Portobello home brings style and efficiency to the fore

In just two years the owners of an end-of-terrace redbrick off the city end of the South Circular Road have transformed it from a house in very obvious need of renovation into a smart city home. Its Ber B1 rating gives an indication of the work done to the Victorian property and inside it’s clear the house has essentially been rebuilt.

They bought in 2017 – for €450,000 – and the work involved extending out to the rear, replacing an old single-storey extension with a two storey one, creating a courtyard garden and building on a new room at the rear, bringing the size to 108sq m (1,163sq ft).

The layout of what was a dark single-storey cottage, made up of small rooms, has entirely changed.

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Bathroom

The front door opens directly into a double-height space – the ceiling rising up to roof level – and in it is the living room and the open tread contemporary oak staircase with metal detailing.

A sleek gas fire has been installed into the chimney breast on the opposing wall which has been treated as a feature wall, decorated with boldly coloured wallpaper. This room can be closed off from the back of the house via sliding pocket doors.

A step down from this room is the kitchen/dining/living room with glazed walls enclosing an internal courtyard, the house’s outdoor space. This room benefits from the property being end of terrace so as well as the courtyard glazing it has light coming in from a long horizontal window in the gable wall.

It’s an attractive living area with the kitchen units against one wall, a silestone-topped island and a dining area. There is room for a large L-shaped sofa making it a comfortable and spacious family area. A partially floating ceiling incorporating mood lighting is an attractive design feature.

At the rear of this area is the first of the three bedrooms; it has an en suite and opens into the courtyard.

The other two bedrooms are both doubles and one with an en suite is upstairs as is the family bathroom.

Some of the reasons for the high energy rating are obvious in the heat recovery system, the air to water heat pump and underfloor heating, and the triple glazing.

There is side access into the courtyard, handy for bikes and bins, and parking is on-street.

The cleverly designed home, in turnkey condition, is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €795,000.