Bigger, better, brighter: four great extensions in Dublin

Space, light and storage are some of the benefits reaped by extending four Dublin houses, including this double-fronted Donnybrook red-brick

Eglinton Terrace is a narrow road that follows the line of the perimeter fence at Bective Rangers rugby club and loops past Herbert Park and back up to Donnybrook village via Donnybrook Mews.

Hidden from view, it comprises a redbrick terrace that gives way to 1940s pebble- dashed semi-detached houses.

Number 8 is one of the period redbricks. The mid-terrace house was refurbished and extended in 2001 by Kenny Kane Associates (Tim Kane has since set up Kane Architecture). It made the house about 25 per cent bigger. The property now measures 140sq m (1,500sq ft) and is asking €725,000 through agent Felicity Fox.

Number 8 opens into a decent-sized hall with a guest wc to the rear. The diningroom, to the left, has a polished stone fire surround and oak flooring.

READ MORE

Steps lead down from here to the kitchen extension, which completely opens up this side of the house. It has laminate worktops, stone splashbacks and a sizeable utility room off it.

A door leads from the kitchen out to a stained-wood north-facing deckthat wraps around to a patio area used for al fresco dining. The sitting room, across the hall, overlooks this patio thanks to two glass panels that double the amount of light into the room.

Floating bookcases flank these walls and a TV storage unit, designed to match the bookshelves, keeps the room feeling simple.

The owner removed the legs from the suite of furniture which makes the floor-to-ceiling height seem greater.

The oak staircase has a polished steel handrail and leads up to three good-sized double bedrooms.

The bedroom to the back, used as a studio, has a vaulted ceiling, fitted shelves and a French door with glass-brick surround leading onto a Juliet-style balcony. The main bedroom is en suite and overlooks the rugby grounds to the front of the house.

The third bedroom spans the depth of the house and is dual aspect. It has lots of storage space. It overlooks the rugby grounds to the front. The main bathroom has a black-and- white motif, a glass-block window and roof lights.

There is resident’s parking on the street out front but the house also has rear access with off-street parking for up to two cars.

A neighbouring house, number 13 Eglinton Terrace, a four-bed semi-detached redbrick, is for sale at €795,000 through Young’s Estate Agents. Agent Felicity Fox sold the house next door, number 7, for €605,000 in July 2012.