Twickenham Road, Leytonstone, London, E11

Moments from Francis Road with its eclectic mix of shops and eateries and only a 15-minute walk from Overground services, this cosy and colourful Abraham maisonette is a great mix of both looks and location. Inside, period proportions meet bright, contemporary décor to form a backdrop to two double bedrooms, a modern kitchen and bathroom, and a separate living/dining room. An enclosed, low-maintenance garden completes this lovely Victorian home.

Over the past few years, thoughtful updates have enhanced the generous interior space, such as stripping back the doors and replacing the handles; installing a new boiler and refreshing the paintwork throughout.

Arriving at the property, step through a  metal gate and follow the traditional black and terracotta tiled pathway past a high hedge and olive tree in the front garden, to a traditional, recessed front door.

INSIDE – COLOURFUL CHARM

Glazed inset panels and a transom help to illuminate the hallway, which features green walls by Lick Paint, integrated storage, and wood-effect laminate flooring that flows into the living/dining room ahead.

You’ll discover an inviting primary bedroom on your right, currently set up as an elegant living room. Here, a canted bay lightens the rich-toned wood-effect laminate and Valspar ‘Urbane’ inky blue walls; while the white picture rails and coved celing emphasise the ample headroom. The current owners tell us the room gets beautiful afternoon light and sunset views, yet feels wonderfully private thanks to the hedge outside.

Behind, the second double bedroom - spacious enough to be currently used as the primary - overlooks the garden. Painted dove grey, it comes with a large IKEA freestanding wardrobe that complements the flooring and shelving to the alcove.

Carry on into a living/dining room, which sits at the centre of the home. Here, a large side-facing window and modern black multi-arm chandelier illuminate the walls (painted in Taupe 03 by Lick in collaboration with Soho House), enhancing the feeling of warmth, openness and flow, even in the colder months. Besides space for a good-sized table beneath the window, you’ll find wooden shelves with contrasting black brackets, an integrated recessed storage cupboard, and space for a desk next to the chimney breast.

An attractive, galley-style kitchen lies beyond. Subtle pale tones to the sleek glossy cabinetry and worktop blend nicely with the large blush travertine-style floor tiles and splashback. A burst of Wickes ‘Moon Shadow’ blue draws the eye to the smartly part-obscured casement window overlooking the garden greenery. Meanwhile, a stainless steel 1.5-bowl sink chimes with a matching extactor hood, Cooke & Lewis gas hob and a Baumatic oven. There’s also space for a freestanding fridge-freezer and a washing machine.

The luxurious tiling and blue accents continue in the adjacent bathroom, which you can access through a lobby opening onto the side return. A frosted window offers light and privacy above a wall-hung blue vanity unit fitted with a Watersmith tap, while a chrome heated towel rail and a mirror sit conveniently beside. Tucked under an alcove, the bath also features a glass screen and a shower attachment. A modern close-coupled loo completes the suite.

OUTSIDE – SUNNY SPOT

Head outside onto the side return to find a pretty courtyard with bespoke planters. The lower section of the exterior brickwork has been painted white to complement the blue-grey painted fencing that surrounds the garden, which extends to the rear.

Slate chippings lead to a raised deck (built three years ago with treated timber), with an established fig tree and paper plant increasing the sense of privacy and adding a touch of Mediterranean style. The current owners tell us the sun hits the southeast-facing garden from early morning until late afternoon, lingering until it sets over the neighbouring flats.

A NOTE FROM THE OWNERS

‘We love the natural light and peace and quiet here. The garden is a great place to host friends or just chill out with a good book – we spent the whole summer in the garden once we had completed it, drinking wine and cooking on the BBQ or pizza oven. The flat has a really relaxed vibe, while still being in a gorgeous neighborhood – you don't need to leave the area at the weekend if you don't want to. There is everything on your doorstep, which is a great break from heading into the city for work in the week. If it wasn't for us completely relocating, we would definitely be staying.’

GETTING AROUND

With numerous local transport options, including several bus routes that stop on Grove Green Road, the property is exceptionally well-connected. Equidistant between Leytonstone Leyton (both 14 minutes’ walk) Tube stations and close to Leytonstone High Road Overground (17 mins), you can make short work of getting into Central London and Canary Wharf, as well as for trips to Camden, Hackney, Hampstead, and Stratford.

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Twickenham Road – a friendly, community-minded street – is just a couple of minutes’ walk from the wonderful village scene on Francis Road, with shops, bars and delis including Marmelo Kitchen for coffee and fresh bread, Yardarm for lunch or dinner and a fantastic wine shop, Phlox bookstore and Edie Rose florist. Events are regularly held on the road, from the recent ‘Francis Road Lates’ featuring food trucks, cocktails, and discos for the kids, to Halloween parties and Christmas carols.

Several great pubs – the Red Lion, The Northcote, Heathcote & Star and The Filly Brook – as well as High Road Leytonstone’s pubs and cafés, are all within a short wander.

The current owners particularly love grabbing a coffee at Tamping Grounds or browsing the local sellers at the Saturday morning Kerb market, and they recommend ‘unreal’ ice-cream shop Chunk Provisions, Swirl wine bar and fun cocktail spot Leyton Calling. Other local owners also rate breakfast, lunch and coffee at Unity Café; the excellent fish and chips (including gluten-free options) at Chris’ Fish Bar; The Olive for Turkish food and flamenco nights; and the delicious fare at Mum Likes Thai Food. They also love the friendly vibe at Studio M reformer Pilates studio next to Leytonstone High Road station.

There are several local parks in the area, as well as good running routes that lead to Hackney Marshes, Wanstead Flats (where you can drop by Back to Ours for fresh coffee and pastries), and Epping Forest. For local walks, head to Hollow Ponds or Walthamstow Marshes and Wetlands, both nearby. Also worth visiting are Brewster Road Park (adjacent to a community garden), Harrow Playing Fields, Jubilee Pond, Victoria Park, Hackney Bumps Skate Park and Sidmouth Park.

Alternatively, head to Stratford for retail therapy at Westfield and enjoy the wide-open spaces in Queen Elizabeth Park. The development around the park is on the rise, with the new East Bank cultural hub opening up world-class cultural experiences, including Sadler’s Wells East theatre, the BBC, UAL’s London College of Fashion and the V&A East Museum.

SCHOOLS

Several well-performing local schools and numerous nurseries are close by, including Newport Primary (four minutes on foot, Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’). The area is well-located for sought-after activities and groups for babies, children, and parents. Norlington School and 6th Form and Connaught School for Girls (both Ofsted ‘Good’) are also a seven- and 11-minute walk away, respectively.