House For Sale £2,450,000
Redesigned in recent years by award-winning practice Andy Martin Architects, this five-bedroom 1930s house has been reimagined to create contemporary interior spaces, characterised by large sections of glass and verdant views. Extending to almost 3,000 sq ft of internal space, there is a separate office, gym and sauna at the foot of a large private garden. Leighton Gardens is a short walk from the schools, delis, health shops and cafes of College Road in Kensal Rise.
The Architect
ama is an award-winning London-based, full service Architectural and Design practice which has been led by Andy Martin for more than a decade. The ama design philosophy embraces creative intelligence with a unique design identity. Ama has an enviable reputation and extensive expertise in the hospitality sector and has been responsible for the creation and evolution of some of London’s most successful restaurants, including Chotto Matte, Fucina, and The (now four) Barrafinas, Isola, Quo Vadis, and Mash.
Residential design had always been at the core of the practice, resulting in some of the country's most ambitious residential designs, including Belgravia's Perf House and an undulating barrel-vaulted conservatory in Hyde Park.
The Tour
Access is gained via a private driveway at the front of the house. There is space for off-street parking for two vehicles. The front elevation is characterised by a large bay across two storeys. A former garage with stable doors is positioned to one side of the front door, and the ground floor bay window is shielded from the quiet street by a low brick wall with a mature perennial hedgerow.
Entry through the original front door is via a newly created utility room and guest WC, which has been designed for muddy boots, shoes and coats. Alternatively, the stable doors of the former garage open to a long hallway which dissects the ground floor plan. Floors are of polished concrete.
To one side of the utility room, there is a large reception room configured in front of the bay window. This space is used by the current owners as a television room and has built-in storage space along one aspect. The long hallway steps down, with copious amounts of built-in storage, wardrobes and study space located under the stairs. There is a larger, more formal living room to one side, with high ceilings, track lighting and a bar concealed within bespoke joinery between two pocket doors. The entire south-facing aspect of this room is glazed, offering views of the house's internal courtyard and palm tree through to the dining room and garden beyond.
The kitchen and dining room constitute the heart of the home and are positioned at the rear of the plan. These spaces are bathed in wonderful levels of natural light, care of full-height glazed doors which slide open to the garden. The kitchen comprises marble worktops and splashbacks atop Douglas fir cabinetry. There is a linear induction hob, further cabinetry to one side conceals the pantry, and a circular skylight overhead is inconspicuously carved between exposed oak beams. The dining room is positioned opposite, with pendants lights and views of the internal courtyard and the back garden.
The first floor comprises three large double bedrooms, the largest of which sits at the front of the plan within the house's original bay window. The two rear-facing bedrooms have plenty of built-in wardrobe space, full-height windows and a desk overlooking the garden. The layout of this floor has been completely reconfigured to create a shower room and a separate w/c.
The newly created second floor is given over to the main bedroom and en suite. This room receives wonderful levels of natural light, thanks to a south-facing Juliet balcony. This room also has a beautiful Japanese bath of Hinoki wood, positioned in front of the windows overlooking the garden. The bedroom also has a walk-in dressing room and large amounts of storage within the house's eaves.
Outdoor Space
The house sits in front of a large private garden, laid mostly to lawn, with mature plants and trees at its borders. A raised wooden deck leads from a patio area to a large studio space clad in cedar at the garden's foot. This space is used by the current owners as a gym, with an office space and bathroom. There is also a Finnish sauna and an external hot tub located in a small secluded courtyard at the rear.
The ground floor of the house is configured around a beautiful internal courtyard which is home to a mature palm tree. This space allows the separate internal areas of the ground floor to feel connected while introducing wonderful levels of natural light to the plan.
There is a well-sized private driveway at the front of the house, with enough off-street parking space for two cars.
The Area
Leighton Gardens is known as one of the best residential streets in Kensal Rise. Formed of large detached and semi-detached houses, the street is wide, tree-lined and within walking distance of local schools, including Ark Franklin and Princess Frederica C of E primary school.
Ladbroke Grove and the Grand Union towpath are quickly accessible, as are the beautiful green spaces Tiverton Green, King Edward VII and Queens Park. Chamberlayne Road is within easy reach, with its fine selection of independent cafés, restaurants, delis, pubs and shops – including a butcher, greengrocer, specialist bakery and one of London’s finest florists. Local favourites include Sacre Cuore pizzeria, indie cinema The Lexi, and Retrouvius for design lovers.
Leighton Gardens is a two-minute walk from Kensal Green station, which has access to the Bakerloo Line and Overground services, with direct lines to Euston in approximately fifteen minutes. Kensal Rise Overground is also a short walk away, with connections to Richmond and Highbury & Islington. The area is well served by a wide range of bus services into central London and elsewhere.
Council Tax Band: E
The Architect
ama is an award-winning London-based, full service Architectural and Design practice which has been led by Andy Martin for more than a decade. The ama design philosophy embraces creative intelligence with a unique design identity. Ama has an enviable reputation and extensive expertise in the hospitality sector and has been responsible for the creation and evolution of some of London’s most successful restaurants, including Chotto Matte, Fucina, and The (now four) Barrafinas, Isola, Quo Vadis, and Mash.
Residential design had always been at the core of the practice, resulting in some of the country's most ambitious residential designs, including Belgravia's Perf House and an undulating barrel-vaulted conservatory in Hyde Park.
The Tour
Access is gained via a private driveway at the front of the house. There is space for off-street parking for two vehicles. The front elevation is characterised by a large bay across two storeys. A former garage with stable doors is positioned to one side of the front door, and the ground floor bay window is shielded from the quiet street by a low brick wall with a mature perennial hedgerow.
Entry through the original front door is via a newly created utility room and guest WC, which has been designed for muddy boots, shoes and coats. Alternatively, the stable doors of the former garage open to a long hallway which dissects the ground floor plan. Floors are of polished concrete.
To one side of the utility room, there is a large reception room configured in front of the bay window. This space is used by the current owners as a television room and has built-in storage space along one aspect. The long hallway steps down, with copious amounts of built-in storage, wardrobes and study space located under the stairs. There is a larger, more formal living room to one side, with high ceilings, track lighting and a bar concealed within bespoke joinery between two pocket doors. The entire south-facing aspect of this room is glazed, offering views of the house's internal courtyard and palm tree through to the dining room and garden beyond.
The kitchen and dining room constitute the heart of the home and are positioned at the rear of the plan. These spaces are bathed in wonderful levels of natural light, care of full-height glazed doors which slide open to the garden. The kitchen comprises marble worktops and splashbacks atop Douglas fir cabinetry. There is a linear induction hob, further cabinetry to one side conceals the pantry, and a circular skylight overhead is inconspicuously carved between exposed oak beams. The dining room is positioned opposite, with pendants lights and views of the internal courtyard and the back garden.
The first floor comprises three large double bedrooms, the largest of which sits at the front of the plan within the house's original bay window. The two rear-facing bedrooms have plenty of built-in wardrobe space, full-height windows and a desk overlooking the garden. The layout of this floor has been completely reconfigured to create a shower room and a separate w/c.
The newly created second floor is given over to the main bedroom and en suite. This room receives wonderful levels of natural light, thanks to a south-facing Juliet balcony. This room also has a beautiful Japanese bath of Hinoki wood, positioned in front of the windows overlooking the garden. The bedroom also has a walk-in dressing room and large amounts of storage within the house's eaves.
Outdoor Space
The house sits in front of a large private garden, laid mostly to lawn, with mature plants and trees at its borders. A raised wooden deck leads from a patio area to a large studio space clad in cedar at the garden's foot. This space is used by the current owners as a gym, with an office space and bathroom. There is also a Finnish sauna and an external hot tub located in a small secluded courtyard at the rear.
The ground floor of the house is configured around a beautiful internal courtyard which is home to a mature palm tree. This space allows the separate internal areas of the ground floor to feel connected while introducing wonderful levels of natural light to the plan.
There is a well-sized private driveway at the front of the house, with enough off-street parking space for two cars.
The Area
Leighton Gardens is known as one of the best residential streets in Kensal Rise. Formed of large detached and semi-detached houses, the street is wide, tree-lined and within walking distance of local schools, including Ark Franklin and Princess Frederica C of E primary school.
Ladbroke Grove and the Grand Union towpath are quickly accessible, as are the beautiful green spaces Tiverton Green, King Edward VII and Queens Park. Chamberlayne Road is within easy reach, with its fine selection of independent cafés, restaurants, delis, pubs and shops – including a butcher, greengrocer, specialist bakery and one of London’s finest florists. Local favourites include Sacre Cuore pizzeria, indie cinema The Lexi, and Retrouvius for design lovers.
Leighton Gardens is a two-minute walk from Kensal Green station, which has access to the Bakerloo Line and Overground services, with direct lines to Euston in approximately fifteen minutes. Kensal Rise Overground is also a short walk away, with connections to Richmond and Highbury & Islington. The area is well served by a wide range of bus services into central London and elsewhere.
Council Tax Band: E
