Azof Street Greenwich SE10

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom Victorian terraced house in popular Azof Street offers the appealing mix of period character with the peace of mind that no surprises lurk beneath the surface. That’s because its design-loving owners have meticulously and tastefully renovated every square inch of the house from top to toe, including adding beautiful kitchen and loft extensions.

The area

Azof Street was first developed just over a century ago, back when the nearby factories were churning out the undersea telegraph cables that connected Britain to the rest of the world – and these houses were built for the workers.

Then as now, proximity to the river was key. Back then, it was for trade. Now it’s for lifestyle. Azof Street is just moments from the riverfront path and the many attractions that have cropped up along it since, in central Greenwich and on the nearby Greenwich Peninsula, near The O2. But the street itself remains a charming and sought-after pocket of Victorian Greenwich. A slice of history surrounded by every modern amenity you could ask for.

The house

No. 22 sits half way along Azof Street, a no-through road for traffic with a quiet, residential feel. The house’s Victorian façade is typical of many of the houses on this street, but has been cleaned and restored. Look up and you’ll spot a new roof and two skylights, which hints to a rather special top floor that few of the neighbouring houses have.

Step inside

The current owners have given this house more than a makeover. They have, as they put it, “taken back everything and rebuilt it from the ground up”. The result is not only beautiful to live in, but highly functional, as they have thought of every way to maximise the space.
The double reception room has been opened up with a central arch to form one open-plan space, currently used as a living room and a dining room. And, as in every room throughout the house, the design and colour scheme – including elegantly earthy Farrow & Ball or Little Greene shades on the walls – creates a seamless flow from one space to the next.

Beneath the polished floorboards is enhanced insulation, which will help keep your heating bills down – along with an attractive log-burning stove and a ready stash of firewood. The large sash windows have a sense of period grandeur but all the convenience of being new and double-glazed.

From the living area, your eye is also drawn to the fully-fitted kitchen in a modern extension to the house. The exposed brick on one of the kitchen walls is a nod to the area’s industrial heritage and the central island with a marble worktop provides the perfect spot to perch while cooking, hosting friends or working from home.

Natural light flows through the roof windows and Crittall-style doors that open up to the rear garden – the perfect nook in which to enjoy a morning coffee or wind down after work with a glass of wine.
Some of the improvements made by the current owners are out of sight but similarly designed to make living here as easy as possible, including the run of cupboards in the living room that provides cleverly concealed storage space (they even manage to fit a Brompton bike in the smallest cupboard).

First floor

Many of the fittings in the house, including reclaimed radiators and fireplaces, have been sourced from local vintage specialists and reclamation yards, lending the rooms a real sense of quality and style that hasn’t simply been bought off the shelf.

In the bathroom, you have a sense of stepping back into time to an elegant era somewhere around the 1920s, with a lovely freestanding stone resin bathtub whose monochrome colours match the black and white marble basket weave floor tiles. On the wall is a mid-20th century cabinet, whose rippled glass was specially commissioned from a local factory, and the basin has a timelessly elegant grey marble surround.
Also on this floor are two bedrooms, both with floorboards painted in Farrow & Ball Old White and authentic Victorian fireplaces. The bedroom facing the rear garden makes an ideal guest room, child’s bedroom or a peaceful home office. The main bedroom, overlooking the front of the house, is both spacious and cosy, with two built-in wardrobes, double-glazed sash windows and a cast-iron vintage radiator.

Second floor

A recent addition to the house, the second floor provides an unexpected sanctuary at the top, with a spacious bedroom whose bare brick chimney breast and matt black feature wall give a cool New York loft flavour.

From the adjoining modern olive green and white-tiled shower room, you get a postcard view across to the dome of The 02 perfectly framed by a long, horizontal window. Between the two rooms is a handy storage space for the boiler and washing machine, and further cupboards in the eaves.
The vendor says: “It’s like having a hotel suite up here. It’s a lovely place to retreat to, light some candles and read or listen to music.

Transport

The property is a 15-minute walk from Maze Hill Station, with direct services to London Bridge and Cannon Street. There are also various bus routes along nearby Trafalgar Road and Blackwall Lane to take you to North Greenwich underground station, Greenwich town centre or Blackheath, or catch the river bus into central London from Greenwich Pier.

Local amenities and schools

Being close to the river is a big attraction to living in this area. Soak up the big views and fresh air and you instantly relax. Azof Street is also close to wonderful, historic riverside pub-restaurants such as Enderby House and the Cutty Sark – wonderful places to meet friends at weekends.

It’s also within a few minutes on foot to the Greenwich Centre, which includes a swimming pool and public library, and to private gyms including Novo, which includes an ice plunge pool and sauna. There are many small, independent shops, cafes and restaurants on nearby Trafalgar Road. For supermarkets, Sainsbury’s Local is a three-minute walk from the front door or there is a super-sized version, along with a large Marks & Spencer and other superstores, in nearby Charlton
Riverside.

The beauty of Azof Street’s location is its proximity to both UNESCO-heritage Greenwich town centre – whose many attractions include the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Park and a Picturehouse cinema – and the modern amenities on the Greenwich Peninsula, including a wide array of retail, dining and leisure options in and around The O2.
At weekends, take a stroll through Greenwich Park to Blackheath Village for coffee shops, artisan bakeries and a Farmer’s Market every Sunday.

Schools

Nearby primary schools include Meridian, Millennium and St Mary Madgalene, which is an all-through school until 18. The house is also within each reach of private junior and senior schools in Blackheath, including Blackheath Prep, Pointers and Blackheath High.