Blink and you would miss Portobello Place, a very unusual gated terrace of just five houses, set in an L-shaped courtyard, that is a level below the other houses on the street, Portobello Harbour.
It is accessed via a set of limestone steps and is within a short stroll of The Lower Deck pub and the Grand Canal, where a bevy of swans often gather by the lock at dusk.
No 1 is a charming end-of-terrace two-bedroom house that was built circa 1850, according to Buildings of Ireland.
The property has been in the same family since the 1990s and was used principally as an office, with operations located in the dual-aspect, open-plan first-floor room and ancillary rooms downstairs.
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Now into its second generation of the family’s ownership, it has been transformed by their daughter into a really charming home, the kind you might find in the back streets of Notting Hill in London, thanks to a design by the late architect Paul Quilligan, who was a friend of the family.
It still has period features aplenty, including six-over-six timber sash windows by Kells Joinery, one of the best window manufacturers in the country.
has fenced off the front garden to create a contemplative space that has bin storage under the steps, very valuable in a small house.
While No 1 extends to just 68sq m (731sq ft), the owner has made really smart use of its upside-down layout, using the large open-plan space upstairs to install a light-filled kitchen cum living room and putting its two double bedrooms at hall level.
The accommodation is compact, with the doubles measuring 8.6sq m (93sq ft) and 8.3sq m (89sq ft) respectively.
The back garden is a gorgeous and private space. It is set below street level so is sheltered but gets southern sun through a chink in the buildings on the opposite side of the road. It has terracotta-coloured paving, climbing Dublin Bay roses and is fragranced by potted jasmine, with its end wall clad in a climbing creeper.
The owner has also installed a small custom-made shed to house both the washing machine and dryer, complete with covered hanging rails so you can dry laundry whatever the weather.
If you did want more bedroom space, the owner has been given planning permission to extend out into this garden to create a much bigger primary suite. This would also give you a roof terrace garden at street level.
Upstairs is the real draw. With windows front and back and French doors opening out on to a Juliet balcony, it’s a space that will feel airy even on the hottest days. In the kitchen, the owner has incorporated a below-counter fridge and separate freezer, a slim-line dishwasher and loads of counter space. The dining table is extendable and the owner has often used it to entertain up to a dozen dinner guests. Glass shelves in the window at the top of the stairs provide additional surfaces for tableware, while the owner made use of the lockdowns to hive out a workspace.
So why is she moving, you might ask? Well her parents have lands near the waterfall in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, where they keep deer that eat apples straight out of her hands. She’s hoping to build there.
DNG is seeking €550,000 for the property, which has a BER rating of E2.
