An elegant Grade II-listed Victorian home with exceptional natural light across its three storeys and thoughtfully planted front and rear gardens
An elegant Grade II-listed Victorian home with exceptional natural light across its three storeys and thoughtfully planted front and rear gardens
Lovingly adorned by its current owner, an antique textile dealer, this handsome 19th-century house in the Stockwell Conservation Area is a celebration of light and materiality. Its footprint spans some 2,660 sq ft across four storeys, with four double bedrooms, a set of bright living spaces and a self-contained one-bedroom annexe. A garden unfolds behind the house, chock-full with colourful plants and mature trees; there is also a studio, as well as a garage with a separate entrance. Leafy and peaceful, Durand Gardens’ quietude belies its central location, close to both Stockwell and Oval Underground stations. Residents of the street also have private access to the street’s remarkable namesake gardens.
Setting the Scene
Stockwell is one of the oldest and longest-established hamlets in the London Borough of Lambeth. It grew around the eponymous open space of Stockwell Green, which is still legible despite being built over in the late 19th century. The area was largely developed during the 18th and 19th centuries as wealthy merchants took advantage of available rural land to build stately villas away from the crowded city centre.
Durand Gardens is a residential street lined with handsome stock-brick and stucco houses, dating from 1840 onwards. This house is a particularly pretty presence on the street, with its neat front garden and wide curved bay. A sensitive renovation undertaken by its current owner worked around the home’s handsome period features, including original fireplaces, elegant cornicing and wide window shutters.
We previously wrote about this house in greater depth in our Almanac.
The Grand Tour
Smart white railings separate the house from the street in front and permit passage to its front garden, where roses and herbaceous borders filled with pelargoniums, alliums, and peonies grow. Steps lead up to a powder-blue front door, set within a stuccoed porch with pilasters and corbels and a dentil capital. A semi-circular fanlight above scatters light into the hallway beyond.
White-washed walls and floorboards amplify the entranceway’s bright feel. On arrival, high ceilings dressed with original cornicing begin and continue throughout, with a clear passage through to the rear gardens. A convenient WC is tucked to one side.
L-shaped, the hallway curves round to a drawing room on the right of the plan, passing a well-positioned staircase on the left-hand side. Opening into the drawing room, two-over-two sash windows bookend the space, capturing views over the rear and front gardens. A wide fireplace is on one side; its simple white surround drawing attention to the cast-iron fitting within.
Adjacent to the drawing room is a brilliant study that basks in the light that enters through a pair of shuttered sash windows set into a uniquely curved bay. A second fireplace here is dressed with a marble surround, and there is generous storage set in the alcoves on either side. Oriented on an east-west axis, the rooms at the front receive a luminous evening glow, while those at the rear bask in a warm morning light.
At the rear is the contemporary heart of the home: a bright kitchen/dining room, set down a flight of wooden steps. Large skylights stretch out overhead, pouring a sublime amount of light into the room. Shaker-style navy-blue units, customised by the current owner, line either side of the room and provide plenty of storage space. In the centre is a wide island with a sink, wine cooler and a sublime Corian countertop. A sky-blue Aga lies to one side with a separate oven and gas hob. Other appliances include a fridge/freezer by Fisher and Paykel.
The kitchen/dining room has multiple points of access to the garden, along with a wide wall-to-wall bank of glazing beneath a rooflight that sets it in unbroken dialogue with the leafy outdoors. One of the doors to the outside is set next to a handy bank of tall, navy-blue storage cloak cupboards.
From the entrance hall, original wooden stairs with an almost sculptural mahogany handrail wind up to the first floor, which has two generous double bedrooms. One has a bank of built-in storage, while both have fireplaces. A luxurious bathroom serves these two rooms, with a bathtub from Victoria & Albert and tiles from Domus.
Upstairs, on the second floor, are an additional two bedrooms. The largest room is sited here and has built-in storage and dual-aspect windows – one of which overlooks the beautiful garden beyond. A second shower room serves these two spaces.
The same staircase descends to the lower-ground floor, currently used as a one-bedroom annexe. Its reception room is also framed by another remarkable curved bay and has a bank of built-in storage. The annexe has a kitchen, a smart bathroom, a large store and a serene bedroom. This level’s flexibility would allow it to be reintegrated into the primary plan, if required.
The Great Outdoors
Thriving mature gardens bookend the house, providing plenty of space for gardening, pottering and hosting. Directly beyond the kitchen is a flagstone-laid patio with plenty of room for a large dining table.
Beyond is a lawned area, encircled by a lively combination of mature trees, including a palm, an olive tree, and a camellia. Shrubs and bushes lend colour and texture, and there is a sequestered, private seating area at the foot of the space.
A shed provides handy outdoor storage, and there is a garden studio apt for use as a yoga studio, an office, or for artists – budding or otherwise.
At the rear of the garden is a garage with space to park a car; access is via the street behind.
Residents of Durand Gardens also have access to a private residents’ garden – a wild pocket of unspoilt nature reserve.
Out and About
Situated between the busier hubs of Brixton, Clapham and Vauxhall, Stockwell is known as ‘Little Portugal’ for its large and diverse Portuguese-speaking community. The area has several good pubs, including local favourite The Canton Arms;a short distance south is The Landor, with its large garden.Brixton, a lively area known for its excellent food and bar scene, is within easy reach, where Brixton Village, Market Row and Acre Lane are all highly recommended destinations. The Ritzy Cinema, Electric Brixton and Brixton O2 Academy are much-loved institutions. There are also regular farmer’s markets in Brixton and Oval.
Green spaces are abundant in the area, and the Stockwell Park Residents’ Association is very active and holds events in various parks and green spaces throughout the year.Slade Gardens, off Stockwell Park Road, is an eight minute walk from the house, with a children’s play area, adventure playground and One O’Clock Club.The beautiful Myatts Fields Park is a 20-minute stroll towards Camberwell, and for more expansive walks, the open fields of Burgess Park and Battersea Park are a 30-minute walk east or west, respectively. There are tennis courts, a café and a lake at Burgess Park.
There are several schooling options nearby, both primary and secondary, private and state-run. Ashmole Primary is particularly well regarded, along with Lilian Baylis Technology School. Herne Hill School, James Allen’s School, Alleyn’s School and Dulwich College are all also easily reached.
For transport connections, Stockwell Underground station, Nine Elms station and Oval station are all nearby. The area is also uncommonly well-served by buses.
Council Tax Band: F
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