Discreetly located behind a high garden wall is this unique three-bedroom detached home designed by architect Anthony Kyrke-Smith. The house was completed in 2014 by the current owners to plans devised by the architect in the mid-2000s, and occupies the secluded site of a former coach house dating from 1882.

Approached through secure gates and across a front courtyard, the front door opens onto a bright open-plan living space which contains the kitchen and dining room at one end and a reception room at the other. A spectacular roof lantern, a feature of the original coach house, filters impressive levels of natural light into the room below. A set of bi-fold doors, made from sustainably sourced hardwood, open right back to give access to the front courtyard from the living room giving an extended feeling of space without compromising privacy.

The master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and dressing area is in a particularly private position at the back of the house, and has access to the rear patio garden.

Upstairs, two double bedrooms flank a galleried walkway which also benefits from light from the roof lantern. The front bedroom, currently configured as a study, has a gabled window that opens onto a cantilevered balcony. Further accommodation is found on the lower ground floor, where there is a second living room, utility room and large store cupboard.

The oak floors throughout are heated underfloor and the living room has a wood-burning stove, making it a very efficient and easily regulated space. The lower-ground floor is constructed using Calcite cement to ensure a superior barrier against heat loss and damp.

The design of the house reflects the proportions and materials used in the construction of the original coach house, a stipulation expressed during the planning process.

The house is very well located near the centre of Forest Hill, an area in south-east London which has become very popular recently with the help of the London Overground extension. As a result, there are plenty of very good independent cafes, restaurants and pubs nearby. The Horniman Museum and Gardens is a very popular destination for young families, with a child-friendly café, anthropological museum and farmers’ market every Saturday morning. The centres of Dulwich and Peckham are within easy walking distance. Pearcefield Avenue itself has a large Sainsbury’s supermarket.

There are a number of ‘outstanding’ primary schools around Forest Hill, including Fairlawn Primary and Eliot Bank Primary.

The nearest station is Forest Hill, running London Overground services to Highbury & Islington via Shoreditch High Street and Canada Water (for connections to the Jubilee Line). Southern Trains runs direct services to London Bridge with a journey time of around 20 minutes.

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.