This extended and completely re-imagined Victorian house for sale is now 50% larger than neighbouring homes.

There’s a plot twist at this unique property on Plough Way in London’s energetic riverside enclave of Surrey Quays in SE16. A series of events led the owner along a path to strip back the space to a shell-and-core reboot, including a sizeable basement extension.

While the architectural roots of the house lay very much in the Victorian era as part of a quintessential terrace with classic valley roofs, once you’re over the threshold, all bets are off.

Dispensing with the original boxy layout, the interior has been re-loved and re-vamped with a thoroughly modern makeover, entailing a complete rebuild at the rear. As well as creating significant extra square footage, the result is a truly multi-faceted home.

Starting at the top, the sweeping curved stairwell places you neatly in what feels like a self-contained apartment. Designed to accommodate visiting family and friends from overseas, this entire floor has become a very successful short-let sideline.

Two double bedrooms, each with their own en-suite, are connected by a landing area with a tidy kitchenette. This could easily be removed if required, but it works perfectly if you wish to continue with lucrative holiday lets, keep it free for guests, or have a private pad for parents or older kids.

The basement is another feat of architectural engineering, and it’s huge. The owner umm’d and aah’d about the project at the time, but she’s delighted she took the leap.

You can put aside any ideas of what an old Victorian cellar might look like. A freestanding staircase swoops down into the centre of a space that could be any number of things: a guest bedroom, a home cinema, an extra living room, or a wellness studio. And tucked usefully out of sight behind the stairs you’ll find a handy utility and storage zone.

Back up on the ground floor, the prodigious proportions include a third double bedroom, guest shower room and WC, with a decorative finish that complements the sharp, minimal lines seen throughout.

That is, until you reach the contrasting industrial styling of the open-plan living space, where vaulted ceilings paired with electrically controlled Velux windows sit high above the sitting area. These flood the room with light and warm the hue of a raw brick wall made from the original stocks that were retained when the rear of the house was demolished.

On the opposite wall, folding doors hide a bespoke-built bureau with a desk and shelving, giving you a dedicated office to close off when you’re done. A wood burner adds warmth when fired up during the winter months.

Elsewhere in this exceptional room, glossy kitchen cabinetry reflects more natural light from two exterior walls made entirely of bi-folding glass doors that really do invite the outside in.

And that brings us neatly to the layered, ornamental garden. This sizeable section of greenery is incredibly easy to manage and provides an ever-evolving backdrop of plants to admire throughout the seasons – just as the owner intended.

Adjacent to the back of the house, ceramic tiles, specifically chosen to match the kitchen floor, create an alfresco decked area for summer socialising. At the end of the garden, a solid wood workshop with storage and a covered area has further potential for a sensational summer house.

Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe make a vibrant corner of South East London by the Thames, with a superb social scene and excellent transport links that whizz you around the capital.

You can pick up the Overground at Surrey Quays or Canada Water, head under the river to Wapping, then into the City Fringe at Whitechapel and Shoreditch High Street, and further towards Islington, Hackney and Dalston. Southbound takes you to New Cross, Crystal Palace and Croydon.

Canada Water is also a stop on the Jubilee Line, whisking you to Canary Wharf in just three minutes, or westwards to London Bridge, Waterloo, Westminster and Bond Street.

Above ground, and offering perhaps the most romantic way to travel through London, multiple river bus services stop at Greenland Surrey Quays Pier.

And if that wasn’t enough, numerous bus routes skirt nearby the house, day and night, including:

24-hour bus services: 1, 47, 188, 199, 381.

Bus routes from Canada Water: 1, 47, 188, 199, 225, 381, C10, N199, N381, P12.

Our seller’s top three picks for local eateries:

Plough Way Deli – great Italian deli and coffee shop.
https://www.ploughwaydeli.com/

Wolfy’s Bar – South African-inspired brunch cafe with great, own-labelled wine and beer.
https://www.wolfysbar.com/

The Pear Tree Inn – Aussie-run restaurant with great Asian fusion dishes to suit all tastes, with super wine and 20% off Wednesdays!
https://www.thepeartreekitchen.co.uk/