with a dog and children, remarkably stress-free.

Outside, the garden feels far more secluded than you might expect for London. Because it backs onto established trees and green space rather than another row of houses, it offers genuine privacy. It’s a productive space, too, yielding kilos of redcurrants and blueberries in the summer. The sun hits around mid-morning and stays until the early evening, perfect for coffee on the bench or simply opening the back doors to let the air in.

The location strikes that difficult balance between connectivity and calm. You are close enough to the city for an easy commute to London Bridge, but far enough out to avoid the noise. The weekend routine here is gentle, with walks in Friary Park or Swan Lane, coffee at The French Market, or a Sunday roast at The Bohemia. For the school run, there are several primary schools nearby. It is a settled, friendly neighbourhood where people know each other, and it’s that sense of community the current owners will miss the most.