The owners of Birnbaum, 7 Pear Tree Field in Blackrock, got involved in the design of the house when it was being built in 1996 so that from the start they were able to make the large detached redbrick house their own. They had three specific requirements: a wrap-around timber conservatory to make the most of the south-facing orientation; a triple-height atrium in the hall with gallery landings to create an impressive entrance; and a spacious, bright living-room with timber-finished vaulted ceiling. They were also influenced by houses they had seen in the US and indeed their distinctive, welcoming south Dublin family home has the look of an upmarket American suburban house. The 474 sq m (5,200 sq ft) house, on just over half an acre, is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €2.25 million.
Private lane
Pear Tree Field is a small infill at the rear of the long-established Carysfort Downs estate in Blackrock. The houses just inside its granite-walled entrance are similar in size and appearance, but two other much larger houses were built at the back of Pear Tree Field and are accessed by their own private lane; Birnbaum is one of these. It is not overlooked; in front is the pitch and putt grounds of the St John of God hospital. The layout of Number 7 is family-friendly, with two reception rooms, a large eat-in open plan kitchen, and living space that opens into the wrap-around conservatory. The fitted kitchen, installed when the house was built, is solid maple, as is the utility room, and still looks smart.
It’s a home for a large family. There are four double bedrooms (two with ensuites) but at the top of the house at attic level there are two more large rooms – currently used as a home office area but which will probably be used as bedrooms. There is also a study downstairs at hall level adjacent to the guest bathroom which could also be an extra bedroom. The layout allows for new owners to decide how they want to use the rooms. Indeed, there were enough bedrooms for the current owners to take one of them and convert it into a dressing-room for the main bedroom.
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Tall granite walls
The gardens, which wrap around the house, are bordered by tall granite walls and are clearly the work of a keen gardener; even in this weather it still look promising. A southfacing paved patio area is accessed from one of the living-rooms and the conservatory. There's a detached double garage with loft storage and parking for several cars.
