Dublin 14 €695,000: Orwell Gardens, Rathgar, is something of a world on its own. Off Orwell Road, in the valley of the river Dodder, its 100 or so houses are surrounded by high trees and not-so-distant river sounds.
Built in the late 1930s they are solid and unpretentious, with two to three bedrooms, good gardens front and rear, the Dodder Park close by along with the schools and amenities in this part of Dublin 6.
Number 79 Orwell Gardens is for sale by private treaty through Sherry FitzGerald with an AMV of €695,000.
Its neighbouring house (80), which was not extended, was sold recently for around €680,000.
As with many of the houses in Orwell Gardens, number 79 has been extended and modernised, giving it a bright, good looking kitchen/dining room to the rear, a double living room, three bedrooms and floor area of 85sq m (920sq ft).
The gardens to the front and rear have been landscaped with the rear, 60ft long garden, has a shed, lawned area and large, and very productive this year anyway, apple tree.
The kitchen/dining room has four Velux windows in a sloping roof and a range of warm-toned cherrywood fittings.
The porcelain-tiled floor catches and nicely reflects the light from the overhead rooflight.
The double glass doors which open to the decking area are teak framed as is a large kitchen window.
Beyond the deck, stepping stones cross the lawn to an opening in the hedge to a secret garden.
What is now an inner hallway, and was once the original kitchen, has been cleverly fitted with deep storage and a utility area.
The polished timber floor in the hallway is original, as is the timber floor in the living room.
The clean lines of a black, slate fireplace work well with the honey-coloured floor, off-white walls and deeply recessed shelving.
All three bedrooms have polished floorboards.
The main, rear bedroom gives views of high trees along the Dodder's bank and has a cast-iron fireplace. Both other bedrooms are to the front. A family shower-room has a porcelain tiled floor and a Velux. A tunnel-rooflight over the stairs fills both the landing and hall below with light and drop-down stairs lead to the attic. A nearby foot-bridge leads directly into the Dodder Park.
