Abbotswood Rd

Large windows, patio doors and that rather enviable glass wall fronting the top-floor bedroom help melt the boundaries between house and garden, bringing the light and freshness of outside inside. An eye for design enhances this in the kitchen and living room, where you'll find crisp interiors and soft tones — the former affording views of the garden from a family-sized, cottage-style table; and the latter lifted by plush, sky-blue sofas and a strikingly beautiful canvas. A comfy library room, swathed in crimson, delivers a bit of country manor grandeur, plus an inviting extra space to cosy up in with a good book — or perhaps a little music on the piano. Mullioned windows add a pinch of old-time charm to the bathrooms too, although those free-standing bathtubs have all the charm you could wish for on a relaxing evening in. The bedrooms are equally delightful, boasting double beds and oodles of light. We've a soft spot for the ruched curtains and antique-style bed frame, but special honours go to the top-floor bedroom, with its arched ceiling, garden views and sleek ensuite.

We love...

If you're looking for a little tranquility during your stay in the busy city, this home offers the best of both. Set back on a quiet, leafy street and boasting a charming, tree-screened garden, you can galavant around London and be back on the patio enjoying an al-fresco meal, or a doze in the hammock, before the day's out.