This beautiful five-bedroom house lies on a quiet, tree-lined street between Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill. Designed by James Wright of Macdonald Wright Architects, the plan extends to almost 2,800 sq ft across four storeys. Clean lines and a minimal palette merge harmoniously with the original Victorian features, such as sash windows, intricate cornicing, and marble fireplaces. The kitchen has been thoughtfully extended, with floor-to-ceiling glazed doors which open out onto a beautiful garden.

The Architect

Macdonald Wright Architects is an award-winning RIBA Chartered Practice, best known for creating crafted, low-energy architectural projects. Founded by James Macdonald Wright in 2005, the east London practice has defined a signature approach of sensitively designing contemporary regional vernacular architecture, combined with cutting edge levels of sustainability.

In collaboration with Niall Maxwell, the practice designed Caring Wood, a country home for multiple generations, which won the RIBA House of the Year competition in 2017. In 2022, their low-energy Library House was shortlisted for a RIBA London Award.

The Tour

Entry to the house is via a gated front garden. Upon entry, a long hallway is bathed in a wonderful quality of natural light from recently commissioned stained glass panels in the front door. On the left lies the main living area, which adjoins an open plan library and music room. Here, neutral tones are complemented by beautiful Dinesen floors of white oak. A box bay with sash windows allows light to flood the room, while built-in cabinetry clads the walls and surrounds the original marble fireplace. The joinery conceals a drop-down screen for use with a projector. Folding doors demarcate the living room and the library. Floor-to-ceiling glazing looks out from the back of the room onto the central courtyard, while a lightwell with glass balustrades creates a connection to the space below, currently configured as a studio.

The muted palette continues in the kitchen/dining room, which is positioned at the rear of the plan. Characterised by sleek grey and white cabinetry that runs along the entirety of one wall, it has worktops of Zodiaq quartz. Natural light abounds care of sliding glazed doors that span the width of the room and open onto the garden; a large door also opens onto the central courtyard. Spanish limestone tiles run underfoot and extend into the garden, seamlessly blurring the boundaries between inside and out. In the kitchen, a window above the sink looks out onto the central courtyard; floor-to-ceiling cabinetry surrounds a bank of ovens.

On the lower-ground floor, there are a number of flexible spaces, one of which is currently used as a studio with a lightwell extending overhead to the library. This space could easily be configured as a gym, a yoga studio or guest accommodation. A WC and a large utility room also lie on this floor.

Three bedrooms occupy the first floor; one is currently configured as a study at the rear of the plan overlooking the garden. The largest bedroom is positioned in the centre of the plan and has ample amounts of built-in wardrobe space and an en suite bathroom with a sunken bath and a separate shower. The second bedroom is at the front of the plan and has a pair of sash windows that overlook Dunsmore Road below.

On the second floor, there are two further bedrooms and a large family bathroom. Clad in white subway tiles, the bathroom echoes the en suite below and has a bath and a separate shower.

A solar-thermal array by Viessman sits atop the Welsh Slate roof to provide up to 70% of the house’s hot water.

Outdoor Space

The garden at the rear of the plan has a terrace laid with the same Spanish limestone tiles as the kitchen, creating a sense of flow between indoors and out. Bound by deep concrete beds of mature planting, the terrace has ample room for a table and chairs. Beyond, concrete beds continue; a mature olive tree adds drama to the space, and a corridor of lawn leads to a paved area at the rear of the garden specifically designed for outdoor cooking.

The Area

Dunsmure Road is located within easy reach of the independent shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs of Stoke Newington and Newington Green; Ester’s and Jolene are particular neighbourhood favourites. Much-loved Church Street is home to The Spence Bakery, Whole Foods and The Good Egg, as well as many other independent businesses. A short walk away is Primeur; recently described as “the perfect neighbourhood restaurant”, it serves modern European cuisine and natural wine.

There are several green spaces nearby; Woodberry Wetlands is a short walk away and Clissold Park with its tennis courts, café, beautiful lakes, and resident deer is a local favourites. Stoke Newington is very popular with young families, in part due to the number of good schools in the area. There are two excellent primary schools on Dunsmure Road; a minute from the house is Holmleigh Primary school, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and a few minutes in the opposite direction is Sir Thomas Abney, recently rated ‘Good’.

Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill stations run Overground trains to Highbury & Islington, Shoreditch High Street and Stratford. Seven Sisters tube is a short bus ride away, as is Manor House running Victoria and Piccadilly line underground services respectively.

Council Tax Band: F

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.