A prospective buyer who purchases this renovated house on Mount Pleasant Place in Ranelagh, built at the turn of the 20th century, will have nothing more to do than unpack. Bought for €430,000 in January of this year, the builder owner has achieved a rapid turnaround, stripping and gutting the 86sq m (925sq ft) property and creating a beautifully designed house underpinned by top-flight skills and materials.
The owner uncovered a warm, mellow brick in the downstairs rooms and debated on leaving all the walls in the sittingroom exposed but decided against it, thinking it would overwhelm the space. He left the chimney breast exposed and plastered over the rest of the room, and echoed this effect in the kitchen, where the wall above the stove and units is exposed while everything else is plastered.
The front door opens from the street on to the hall. A wide-plank laminate oak floor runs through the ground floor which is made up of two dual-aspect rooms – a kitchen and a sittingroom. Crittal-style doors from Munster Joinery frame the entry to the kitchen, which is a gorgeous space, sleek yet also warm with navy units, porcelain countertops and a big range cooker, all running down one side of the room and topped with a lovely stretch of exposed brick.
Double doors with Crittall-style frames open on to a small back yard, which is a suntrap with ample space to sit out. It also houses a small shed that has enough room for stacked laundry appliances. The old wall bordering the yard is painted an off-white and the pale patio tiles bounce light around, making for a calm outdoor retreat.
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The sittingroom is also dual aspect, with a window on to the front street and double doors again opening on to the yard, creating a good flow of space. The open fireplace is working, heating is gas and the Ber rating is B1, testament to the internal and external insulation put in place during the build. A shower room was cleverly put into the understairs space.
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Upstairs on the first floor are two bedrooms; both are carpeted and have deep alcoves either side of the chimney breasts. The principal bedroom is spacious and has a dressingroom, fitted out from D1 Kitchens, and a handsome en suite with a rainfall shower and a bath. The second bedroom would work very well as a combined guest bedroom and home office – it is dual aspect with deep alcoves that would easily accommodate a desk and shelving.
It would make a lovely home for a young couple, for downsizers quitting a period pile in the area who are still looking for a home with character and charm, or it could make a great houseshare with the two bathrooms. On the market with Sherry FitzGerald seeking €695,000, it’s an attractive renovation of an old house bringing it bang up to date.
Just around the corner from Mount Pleasant Square and its tennis club, it’s a short stroll (under two minutes) to the Ranelagh Luas stop and all the cafes and shops of the village, and only a mile’s walk into the city centre. Nearby schools include Ranelagh Multidenominational School, Sandford Park, Muckross, Gonzaga and Alexandra College.
