Richmond Road

The house is set behind a high brick wall and neat hedging, with mature trees providing privacy and quiet. A side driveway leads to the garage, fronted by artist-designed double gates. Built from yellow brick, the double-fronted façade rises gracefully across two storeys, its symmetry defined by expansive bay windows below and broad sash windows above, which open the house to light from both front and rear.

Immaculately landscaped, the front approach unfolds along a shingled path leading to the entrance and is lined with clipped topiary and two ornamental ponds framed by structured planting. Past the front porch, a pink-painted front door opens to the vestibule, where a decorative wood front door with period glazing insets reveals a grand hallway.

The interiors brim with character and period integrity. Throughout, original features such as marble chimneypieces, intricate cornices, and deep mouldings, have been carefully reinstated, lending a sense of quiet refinement. Exceptional proportions and soaring ceilings further the sense of drama, grounded by a sympathetic palette of neutrals and classic tones that echo the home’s Victorian origin. Original parquet flooring extends across the living spaces and is exquisitely laid out in a mixture of hard and exotic woods.

Two reception rooms sit at the front of the house, both with large bay windows overlooking the front garden. Immediately to the left is a light-filled study, centred around a black marble fireplace and finished with a neutral palette and parquet floors. To the right is an inviting and bright sitting room, with another striking marble fireplace providing a focal point. Intricate cornices trace the ceilings, and are complemented by decorative dado rails, while parquet flooring in a single basket weave pattern runs underfoot.

From here, French doors open to a bright kitchen and breakfast room of exceptional proportions, anchored by an Aga range cooker. Finished in a neutral palette, white walls amplify the sense of scale and stone tiles in dark tones ground the space with period character. Sage-painted cabinetry and solid oak surfaces are thoughtfully articulated across the space in distinct zones conceived for food preparation, cooking, and gathering, with track lighting above. There are two sinks and an integrated AEG dishwasher. A large sash window with ornate moulding frames leafy views, while glazed doors open to a generous balcony with stairs leading down to the garden and space for outdoor dining.

A grand sitting or dining room lies at the back of the plan, awash in French-inspired details and finished in a soft butter-yellow that lends warmth to the expansive space. High ceilings soar overhead, adorned with dark-toned cornices and ornamental plasterwork – with original painted murals of a belle époque design – that draw the gaze upward, furthering the impression of scale. A grand antique chimneypiece anchors the space, while mirrors set into the walls amplify the natural light that pours in from east and west, lending a luminous quality throughout the day. A classic hardwood parquet in a herringbone pattern extends underfoot. A WC room is found across the hall.

French doors open to a spectacular Victorian conservatory, with a pitched roof and expansive glazing framing tranquil views of the garden, to which it’s connected via stairs at the front and back. Crowned by a verdant canopy of grape vines, the space is bathed in warm afternoon light, ideal for unwinding as the sun sets. Black-and-white chequerboard tiles pave underfoot, lending formality and a sense of grandeur. Restored in recent years, it has a working fountain and original mechanism to open the roof.

From the hallway, the staircase rises to the first floor’s landing, flooded with natural light pouring down the glazed roof lantern. There are powder blue walls and carpeted floors, plenty of space for a large library, and a charming arched window framing views of the front garden’s treetops.

Four bedrooms are found on this floor. The dual aspect principal bedroom is at the front, finished in a soothing palette with muted pastels and original pine floorboards. A distinctive leaded sash window looks out over the garden, while a wall of built-in wardrobes provides generous storage space. French doors lead to a sensational en suite, with striking marble tiling along the lower walls, door frame, and skirtings. At its centre, a roll top bath is orientated toward a feature cast-iron fireplace with tiled and marble surrounds. A large shower cubicle and traditional sanitaryware are discreetly concealed behind walls.

A further three spacious bedrooms are found on this floor and positioned across the landing.The shared bathroom is at the back, well appointed with traditional Victorian patterns and fittings, fully tiled walls with built-in storage, and a shower over bath with a black-and-white chequerboard. There is a further WC room accessible from the landing.

The substantial basement is accessed from the hallway and is organised with different zones for living, working, and maintenance of the house and outdoor spaces. There is a double bedroom with glazed doors leading to the garden, a shower room, a study, a practical utility room and plenty of storage space throughout.

There is a garage with space for one car and off-street parking space. 

The house is ensconced in secluded gardens teeming with greenery and atmosphere, which can be accessed from several openings across the ground floor and basement.

The back garden benefits from a north-west facing orientation, ensuring abundant afternoon and evening light and ideal conditions for thriving, sun-loving plantings. A York stone terrace runs along the rear elevation, with space for an outdoor dining area and borders filled with lovingly-tended hydrangeas, roses, and Rodgersia.

A grassy lawn stretches out to the rear, framed by mature trees including oak, hornbeam, and magnolia, contributing a sense of retreat and privacy, while a series of thoughtfully arranged zones make the most of this peaceful space, suited for both relaxing and entertaining. 

The house lies is a quiet, residential road, just a short stroll away from Barnet's thriving high street and the stations of New Barnet and High Barnet. While well connected to central London, the area benefits of proximity to the Metropolitan Green Belt, a designated area of protected countryside offering countless opportunities for walks and outdoor activities.

The historic Barnet Market is a short five-minute drive or leisurely half-hour walk from the house. It has been in existence for over 800 years and is now home to excellent restaurants, cafes, and a local Waitrose. The famers’ market opens twice weekly and focuses on local produce, with a host of stalls offering street food alongside fishmongers, butchers, cheesemakers and bakers. Set in a Grade II-listed building, the local branch of Everyman cinema has five screens and is a short 9-minute walk from the house, while the green expanse of Barnet Playing Fields is a short walk to the south. There is also a newly opened leisure centre with gym and swimming pool within walking distance.

Can I also suggest that in the description of the local area you add that there is a very recently built leisure centre with gym and swimming pool within walking distance?

There are excellent schools in the area. For primary education, Lyonsdown School, Cromer Road Primary School, and St Catherine’s RC School are within walking distance from the house. For secondary education, East Barnet School, Barnet and Southgate College, and JCoSS are well-regarded by local families.

New Barnet railway station is less than ten minutes away on foot, with Thameslink connections reaching King’s Cross St Pancras in 21 minutes. High Barnet station is a 18-minute walk from the house, with the Northern line connecting to Tottenham Court Road in 30 minutes and continuing down to reach Battersea Power Station in less than an hour.