Shirley Road, Roath, Cardiff

A thoughtful eye for colour and texture defines this Edwardian house on tree-lined Shirley Road. Set within the Roath Park Conservation Area, its carefully curated interiors retain the generous proportions and decorative detail of the period, with timber sash windows drawing light through the rooms as the day moves from morning sun at the rear to a warm evening glow at the front.

There is a pleasing variety to the accommodation: a bay-fronted living room, a separate snug and a solid timber kitchen, with five bedrooms across the upper floors. An office and store room occupy the lower-ground level, while an established garden sits behind the house. The cafés, galleries and independent shops around Wellfield Road are close by, as are Roath’s gardens and lake.

Setting the Scene

Shirley Road forms part of a neighbourhood shaped by Cardiff’s growth around the turn of the twentieth century. Its houses are understood to date from around 1905, and the street takes its name from Lewis Vincent Shirley, solicitor to both the Marquess of Bute and the Mackintosh estate.

Here, a prominent clay-tile-hung cross gable gives the house a distinctive silhouette. Below, mature shrubs sit behind an original Pennant stone wall capped with substantial natural coping stones, lending an established feel to the approach.

The Grand Tour

The original front door opens into a hallway where patterned floor tiles run beneath high ceilings and decorative cornicing. Light enters through the door and fanlight, picking out the original joinery and tall skirting boards. At the foot of the staircase, a dark timber newel post is a particularly fine detail, its carved roundels and reeded shaft offering a first glimpse of the craftsmanship retained throughout.

The living room occupies the front of the house. Tall, double-glazed timber sash windows follow the bay, bringing afternoon and evening light across the timber floor. An imposing fireplace anchors the room, with gold-toned marbling across its dark surround and substantial corbels beneath the mantel.

Behind is the snug, a more intimate room with original floorboards and a fireplace set within the chimney breast. Separate from the front reception room, it offers a comfortable place to read or settle in for the evening.

The kitchen has an equally tactile character. Solid timber, in-frame Shaker cabinetry is topped with stone, and a floor-to-ceiling pantry provides generous storage. A range cooker sits within the original chimney breast, allowing the room’s existing architecture to shape its present use. A large shower room is also arranged on this floor.

The staircase rises to the first-floor bedrooms. At the front, the main bedroom takes in the evening sun through a bay of timber sash windows. Raw lime plaster walls give the room a quiet, textured quality, while a retained fireplace and chimney breast preserve its period character.

Three further bedrooms occupy this level, including a rear room overlooking the garden, alongside a family bathroom and an en suite shower room. Above, the fifth bedroom sits within the attic, with views towards Roath Park.

On the lower-ground floor, an office offers some separation from the main household spaces. A store room and an additional WC complete the accommodation.

The interiors have been carefully assembled by the current owner, and there is an option to purchase selected furnishings by separate agreement.

The Great Outdoors

The east-facing rear garden catches the morning sun, with mature shrubs and established planting creating a private setting behind the house. Its greenery provides a soft outlook from the rear rooms.

A timber gate leads onto the back lane, where colourful murals have turned the alleyway behind Shirley Road into an unexpected expression of neighbourhood creativity. Whimsical scenes exploring nature, community and connection give this shared space a character of its own.

Out and About

Roath’s independent spirit is evident in its galleries, studios and places to eat. TEN and Celf contribute to the local arts scene, while Cardiff Pottery Workshops’ Roath studio offers opportunities to spend time making.

Wellfield Road is close by, with independent shops, cafés and bakeries that lend themselves to everyday visits. Ty Melin is a local stop for baked goods, while Sibling brings together speciality coffee and wine, carrying the neighbourhood’s sociable rhythm from daytime into the evening.

For time outdoors, Roath’s recreation ground, tennis courts, rose gardens, pleasure gardens and lake offer a choice of routes and activities close to home. Together, these green spaces and the surrounding creative community make this a particularly engaging corner of Cardiff.