The navy timber-clad exterior of number 22a Bath Street in Irishtown may be familiar to those who drive past it on their way from Sandymount into Dublin’s city centre. The two-bedroom townhouse, extending to 75sq m (807sq ft), is something of a new addition to the street, located as it is in a building that was once home to a corner shop. It was refurbished by a previous owner in the early 2000s, giving it its rather unconventional layout, which aims to optimise the light and space available.
Seán Pattwell, owner of a PR firm specialising in emerging tech, bought the home as his base in 2020. Moving in as he did during the Covid-19 pandemic, he developed the morning ritual of taking a stroll along nearby Sandymount Strand before returning to 22a to work from home. He paid €435,000 for the property, according to the Property Price Register.
Entering the house from the street, you’re met just beyond the hallway with the property’s second bedroom behind folding doors. Here, Pattwell had a sleek office unit with plenty of shelving installed, which suits all working-from-home needs. The built-in LED lights are a perfect, flattering backlight for video conferences, he says. The room also fits a single bed comfortably, which could be swapped out for a sofa bed if you wanted a workspace by day, bedroom by night. The large window opens on to the small, paved courtyard to the side of the house.
Down the hall is the main bathroom, which has been newly upgraded. As it doesn’t have a window, Pattwell went with white metro tiles to keep the room bright. It has a bath/shower with contemporary chrome fixtures. Outside the bathroom there are cabinets under the stairs for storage with the largest one housing the washing machine.
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Upstairs, the open-plan kitchen-dining-livingroom is on the first floor. As you ascend the steps you can see the box shelving which makes up the built-in entertainment/display unit of the living area. The kitchen has also been recently upgraded with the wooden units repaired and sprayed with a matt-black finish; the dishwasher and fridge-freezer are integrated. The owner has a small round dining table at the window at the side of the building and a three-seater couch in the living area. The wooden windowsills provide floating shelves for books and lamps.
The main bedroom is on the second floor. It has a wardrobe built into the wall on one side of the bed and a newly upgraded en suite with large shower on the right. There is a Velux window on the slanted roof in the space that would have once been the attic. The neighbour’s chimney is a few feet from it but still some light travels in.
Pattwell also had the roof completely replaced and a new boiler installed, bringing the Ber rating to a D. The double-glazed windows and vertical radiators help to keep the home cosy, Pattwell says. A huge draw for this property is its location; it is close to Sandymount while the shops and eateries of the Beggar’s Bush area are just a short walk away. The city centre is within walking distance, and you can reach Dublin Airport in less than 20 minutes via Dublin Port Tunnel.
This house is likely to appeal to a professional working for one of the big Dublin 4-based employers. Number 22a Bath Street is on the market through Owen Reilly, seeking €465,000.