Number 16 Long Lane in Portobello looks pretty petite from the outside, but inside there’s a sense of space you don’t usually see with these cottage-type properties. The terraced single-storey redbrick is 100 years old, but much more recently it was extended to include a spacious kitchen-dining area and decent-sized bathroom. The current owner made further upgrades, putting in skylights and Velux windows to bring light in from above, resulting in a bright bijou residence just a short walk from the city centre.
The house is perfectly proportioned for a young professional who wants to feel the pulse of city life, but still feel like they have a haven to retreat to at the end of the day. Long Lane is just off Heytesbury Street, within walking distance of the Luas, and serviced by several fine cafes and restaurants, including Little Bird, Bastible and Brother Hubbard’s. There’s a “lovely, buzzy feel” to the area, says the owner, and the neighbours are a nice mix of older people who’ve lived here all their lives, and young working singletons and couples.
A long hallway greets you as you enter, with the two bedrooms to the left, the main one looking out to the small, gravelled front garden. The second bedroom would also make a handy home office, or a nursery if you’re starting a family.
The livingroom has high ceilings, adding to the sense of space, and the fireplace has been fitted with a lovely wood-burning stove which heats the whole house up nicely in winter without creating any smoke or mess. The owners put in insulation to bring the Ber up to C3.
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There’s no shortage of storage space in the kitchen-dining area, and the owners have put in double doors out to the private rear garden, so you’ve got everything in place for entertaining friends. The houses in the immediate vicinity are single-storey, so there’s nothing to block the sun from shining down on your barbecue.
At the end of the garden is a shed/utility room, plumbed for a washing machine, so you can do the laundry without encroaching on your living space.
Number 16 Long Lane, at about 67sq m (721sq ft), is for sale through DNG asking €525,000.
