Palace Road, London, SW2

Split over the top floor of a handsome period building on Palace Road, this one-bedroom flat extends to around 537 sq ft, with a particularly good-sized reception room, separate kitchen, generous double bedroom, bathroom and access to an enormous communal garden at the rear. It is also being sold chain-free.

The building makes quite an entrance in its own right. Set back from the road behind a broad gravelled frontage and mature planting, the original proportions and detailing have been retained particularly well in the communal areas, where an ornate staircase, turned balustrades, decorative arch and high ceilings give the hallway real character on the way up to the flat.

Being on the top floor has some obvious advantages too: it’s quieter, the light is better, and there’s nobody living above or immediately beside you. The flat gets natural light from both traditional sash windows and rooflights, and there’s a pleasant sense of separation from the rest of the building.

The reception and dining room measures around 14'6 x 12'11 and is a lovely square room with enough space for a proper seating area and dining table. The chimney breast gives the room a natural focal point, with open shelving fitted into the alcoves on either side for books, records, artwork and all the other things that make a home feel personal. Light wood flooring runs throughout, while the white walls and simple recessed lighting keep things bright and unfussy.

At around 13'3 x 12'0, the bedroom is another very well-proportioned room. There’s space for a large bed, wardrobes and additional furniture, with built-in storage already incorporated alongside the sash window. The shape of the roof adds a little architectural interest without taking away from the usable floor area.

The kitchen is separate and measures around 7'7 x 5'8, fitted with white cabinetry, timber worktops, tiled walls, gas hob, oven and a full-height fridge freezer, there’s also a washing machine under counter, too. A rooflight sits directly overhead, bringing in plenty of daylight and giving the room a surprisingly open feel.

The bathroom sits across the hall and has a full-sized bath with shower above, pedestal basin, mirrored cabinet and tiled flooring. There is another rooflight here, so the room benefits from both natural light and ventilation.

One of the other bonuses here is the large communal garden to the rear. It’s a wide, open green space surrounded by mature trees and planting, and it is rarely used by residents. Even if it were, it’s vast, so there’ll be absolutely no jostling for space. There is plenty of room to sit out with friends, read in the sun, take a coffee downstairs or simply have a bit of green space on hand without having to maintain it yourself.

Location-wise, the flat is positioned just 0.3 miles from Tulse Hill Station, so connectivity is strong. From here, you have direct services to London Bridge & Blackfriars with journey times as low as 17 mins at times, making commuting into the City straightforward. East Croydon is also on the line, providing fast links onwards to Gatwick Airport when you need to escape.

The bigger lifestyle pull here, though, is towards Brixton, Herne Hill and Brockwell Park. Brixton is close enough to become part of normal life rather than somewhere saved for the weekend, with Brixton Village, Market Row, the Ritzy, Electric Avenue and the surrounding streets providing an ever-changing mix of independent restaurants, cafés, bars, record shops, food traders and cultural spaces.

Brockwell Park is also within easy reach and gives you a huge amount of green space without leaving this part of South London. Alongside its open lawns and mature trees, there’s Brockwell Lido, tennis courts, a playground, BMX track, ponds and the walled garden, making it as useful for an early morning swim or run as it is for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Closer to home, West Norwood and Herne Hill each bring their own cafés, pubs, restaurants and independent businesses. West Norwood in particular has a fab creative energy, with The Great North Wood, the Picturehouse cinema and library all contributing to a genuine neighbourhood feel.

Crystal Palace is typically around 11 minutes by train from Tulse Hill, opening up the park and the Triangle’s independent cafés, restaurants and bars whenever you fancy heading that way, but day to day this location feels much more connected to Brixton, Brockwell Park, Herne Hill and the wider SW2/SE24 patch.

For a first-time buyer, there’s a lot here that simply works: a proper double bedroom, enough living space to have friends over, a separate kitchen, a huge garden downstairs, strong transport links and some of South London’s best food, culture and green space close at hand. Add the fact that it is chain free and it makes for a very easy place to start putting down roots.

Some of the marketing photographs have been virtually staged to illustrate how the rooms could be furnished. Nothing material about the property, its layout, proportions or fixtures has been altered.