Lovely Dartmouth Square has had its ups and downs over the years. Over time, a great many of these graceful Victorian redbricks had been divided into offices and bedsits, but since the late 1980s, they have been returning to their original status as elegant family homes.
The square was in the news in 2006, when opportunistic businessman Noel O’Gara, having bought the freehold, tried to turn the centre of the square into a car park and briefly into a tile showroom.
That is all behind it now and, nicely planted, it is part-owned between Dublin City Council and the residents, with yoga classes and the occasional events and happenings taking place.
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Ron Hill and Ethna Frayne moved in to number 10, which is for sale with DNG for €1.6 million, in 1988, and oversaw its restoration from offices, back to a three bedroomed home, laid out over four floors.
Overall there are 213sq m (2,296sq ft) of accommodation. “The previous occupants had loved ‘clean lines’,” remembers Hill. “They had taken out the fireplaces, doors, skirtings and ceiling roses. The kitchen was in a portacabin out the back – that was the toughest thing to get rid of.”
Family house
Despite the daunting amount of work, the location sold the couple on the house as the ideal place to bring up a family.
“There’s a lovely sense of community here,” says Frayne, “I’ll miss that.”
Sitting in the first-floor living room, which connects to the diningroom and has views of the park, Frayne also talks about the convenience of the Luas (just outside) and the short walk to Ranelagh, the city centre, the National Concert Hall, schools and shops.
From tracking down replacement fireplaces – a very nice pair from an antique shop on Francis Street – to commissioning new skirting boards, to installing a sleek contemporary kitchen at garden level, Hill and Frayne have done a great job of bringing the house back to lovely life.
There is also a stained glass window on the return and the proportions of the rooms make it a very relaxing house in which to be.
Alongside the kitchen, which opens on to a patio that catches the evening sun, there is a den/ music room at garden level, and a utility room.
Upstairs are three bedrooms and the master is ensuite. Go up again and the very top of the house has been converted into a brilliant study space, ideal for working from home or studying. Viewing is recommended for families of all ages and stages.
