Pine Grove, London, N20

Pine Grove is one of Totteridge's quietest roads. Traffic is light during the day and almost non-existent at night, and what you notice most, especially first thing, is birdsong. Yew Tree House sits back from the road behind a lawned carriage driveway: a detached red brick house with sash windows, a white portico and a symmetry that feels settled rather than showy. The current owners chose it for exactly this spot. They wanted a secluded south-facing garden rather than a shaded one, a position away from the bend and the golf course side, good schools nearby and a station they could walk to, and they found it all here.

Weekday mornings start in the kitchen, with everyone getting ready, before breakfast in the dining room. St Andrew's Primary is close by, outstanding-rated Ark Pioneer Academy is a short drive, and coaches for several private schools stop on Totteridge Lane, so the school run here is about as easy as it gets. Totteridge & Whetstone station on the Northern line is under a mile away, which has made the commute into town simple, and just as easy coming home after an evening out.

The ground floor is arranged so that a family can be apart and together at the same time. The entrance hall and main reception room still have their original parquet flooring, uncovered when the owners moved in and kept ever since. That reception room is generous, at over 26 feet at its widest, and comfortably holds both a sitting and a dining area in one open, light-filled space. Doors from the hall mean it can be closed off for a quieter evening, while on the other side it opens straight onto the garden. The kitchen, fitted new by the current owners, is separate and tends to be the busiest room in the house, never more so than at Christmas. Beyond it, the second reception room has been used as a playroom, and its size and storage have meant toys and school bags stay in one place while the children stay downstairs with everyone else. A guest cloakroom completes the ground floor.

What makes the layout work so well is that both reception rooms and the kids' playroom open onto the patio. The rear windows and patio doors are new, and on a summer day, with the doors open, the house and garden become one long space for barbecues, visitors and children moving between the two. The front of the house catches the morning sun, and from late morning onwards the light moves round to the patio and garden and stays there into the evening.

Winter is just as comfortable. The boiler and every radiator were replaced when the owners moved in; the heating can run by zone or across the whole house, and secondary glazing alongside the new rear windows means the house holds its warmth well. Being able to close rooms off helps too, and the owners find they rarely need the heating between April and late October. On winter evenings the lounge, with the tree lit and the garden beyond the glass, is where most of the day tends to end.

The garden measures around 115 feet by 57 feet and faces south. Unlike many neighbours, the owners kept the mature trees along the sides and back, creating a garden that feels completely enclosed and very private, with shade where you want it and sun everywhere else. There is a broad paved terrace, a long lawn with room for football and badminton, a planted walkway beneath a timber pergola, and a children's area at the far end that has hosted a playhouse, trampoline and, in its time, a sizeable fort. The garden cabin, around 14 feet by 11 feet with power, is currently a well-used gym but would work equally well as a garden office.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms, both refitted by the current owners. The principal bedroom sits at the back, over the garden, with a walk-in wardrobe. At the front, a light, airy room overlooking the road has served as a study, and with Sky ultrafast broadband and reliable mobile signal, working from home has never been a problem; during lockdown, it felt no different from being in the office.

To the side there is a garage, and the driveway takes several cars, with potential for EV charging. The house is freehold and in council tax band H. Planning permission was previously granted to complete the L-shape at the rear and convert the loft, and buyers should make their own enquiries with Barnet Council about whether that consent remains valid or whether a new application is needed.

Weekends here lean towards the outdoors. Darland's Lake Nature Reserve is close by, and a favourite loop runs down to the pond, past St Andrew's and back via The Orange Tree for a drink, which also doubles as the local coffee stop. The Dollis Valley Brook walk is within easy reach, along with the local high street, including Waitrose, M&S, Boots, and many cafes and restaurants, plus the Three Hammers in Mill Hill, which is a short drive away.

Asked what they will miss, the owners talk about the peace and quiet, the garden, and neighbours they have genuinely liked. Most of all, though, it is the memories of bringing up two children here from the very start, and the hope that whoever comes next loves it as much as they have.