Malvern Road, London, E11

With four double bedrooms, a flexible semi-open-plan downstairs layout and cohesive, characterful décor, this warm and welcoming Victorian home offers a rare mix of space, style and location.

Inside, considered details include exposed brick walls, whitewashed original floorboards, heritage paint shades, designer wallpaper and louvred shutters. The house is also just a stone’s throw from the green expanse of Wanstead Flats, which sits between the vibrant social hubs of Leytonstone town centre and Forest Gate.

Arriving on the quiet, tree-lined residential street, you’re met by a lovely, detailed London stock brick frontage, with arched bay windows and white-painted foliage-topped columns to the entrance. A low brick wall shields a paved front garden and a pretty original Victorian tiled path, leading to a periwinkle blue front door with an urn knocker and transom.

STEP INSIDE – CURATED COMFORT

A vestibule provides a place for coats before a second glazed panelled door opens to the sun-filled dual-aspect reception.

United by sanded original floorboards and pale blush walls, the space has been cleverly zoned by a bespoke freestanding double-sided birch ply bookcase, creating two separate areas for relaxation. Alternatively, it could easily be used as a single, wonderfully open-plan area.

Light floods in through rear timber-framed French doors and a wide bay (with full-height louvred shutters and a curved radiator beneath) to the front. Considered details include ceiling roses with pendant fittings, an elegant pair of brass-and-marble disc sconce wall lights, and an original cast-iron fireplace with an exposed concrete hearth – an introduction to the tactile, natural materials seen throughout the home.

Step into the kitchen, where the floorboards transition to polished-slate-look charcoal tiles. Along with a side-facing window and views to the garden through anthracite aluminium French doors, a sage green feature wall helps bring the outside in and provides the perfect backdrop for a thriving plant collection.

Pale Shaker-style cabinetry with chrome cup handles and knobs pairs with a black granite worktop and a glossy white metro tiled splashback. There’s also a wide ceramic one-and-a-half-bowl sink and drainer with a chrome mixer tap, a ribbed globe pendant, and a vertical column-style radiator.

Appliances include a black Rangemaster five-ring gas range with an integrated extractor, an integrated Hotpoint dishwasher, a Bosch fridge freezer and a washing machine. The boiler is discreetly housed here too.

Head upstairs via a staircase with dramatic dark grey-painted bannisters, white treads and pink risers to the first floor. Original floorboards begin again here, this time with a practical whitewashed finish, and flow into the primary bedroom at the front.

South-facing, with a peaceful feel, dusky pink paintwork provides the perfect foil for a beautiful exposed-brick feature wall, softened with limewash. A single window and a wide bay with full-height louvred shutters drink in the light. You’ll also find a modern radiator and a white industrial-style pendant light.

The second double bedroom adjacent shares a similar décor scheme, with pink walls to picture rail height. A window looks out to the side return courtyard, while soft cream carpet runs underfoot, and a modern radiator and pendant fitting bring light and warmth.

To the rear of the house, enjoying views out of the garden, the natural theme continues in the third double bedroom. Fabulous ‘Glasshouse Flora’ wallpaper by Graham & Brown envelops two walls, while the remaining pair – and the radiator – have been painted the same sage green used downstairs, pairing nicely with the whitewashed floorboards.

You’ll find the family bathroom in the centre of the plan. White hexagon penny mosaic floor tiles and glossy white metro tiles on the walls have been laid with contrasting charcoal grout, and provide the backdrop to a bath with a rainfall shower and rustic reclaimed-wood panelling. A close-coupled loo and Burlington wall-mounted basin with traditional-style chrome taps complete the suite.

A second staircase with distressed whitewashed treads leads to the second, converted loft floor suite, where playful ochre stripe ‘Hackney Empire’ wallpaper by House of Hackney pairs with both pale grey and exposed brick feature walls. The dual-aspect space is lit by a wide garden-facing window with Venetian blinds and a pair of Velux windows to the front. There’s also access to handy storage in the eaves.

The en suite bathroom is tiled to match the family bathroom. It includes a shower with a folding glass screen, a Burlington wall-hung basin, and a close-coupled loo, beneath a rear-facing window.

OUTDOORS – BLOOM, DINE AND UNWIND

Extending 29 feet, the garden features three separate zones – two good-sized paved patios, ideal for entertaining, both close to the house and to the rear, and a lawn ready to receive new turf in the spring. Sleeper-edged borders are filled with mature plants, including olive, Wisteria, jasmine, peonies, chocolate vine, passionflower, Ceanothus, Choisya (Mexican orange), Camellia and hellebores.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘We have loved living in this house for the past 12 years, it’s been a truly happy home for our family. It’s a spacious, comfortable and welcoming place, perfect for everyday life as well as entertaining friends and family. Over the years we’ve invested a lot of care into improving the house, particularly creating the open-plan living space, which has been the heart of our home and something we will really miss.

The location has been just as special. Davies Lane School is just around the corner, which has been fantastic, and we’re only moments from Wanstead Flats - ideal for long walks, fresh air and feeling close to nature.

The street itself has a wonderful sense of community. The neighbours are friendly and supportive, with an active WhatsApp group where everyone looks out for one another. It’s a place that genuinely feels like home, and we hope the next owners will love it here as much as we have.’

GETTING AROUND

Leytonstone High Road (Suffragette line – Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside) is just a five-minute walk. Meanwhile, Central line services run from Leytonstone Tube (11 minutes). The Elizabeth line from Forest Gate, which is reachable by foot in 28 minutes, will take you to Stratford in four minutes, Bond Street in 21 minutes, and London Paddington in 25 minutes.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Set on the edge of Leytonstone and within striking distance of Forest Gate, Malvern Road offers the best of both neighbourhoods. Enjoy exploring the area's thriving food and drink scene, whether sampling excellent food and wine at Joyau, amazing bakes at Wild Goose Bakery, or coffee at Tamping Grounds and Back to Ours. Leytonstone Tavern (just around the corner), The Holly Tree, and Wanstead Tap are lively and friendly local pubs, as is The Rookwood Village pub, with its stylish interior, deck, and electronic darts.

Alternatively, pick up lunch from Yard Sale Pizza to fuel a ramble around Jubilee Pond and Wanstead Flats – wonderful, wild outdoor spaces, whatever the season. Wanstead Flats is a popular spot for local games and recreational sports, and hosts a parkrun every Saturday. With the Olympic Park, canals, and Hackney Marshes a short distance away, there's plenty more to explore on your doorstep.

Our local sellers also recommend Good Shepherd Studios – a community cultural space with creative arts, Pilates, and children’s events; The Pastures Youth Centre for sports; and The Can Club, a lovely café for children and parents.

SCHOOLS

Local schools rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted include Davies Lane Primary (five minutes) and Acacia Nursery School (nine minutes). George Tomlinson Primary (Good) is an eight-minute walk, while Connaught School for Girls and Buxton Secondary (also rated ‘Good’) are also within walking distance.