Traditional on the outside but ultra-modern inside, with state-of-the-art kitchens and super-smart bathrooms, period homes just aren't what they used to be - they're better. Bernice Harrison views one on Curzon Street and Eoin Lyons another in turnkey condition on Leeson Street

Curzon Street/€950,000: A two-bedroom terraced house at 34 Curzon Street, Dublin 8, is for auction by Felicity Fox on March 2nd with an advised minimum value (AMV) of €950,000.

Dedicated househunters who have been looking in this area off South Circular Road at the city end, will remember that this house was on the market last summer with the same price tag.

It didn't sell then, confounding popular opinion that in this market just about any house will shift, never mind a period house in a desirable area.

The owner took it off the market and dealt with some of the issues that househunters had found difficult - the drab décor, the old fashioned kitchen, dated wiring and bathrooms.

It now looks very smart. There are two very large double bedrooms with good shower en suites upstairs, as well as a full-sized bathroom downstairs between the kitchen and the livingroom.

The kitchen, which is down a short flight of steps at the back of the house, is now very different with glossy cream-coloured units, well thought out storage and new stainless steel appliances including a stove, cooker and an American fridge. The washing machine and dryer are concealed under the stairs.

The kitchen is a large bright room with a glazed wall at the far end that looks out onto a small paved patio. There's plenty of space for a dining table and a couple of sofas.

Sometime in the past a previous owner radically changed the layout of this Victorian house. Originally it would have been on three levels - at middle level to the front there would have been a reception room, accessed off the hall with the bay window looking out on to the street.

The floor in this room was dropped so now that reception room is on the same level as the back kitchen. It makes for a practical layout but it does mean that the bay window in the livingroom is now high up in the wall and some potential buyers may find this off-putting.

The wiring has also been updated to include sought-after extras, such as surroundsound and a remote-controlled gas fire in the livingroom.

Leeson Street/€1.7 million: A refurbished four-bedroom house at 124 Upper Leeson Street has an advised minimum value (AMV) of €1.7 million prior to auction through Colliers Jackson-Stops on March 1st.

Within easy walking distance of Grafton Street, it is part of a Regency terrace on the island near Leeson Street Bridge.

The 206sq m (2,219sq ft) house has been extensively renovated and restored, respecting its period but now has a modern extension of a large state-of-the-art kitchen and impressive bathroom.

The current owners have done all the work before selling, but the property has not been occupied since it last changed hands.

For those who prefer to buy a house in turnkey condition, it could be just the thing. The very large new kitchen has ingested most of the rear garden - just a small deck and grass area remain - so while this house may not be particularly suitable as a home for a young family, it could be ideal for a couple who want somewhere that is easy to maintain or for people who don't live full-time in this country.

The quality of the renovation - including soft finishes, paintwork and lighting - is remarkable.

To the right of the entrance hall are two generous interconnecting reception rooms, both with Victorian-style wood chimneypieces and the usual ceiling roses, cornicing, shutters and so on.

The kitchen at the rear is a vast space, divided in the centre by a stainless steel-topped island unit.

On one side is the dining area and the other, the kitchen proper. The walls are painted a fashionable shade of grey and appliances include a Smeg gas hob, Siemens dishwasher, Baumatic fridge and Miele oven, wall-mounted coffee maker and microwave. There is also a utility room.

The large glass sliding door across the back wall makes the garden an extension of the room.

On the first floor return is a double bedroom with an en suite shower room. As throughout the house, the decoration is pleasantly neutral.

There are three further bedrooms on the first floor, including the main bedroom which runs the full width of the house and has two windows onto the street.

The family bathroom, which can be accessed from both the landing and the main bedroom, is finished to a high spec with an extra deep designer bath.

Eoin Lyons