Pied-a-terre in Dublin 4 for €495,000

For anyone in search of a pied-à-terre in Ballsbridge, this quirky house, dating from before 1840 and once part of the Pembroke Estate, is an alternative to some of the soulless apartments scattered around Dublin 4.

The current owners, both artists, purchased what they describe as their “crooked house” 25 years ago and undertook complete renovation of the property, filling it with purchases from their extensive travels abroad.

The pair totally gutted number 2, which has 83.6sq m (900sq ft) of space, raising the ceilings and opening up what were once tiny box rooms into an open plan living-cum-dining area now semi-partitioned by a set of Corinthian pillars in Portland stone that they purchased from the Victorian Salvage company.

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The centrepiece of the living area is a striking, gothic-arched, sandstone fireplace which once graced the altar of a Church of Ireland chapel in Westmeath. For music enthusiasts, the entire house has a Bose sound system, installed at a cost of €7,000.

The dining area has walls of panelled dark oak and leads to a sleek modern kitchen filled with high- end appliances. The room is very bright thanks to a glass-block ceiling which has an outdoor garden above.

Upstairs – via their imported Egyptian staircase – lie two en-suite bedrooms. One is triangular in shape, and the other has glass doors with access to the outdoor patio. Despite being small, both are beautifully presented and have very clever storage.

Number 2, a house like no other, lies in a quiet lane off Haddington Road.

The owners are moving to a 250-year-old cottage in Wicklow for which they have grand plans and have placed their home on the market with an asking price of €495,000 through estate agent Felicity Fox.