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Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue goes the old marital adage – and these unusual homes likely have all boxes ticked.
Whether a lateral flat that borrows from two buildings or a comprehensive rebuild behind a historic façade, each offers an appealing blend of historic charm and modern rationality, making unlikely bedfellows of mullioned windows and high-spec eco features.
Then there are the inventive, outside-the-box extensions, which turn a pokey cottage or Victorian flat into an airy, practical home (forget the square box in slightly worse brick – it’s all about high contrast).
Here are ten of the best era-spanning homes for sale now.
Kingston Vale, SW15
£1.9 million
Buyers torn between historic charm and eco pragmatism could find their answer in this curious amalgam near Richmond Park. The Victorian tower was once part of a grand house, and later extensions have been transformed with cedar cladding, extensive insulation, an air source heat pump and solar panels.
Knight Frank, 020 3867 7003
Peckham Rye, SE15
£900,000
This impressive two-storey extension, which houses a kitchen, office and a third bedroom, has enhanced the square footage of this quirky maisonette on the border with Camberwell by almost 50 per cent. Skylights and picture windows draw light deep into the plan.
Foxtons, 020 3897 8494
Little Venice, W9
£9.25 million
Don't judge a coach house by its cover – this pretty Victorian build obscures a remarkable extension by Wells Mackareth. Softened by sections of the old brick, its soaring volumes are an industrial mélange of exposed steel beams, poured concrete floors and hydraulic doors.
Sotheby’s, 020 3835 2136
Kennington, SE17
£685,000
This airy two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is split across original and newer parts of a pub conversion, with a bright, double-aspect living area occupying the older section of the building. Highlights include engineered wood flooring.
Winkworth, 020 3909 6728
Peckham, SE15
£1 million
This classic Victorian house has been significantly extended to the side and rear, creating a striking glazed kitchen at the back and a particularly roomy bedroom above. A coveted Bellenden Road address is a sweetener, as is its close proximity to Peckham Rye station.
Gareth James, 020 3834 8094
Shepherd’s Bush, W12
£1.95 million
An architectural curved extension has further boosted the square footage of this four-bedroom villa-style home, which has handy extras like a utility room and two ensuites. There’s also an attractive pitched studio room in the pretty landscaped garden.
Philip Wooller, 020 3909 4058
Camberwell, SE5
£2.65 million
A grand five-bedroom townhouse with colourful interventions from Manser Medal-winning architects Knox Bhavan, including a zingy kitchen on the ground floor and a large bathroom and utility space above. In all there is almost 3,000 square feet of living space.
The Modern House, 020 3834 8558
East Sheen, SW14
£900,000
This chain-free Grade II-listed cottage is a stone’s throw from the north edge of Richmond Park. A smart extension is almost seamlessly integrated with the original cottage, built in 1750, and significantly enhances the offering downstairs with a bright, skylight-lit kitchen.
Chestertons, 020 3869 5854
Tottenham, N17
£950,000
The highlight of this thoughtfully decorated Victorian house near Downhills Park is a sensational terracotta-hued loft extension which houses a pair of hotel-like bedrooms. There are three further bedrooms elsewhere, plus a garden studio designed to mirror the loft.
Brickworks, 020 3834 7985
Hampstead, NW2
£1.6 million
This distinctive house, with its Dutch gable roof, was once the keeper’s cottage to the adjoining electrical switchboard. Everything behind the 1921 frontage was stripped back to the brick during renovations – expect triple glazing, underfloor heating and new balconies.
