As electric gates open into Drayton Mews, a two-bedroom detached mews that backs on to busy Monkstown Road, your eye is drawn to the gorgeous verdant arch that frames an Italianate decked area to the front of the house. It looks mysteriously large. As you draw closer you realise it is an optical illusion.
A sizeable mirror, set into the arch, reflects the bijou space, which is replete with potted plants and climbing trellises. While small, it is a gorgeous and very manageable little oasis of green and one of the property’s highlights.
From it, you can, via French doors access into the sittingroom, an impressive double- height space with oak beams and a spiral staircase that takes you up to a mezzanine level which is used as a study, but is also great for people watching.
The room has an open fireplace and a feature round window set up high on the wall. Painted a dull yellow that was once very fashionable, on this sunny day it felt unnecessarily dark.
Off the statement sittingroom is a small room used by the owners, who love to entertain, as a bar. This is a property that you can easily visualise as a party pad although the fact that one of its two bedrooms is situated off the sittingroom could cause problems if one resident wanted to retire early from the festivities.
This bedroom, originally a courtyard, has no windows, but is well lit from above by a roof light. Off it is a large bathroom that can also be accessed from the hall.
The house has a roomy, U-shaped kitchen, big enough to eat in, with a small island and double doors that lead out to a trellised area to the side of the property.
The 128sq m (1,378sq ft) property was built about 30 years ago and purchased by the current owners 10 years ago. It is for sale for €895,000 through agents DNG.
Upstairs, the owners amalgamated the two “pokey” bedrooms into one well-proportioned master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom where there is space for a freestanding tub and a large, separate shower. The room also has a small walk-in wardrobe.
There is plenty of secure off-street parking and space for at least three cars. While the house feels private and secure, it isn’t a home for the noise sensitive. When the windows are open the noise from traffic along Monkstown Road is quite audible.
The property is situated minutes from Monkstown Crescent’s shopping strip.
