Sited in a leafy corner of southeast London, close to major road and public transport connections but with a serene suburban feel, this 1930s semi-detached home has been the subject of a unique and considered contemporary renovation. Offered chain-free, there is no other home like it in this corner of south London.
Designed to meet the practical needs of family life while offering a modern, minimalist aesthetic, the interior of the three-bedroom property was stripped back to brick in early 2018 before being entirely refurbished over the course of two years. The resulting approx. 2000 sq ft home benefits from new plaster and paintwork throughout, completely new wiring and plumbing, a landscaped garden and a reconfigured internal layout that wonderfully maximizes light and space. The property is aligned east-west and receives full sunlight in the garden and throughout the house from daybreak to dusk.
Ground floor
The current owners transformed a traditional 1930s ground-floor layout of smaller, separate rooms into a flowing, loft-inspired open-plan space with large, well-defined areas for sitting, socialising, dining and cooking.
At the rear of the space, the kitchen and dining areas open fully onto the garden by means of custom-made 3m-wide oak-and-aluminium bifold doors (one of which is set above a bespoke wooden windowseat).
The ground floor also benefits from plumbed underfloor heating and custom-made Danish-oiled birch-ply flooring throughout. All internal door fittings throughout the house are matt-black architectural models by Karcher Design, while all light-switches and power sockets are flat-plate steel models, adding to the high-end feel.
Sitting area
Seating area with non-working fireplace (though the chimney is open and could accommodate a wood-burning stove). Approx. 2.7m-long custom-made white-painted bookshelves and two ceiling lights.
Dining area
Large (approx. 5 x 5m) space with space enough for an 8/10-seater dining table, playmat or yoga mat, additional seating etc. Three large (2 x 1.1m) recessed architectural skylights maximize sunlight at all times of day. Designer extending wall light and halogen spotlights.
Kitchen
5 linear metres of kitchen cabinets and grey, honed-concrete worktop sit beneath Italian-made black designer tiles and custom oak shelving (not visible in images - very recent addition).
The kitchen benefits from an integrated oven and microwave combi-oven (with approx. 3 years left on the warranties), a custom birch-ply shelving unit with integrated lighting, a Samsung American freestanding fridge-freezer with plumbed water and ice, a Franke boiling/filtered water tap, designer wall and ceiling lights, and a large (2.4 x 1m) kitchen island. It also offers custom ply plinths and end panels, a subtle feature-wall painted with lime paint, and a custom wooden windowseat with hidden storage.
Hallway
The hallway opens directly onto the living space, and contains a wide staircase clad in birch ply to match the flooring and custom ply fittings found elsewhere in the house. There is a custom ply balustrade and the previous cupboard under the stairs was removed entirely to optimise the sense and flow of space.
Boot room and utility room
The converted integral garage contains a spacious boot-room with String shelving plus a separate utility room with WC, sink, washer-dryer and water-softener – as well as space for a clothes-drier, ironing board etc. The Vaillant boiler was purchased new in 2018.
First floor
The first floor offers the same custom-made birch-ply flooring as the ground floor, with no flooring thresholds between rooms and custom-made 'shadow-gap' doorframes. Heating upstairs is via contemporary column radiators in a raw aluminium finish.
A skylight above the stairs ensures plenty of natural light to the landing. There is a very large loft, accessed from the landing via a hatch and pull-down ladder, which could be converted into 2-3 additional rooms subject to the necessary consents, or simply plaster-boarded for use as a large office or recreational space.
Master bedroom
The master bedroom was once two rooms: A regular double and a box room. These were combined by a previous owner to form one very substantial master bedroom, which has since been updated with 4m of custom ply wardrobes and open shelving, and designer wall lights. Walls are painted with high-end lime paint.
2nd bedroom
Currently used as a children's bedroom, easily large enough for two little ones to share. This room offers custom wooden shelving, custom ply suspended wardrobes and a large feature window overlooking the garden. There is scope for greening of the 27 sq m+ extension roof, which sits below the 2nd bedroom window, enabling it to be used as a terrace (subject to any necessary consents and additional safety features etc.)
3rd bedroom
Currently used as a guest bedroom and study, this room sits above the converted garage and is a good-sized double with feature split-painted walls.
Bathroom
The bathroom contains a large freestanding white contemporary bathtub made of a composite stone, plus his-and-hers sinks set on suspended cabinetry and concrete counters. There is a matt-black, plumbed towel radiator and a walk-in shower with matt-black frame, sliding door and olive-green Italian designer tiling.
Rear garden
The very large (approx. 30 m in length x 9m in width) garden has been completely landscaped, and now contains an approx. 30 sq m grey-brick patio immediately outside the bifold doors. The same bricks wrap around the side of the house, leading to the side-access gate, external tap and retractable hose reel. The outer face of the contemporary extension is clad in silvered, treated Russwood larch.
The garden also offers: Planted wildflower and vegetable beds; two raised planters (one in Corten steel and another in aluminium); a potting shed; a large storage chest; gravel perimeter paths leading to a rear gravel terrace with two l-shaped designer sofas and matching coffee table; custom-made wooden pergola; sun-shade; festoon lighting; and a 2m Softub spa with cedarwood surround (removable garden furniture and fittings are available as part of the sale by negotiation).
The garden is wired with adjustable spotlights and contains three external plug sockets. All fencing was newly installed with concrete baseboards in 2019. Surrounding the garden are a number of mature and attractive trees, including a 30m eucalyptus. The owners inform us that the garden is popular with wildlife including honey bees, butterflies, dragonflies, green woodpeckers, jays, wrens, blue tits and finches.
Front garden
The existing brick driveway, which has space for 2-3 cars, was modernised in 2019 by the addition of new white-rendered front walls, new flowerbeds, gravel turning areas and an electric car charger (PodPoint).
Local area
Avery Hill is a friendly surburban area positioned between Falconwood, New Eltham, Blackfen and Sidcup.
Falconwood station is a 5-minute drive away, New Eltham is 5 minutes, Sidcup is 8 minutes, Eltham is 10 minutes. All these stations can be reached by bus in 15 minutes or less using stops within a minute's walk of the property. New Eltham station is approx. 12 minutes away on foot.
Directly opposite the house are the Victorian buildings of Greenwich University's Avery Hill campus, which contains a thriving (and open to the public) community garden. The campus itself is set on the edge of Avery Hill Park, one of London's largest and most picturesque public parks – ideal for dog-owners and families. The park offers a playground, outdoor gym, atmospheric Victorian Winter Garden and scenic walking routes to Eltham High Street and beyond.
A variety of shops and other local amenities (including doctors' surgeries, dental surgeries, vet practices etc.) are within walking distance. You're also only minutes' drive from the A2 and M25 - meaning some of Kent's best countryside walks are within 20 minutes' drive.
Schoolwise, the property is within walking distance of St Olave's primary and Crown Woods secondary, and will be on the doorstep of a new secondary boys' school planned for Avery Hill Park by the acclaimed Harris Academy group. It is also within the catchment of several highly regarded Catholic and Church of England primary schools, as well as numerous grammar schools. The esteemed Babington House School in Chislehurst is only 10 minutes' drive away.
