Bringing the outside in

A trend is increasingly emerging in London’s family houses for connecting living space with gardens. Outdoor space is highly coveted in the city and is a rare and valuable commodity.

Properties with well-maintained, outside space sell quickly and often at a premium. As we enter spring, and the sun starts to shine, people’s thoughts begin to turn to outside space, garden improvements and al fresco dining.

In Wandsworth, South West London, well presented outdoor space can often be the selling point of a house. As city dwellers want to feel closer to nature, architects are increasingly being asked to remodel houses to cater for this. Knight Frank’s Wandsworth office is currently marketing for sale two spacious Wandsworth family houses, both of which have large kitchen/living areas with vast doors that fold back completely, and lead directly out on to the garden. The effect is stunning and serves not only to connect the inside with the outside, but also to create the feeling of continued space.

The properties are on Eglantine Road and Cicada Road, and are currently on the market at a guide price of £1,750,000 and £1,100,000 respectively. The property in Eglantine Road is a beautifully finished and stylish five bedroom, three bathroom family house in one of Wandsworth’s most quiet and sought after roads.

It has plenty of space for a family, a handsome double reception room and a stunning and light kitchen-cum-family room, which leads onto a large south facing garden. The house is a conflation of the traditional and modern; an attractive Victorian exterior and a contemporary interior. The overall feeling is of light and space, with neutral colours throughout, large windows and sleek lines.

The kitchen and living area is a fantastic space and is very flexible. It is ideal for entertaining and would be perfect for everyday family living, and parents could easily supervise children playing in the garden. This multipurpose space would act as the nucleus of the home.

The garden itself is one of the most appealing features of this property. Well maintained and presented, there is a large patio directly off the kitchen, potted plants, a manicured lawn and an attractive herbaceous border. It would be great for children, for enjoying the English summer and for al fresco dining.

This wonderful property is a special opportunity to live in one of Wandsworth’s most coveted roads. It is situated close to Wandsworth Common Westside and near to a number of good local schools, shops, bars, restaurants, and the Southside shopping centre, which has many amenities and a multiplex cinema.

Cicada Road is also one of the most desired roads in SW18. This delightful Victorian terrace has been fully refurbished throughout to create a stunning family home, which is deceptively light and spacious. It has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, including a master en-suite, a double reception room, large kitchen/breakfast/family room which opens straight out to the charming courtyard style garden.

The massive kitchen-cum-family room is truly the selling point of this house. Decorated in a country kitchen style, it has flagstone floors, dark blue kitchen units and an island with wooden worktops. The end of the kitchen opens up to the paved garden via vast concertina doors that span the breadth of the wall.

When the doors are open, the garden and kitchen seem to become one space, ideal in the summer, for families and also when entertaining. Kitchens have become the heart of the modern home and this incredible space, which has the bonus of outdoor space immediately attached is something really very special.

This property has been elegantly decorated in a colonial style. It has bare wood plantation shutters, neutral tones throughout and stripped wooden floors. This is a comfortable and well thought out family home that exudes style. Local amenities include shops and restaurants located nearby on East Hill and Old York Road.

Transport facilities include mainline rail services from either Wandsworth Town or Clapham Junction, both to Waterloo, with regular bus services on East Hill. There is a wide selection of well regarded nurseries and private and state schools in the area.

Luke Pender- Cudlip, Partner, Knight Frank Wandsworth comments, “Wandsworth is considered to be one of the finest areas to live in London for quality of life, amenities and location. It is an optimum choice for families and houses such as the Eglantine and Cicada Road houses demonstrate the high calibre of property available in this family friendly borough. The trend for bringing the outside in is bound to continue, as it improves the atmosphere of a family house. Houses with excellent gardens such as these will continue to attract families and command competitive prices”.

For further information visit Knightfrank.com.