Albert Road, Leyton, London, E10

Set on a friendly, tree-lined street on the much sought-after Abrahams Estate, this light, spacious and classically beautiful Victorian first-floor maisonette is just moments from the thriving Francis Road and within easy reach of great transport links and green spaces.

One of 500 homes designed by local developer J G Abraham in the late 1800s, this purpose-built maisonette has a unique sunny balcony and its own private southeast-facing garden and has been extended into the loft to create a third double bedroom with en suite.

Decorated in a warm palette of Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Lick paint shades, the property has been sensitively renovated for modern comfort while respecting the building’s heritage. In recent years, a new kitchen and bathroom have been fitted, the windows have been replaced with period-appropriate UPVC sashes, the internal doors have been updated, new faceplates have been added to sockets and switches, and column-style radiators have been installed.

The property has a classic Victorian exterior of London Stock brickwork and colonnaded bay windows. It greets you with a terracotta tiled path leading to a recessed front porch. You’ll find your private front door to the right.

STEP INSIDE – LIGHT FANTASTIC

Step through into a sunny reception hall with its green patterned Encaustic Otto tiles and walls in Shadow White by Farrow & Ball. The space is illuminated by a tall front-facing window. There’s a radiator and space to store your coat and shoes. Take the staircase (with its sanded treads and grey carpet runner) to the first floor.

The living room lies to the front of the house, where light spills in from a large bay window. The current owners tell us it’s particularly lovely when the sun hits in the late afternoon and early evening, highlighting the neutral walls (painted in Lick Beige 01) and warm-toned sanded original floorboards. A brass-framed fireplace is flanked by bespoke shelves and cabinets in the alcoves, while a column-style radiator and a modern brass and opal glass globe chandelier are further well-considered design details.

Behind, the floorboards continue into the primary bedroom, which looks out to the garden via a tall sash window. The walls are cosy Fresh Plaster pink by Craig & Rose, and there’s another attractive column-style radiator and an inbuilt period wardrobe.

The second, single bedroom sits beside the living room. Currently used as a nursery, it would also work well as a home office. There’s a new sash window and grey carpet, and the walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Dimity.

Returning to the landing and stepping down towards the rear, you’ll find a recently renovated bathroom with off-white elongated wall tiles and blue Alalpardo geometric floor tiles by Bert & May. The room is colour-drenched in Lick Pink 01, and there’s a bath with rainfall shower, a basin with a dark blue vanity and traditional-style chrome taps, and a close-coupled loo. 

The hallway continues past a useful bank of full-height storage cupboards with birch ply fronts. A four-panelled reeded glazed door opens to the dining kitchen, where cabinets with Naked Doors fronts in Baked Cley are paired with a Frozen Terra Caesarstone worktop and upstand. Lit by a side-facing window and tall French doors, the oak engineered herringbone flooring and walls in Hollyhock by Little Greene add warmth to the scheme while brass Pooky café-style wall lights create a cheerful atmosphere for cooking and entertaining.

There’s a deep butler-style sink with a brass mixer tap. Integrated appliances include a Hisense oven and Bosch induction hob with a concealed overhead extractor, a Beko fridge-freezer, a Blomberg dishwasher and a Beko washing machine.

A second staircase on the landing leads to the loft floor – a light and airy extended space, which has been thoughtfully configured to make the most of every inch. The double bedroom is painted in Lick Beige 03 with white painted floorboards and enjoys rooftop views through a wide casement window (with a modern radiator beneath). Inbuilt cupboards and wardrobes provide ample room for clothes.

Running along one side of the room, a large eaves space gives extra hidden storage. A four-panelled door opens to the en suite. It has grey floor tiles, white paintwork and white wall tiling. There’s a shower, basin and concealed cistern loo beneath a frosted garden-facing window.

OUTDOORS – SECRET GARDEN

The kitchen doors open out to a good-sized balcony terrace. Unusual for Abrahams properties (and the only one visible in the area) it’s ideal for entertaining or simply enjoying a morning coffee in the sun.

An external staircase then leads down to the L-shaped 68-foot garden, where a flagstone paved area under the stairs includes a storage shed and – cleverly – an outbuilding housing the boiler. Southeast-facing and bathed in sunshine throughout the day, a decked seating area then steps down to a grassy lawn, where a sleeper-edged planter is filled with jasmine that climbs up the grey-painted timber fencing.

To the rear, you’ll find a second, more shaded flagstone paved patio, with a storage shed and – tucked away to one side – a bespoke timber bench with inbuilt planters filled with bamboo and yucca. It’s the perfect, private, secret spot for reading and relaxing.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘We’ve really enjoyed putting every part of our home together – selecting all the paint colours, flooring and even light switches to create a peaceful space. Our flat is fairly unique to the Abrahams style with its generously sized kitchen, and we’re incredibly lucky to have the balcony in addition to a larger (and L-shaped) garden. It’s the only balcony we can see in our area, and it’s brilliant to open up the kitchen doors and extend the room in summer – we’ve loved hosting friends and family there over the years. We have also been lucky to have some great neighbours, and many have turned into lifelong friends.’

GETTING AROUND

Albert Road is around a 13-minute walk from Leytonstone Tube on the Central line or 19 minutes to Leyton Tube. Alternatively, hop on the Overground at Leyton Midland Road (11 minutes) or Leytonstone High Road (16 minutes). For journeys further afield, Stratford International and Walthamstow Central are within easy reach.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Francis Road is at the end of the street, offering a wonderful collection of delis, coffee spots, and independent shops. Head to Yardarm for bread and wine, Marmelo for delicious dining, Pause for yoga, and Phlox for books. There’s a vibrant local community with several excellent pubs, including the Leyton Engineer and the Heathcote & Star, as well as Gravity Well Brewing and cocktail bars such as Chop Shop Tavern and Leyton Calling. Try Filly Brook for delicious small plates and cocktails.

Also recommended are CP Home Kitchen for Asian-style home cooking; Tamping Grounds, Peaky Blenders, Tun Cafe and Unity Cafe for coffee; Bread & Oregano for Greek gyros; Zaxx for great Korean bibimbap; Homies on Donkeys for delicious tacos; Figo or Bocca Bocca for quintessential Italian; Burnt Smokehouse for smoked meats; and Deeney’s for amazing haggis toasties.

It’s just a short stroll to both the Leyton County Cricket Ground and Coronation Gardens Park, and you’re also perfectly placed to enjoy the green spaces of Olympic Park, Hackney Wick, and Wanstead Flats. The current owners particularly love visiting the peaceful Wanstead Park, as well as Sidmouth and Abbots Parks, and going for walks around nearby Hollow Ponds.

SCHOOLS

There is a range of good nurseries, schools, and academies nearby, with Newport Primary (rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted) just five minutes down the road, Norlington School & Sixth Form (rated good) just two minutes away, and George Mitchell All-Through School (Early Years, Primary & Secondary, rated ‘Good’) reachable in 18 minutes.