When husband and wife Veronica Brogan and David Reichental decided to build an extension to their home five years ago they had originally planned to use an architect, but in the end they opted to design the extension themselves.
The result is a large bright kitchen-cum-diningroom that acts as the heart of their Dartry home. The build cost close to €100,000 and replaced the old 1950s kitchen which now functions as a utility room.
They installed a Mobalpa kitchen with high-gloss cappuccino cabinets, extra deep countertops in white quartz and polished oak flooring. Their hi-tech kitchen includes an extending Neff extractor fan, recessed sockets in the countertops and remote-controlled Velux windows which automatically close if it starts to rain.
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Bright and airy, thanks to the Velux and wrap-around glass doors, the room acts as a hothouse for the couples’ love of orchids.
A 6m concertina door opens out onto the Indian sandstone patio decorated in a Zen theme leading to the south- and east-facing back garden. With a mix of bamboo and tropical grasses interspersed with olive and Chrinodendron, the garden is low maintenance and is perfect for summer entertaining.
The house has two living rooms, which are used depending on the seasons. The summer room to the rear is bright with a patio to the garden and pine floors have been given a warm mahogany stain.
Attic conversion
This room is connected to the winter livingroom via sliding doors, featuring a Stovax cassette wood burning fire, which was recently installed at a cost of €3,000. A smaller room currently used as a playroom and WC complete downstairs.
Upstairs are two double and two single bedrooms all sharing the family bathroom. Up a further flight of stairs, the couple converted what was their attic into a master suite. Bright and airy, it houses a large bathroom and dressing area.
The couple are moving around the corner to Orwell Road and have placed their 181sq m (1948sq ft) plus attic conversion 29sq m (112sq ft) on the market through estate agent Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €925,000.
While larger Edwardian houses in this area have recently sold for between €1.4 million and €1.8 million, the contemporary kitchen is what really makes No 23 special.
