One Percy Lane is unmissable. As you stroll down this quiet Dublin 4 lane a sizeable zinc-roofed, powder steel coated set of mews houses looms from a plot of land that is accessed from both Haddington Road and Percy Place and within minutes of the Grand Canal and Baggot’s Street’s lively pub and restaurant scene.
The 324sq m (3,485sq ft) site was sold with full planning permission for three houses to Oakmount Development, a consortium that includes businessman Paddy McKillen Jr, in October 2013. Oakmount is also involved in the development of nearby Percy Place.
Odos Architects were tasked with squeezing every last millimetre of space from the tall narrow design.
Two of the three homes are for sale through agents Knight Frank, each measuring 174sq m (1873sq ft). The showhouse, 1c, rated A3, is asking €1.295 million. The mid terrace house, 1b, rated A2, is asking €1.25 million.
Set over three floors the three-bedroom showhouse, number 1C, has polished concrete floors throughout, wooden laths that draw the eye upwards – the architects call them fins – and laminated glass that allows light to pour down to the ground level where there are no windows bar to the front. Recessed strip lighting illuminates the stairwell.
On the first floor is an open plan kitchen-dining room with glazing to the front enjoying a westerly aspect. This slides open to reveal a half-wall of glass to help prevent residents falling out accidently.
The double height ceiling in the dining area draws more light down from roof lights above.
Marble kitchen
The house has been fitted out by Bushell Interiors. A kitchen by Allmilmo has Calacatta marble countertops and Siemens appliances with a water filter tap, double sinks and pop-up sockets and USB ports. Off it is a small covered balcony. The property is triple- glazed and thanks to the reinforced concrete floors feels very solid.
The compact third bedroom on this level has no storage but there’s a smart en suite with a glass-walled shower.
The livingroom takes up the entire second floor and is open to the floor below. This makes the space look lovely but for those who don’t want sound to be an issue between floors glazing in the open areas is an option.
Parquet floors
You are immediately drawn to the 39sq m east-facing terrace, floored in herringbone pattern to match the Fendi parquet inside. The room’s principal feature is a marble clad feature wall with a recessed gas fire.
Vertigo sufferers beware. A floor-to-ceiling glass panel looks back down into the stairwell and is so clean that you hesitate, thinking for an instant that there is nothing there.The property’s two other bedrooms are situated on the ground floor. In each is a bed set on a Perspex plinth that gives the optical illusion that it is floating.
The master is to the rear, opening onto an enclosed courtyard and it has a great sized en suite bathroom. The ensuite in the other double errs on the small side.
Heat-recovery system
There is only one small upright wardrobe with the rest of the storage in half-size units. One of these is home to the heat recovery system which emits a low hum but it is easily moved into the garage which backs onto the room.
The house has zoned under-floor heating and a top of the range security monitoring system.
Each house has its own garage, though small at 13sq m. One Percy Place will appeal to design-led professionals, says agent Lisa Rocca of Knight Frank.
