A two-bedroom period house overlooking the River Liffey at Chapelizod goes under the hammer on November 23rd through Sherry FitzGerald's Lucan office, which is quoting a guide price of £260,000.
Number 80, St Laurence Road, is stylishly decorated and would make a perfect alternative to a penthouse in one of the new apartment schemes between Chapelizod and the quays.
St Laurence Road is on the south side of the river, less than three miles from the city centre and a 15-minute drive from O'Connell Street outside rush hour. There are gates into the Phoenix Park from the village, which has managed to retain its old-style charm despite its proximity to the city. The house is double-fronted, built around 1900 with 1,200 sq ft of living space. The owners have maximised its many period features, although double-glazing has been installed to reduce the noise from passing traffic. The interior has been given a revamp, with unusual paint colours and minimalist decor adding a contemporary look.
The hallway is painted a striking hyacinth colour, accented by light from a stained-glass window over the front door. To the left, a sitting room, which runs from front to back, has a polished maple floor, original timber fireplace and pine French doors to the rear terrace. The deep ceiling coving is intact throughout the house and the original window shutters are in working order. A diningroom across the hall is painted a rich mulberry colour and has an old castiron fireplace. This room has been opened out into the kitchen, a couple of steps down, with a wood-burning stove strategically placed between the two rooms.
The terracotta-tiled kitchen has a range of units, breakfast bar and partly exposed brick walls. A tiny enclosed area off this could make a wine store. Wall-to-wall pine French windows open to a secluded terrace surrounded by climbing plants. A mahogany-railed staircase leads to the first floor return, where there is a very luxurious wood-floored bathroom, probably converted from a maid's bedroom. There is a bath, separate double power shower and vanity unit and a laundry room off.
The two bedrooms on the first floor are both doubles and the main bedroom has a dual aspect over the river and the back garden. The 100-ft-long south-west facing back garden is extremely private and a gardener's paradise. Accessed by way of a flight of old brick steps from the main terrace, there is a lawn, old-fashioned flowering shrubs and trees and a paved sitting area.
