This unique four-bedroom house, occupies the site of a former coach house on St Donatt’s Road in New Cross. The house has been completed re-designed by award-winning local practice Selencky///Parsons. While narrow in appearance from the front, the house’s plan opens out dramatically at the rear, where open-plan living spaces join a substantial private garden.

Internal accommodation extends to 1,621 sq ft across three floors. The front facade is characterised by three horizontal micro-cement bands, a signature of the Selencky///Parsons aesthetic, which accentuate the width of the plan and complement the subtle palette of reclaimed yellow brick, oak joinery and black, slimline window frames.

Access is gained via small, gated front garden. A bespoke storage space and bench in oak, for coats and shoes, comprises the entrance hall and lobby. The plan then wraps around to the right, where a long corridor leads right to back of the house. The external wall is of exposed brick, cleverly referencing the front facade, while emphasising the sense of flow through the house. There are large scale porcelain tiles underfoot and elegant pendant lights overhead.

On one side of the hallway, a WC, utility room and pantry with wine fridge are positioned either side of the large architect-designed staircase. Beyond, the plan opens out in an L-shape, to accommodate beautiful open-plan kitchen, living and dining spaces. The kitchen has a linear island with grey quartz tops, integrated Bosch appliances and a smart tap. A mirrored splash-back accentuates the sense of space, while reflecting the exposed brick stock of the opposite wall. The dining space is positioned on the same level as the kitchen and a set of slim framed glazed windows open out directly onto a patio. This section of the garden is paved with the same large format tiles as the internal spaces, wonderfully breaking down the boundaries between inside and out.

Selencky///Parsons’ floating concrete planes delineate the beginning of a sunken living space and form a built-in shelving area on one wall. This sunken section of the plan has an intimacy and warmth, created by engineered oak floorboards underfoot and its position nestled below the dining area and the patio beyond. There is also an integrated fireplace with bio-ethanol fire. Three steps lead up and out onto the patio, via a further set of slim framed glazed windows.

The house’s garden has been designed and professionally landscaped by Antonia Schofield Garden Design to create a contemporary urban oasis. The walled garden is over 82 ft long and incorporates two outdoor terraces separated by a generous lawn area. The borders are thickly planted with exotic palms, ferns and tropical flowers all of which are automatically irrigated.

The first floor comprises a double bedroom at the front, with bespoke built-in wardrobes, a family bathroom with black micro-cement tiles and an integrated television in the bath. A bedroom, currently used as a study, is positioned at the rear of the house and has a large adjoining roof terrace, a perfect space for an early evening drink overlooking the garden below.

The second floor has a further double bedroom and master bedroom with en-suite shower room. There is a beautiful large skylight above the staircase on this level which floods the plan with natural light.

There is off-street parking at the front of the house with space for one car.

The Coach House has been rigorously designed as a ‘smart’ house. There are smart room thermostats throughout, as well as an eight speaker Sonos system in the living room and kitchen. There is underfloor heating throughout, video camera doorbell and integrated alarm.

Architect Sam Selencky has remarked of the design, “New Cross is an exciting and dynamic place, and from the outset we wanted to capture part of this spirit in our design for the project. We wanted to give the house an understated yet intriguing street presence that respected the architectural rhythm of the neighbouring properties. Manipulating and maximising space and light are key to design.”

St Donatts Road is residential road close to the heart of New Cross, thriving area of south-east London with a growing cultural profile and a number of independent restaurants, bars and cafes. It is home to Goldsmiths University, renowned for its art and design. The area is fast becoming one of South London’s most fashionable neighbourhoods.

Brockley Farmers’ Market is a very popular weekly market. Running every Saturday, it features a wide range of organic traders (butchers, grocers, fishmongers) and food trucks.

Deptford Market is fifteen minute walk away and has a thriving local market, joined in recent years by a new wave of establishments including Buster Mantis, a local bar renowned for its infamous Steam Down jazz nights; Winemakers Deptford, an exceptional natural wine bar and shop, serving outstanding European cooking from its small kitchen; Forest for all houseplant related needs and Marcella (sister restaurant to Artusi in Peckham) for excellent homemade pasta and seasonal Italian cuisine.

New Cross station is less than ten minutes’ walk from the house and runs London Overground services direct to Shoreditch, Dalston and Highbury and Islington. National Rail services run regularly to London Bridge in less than ten 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.