Artisan cottage in Ranelagh for €525,000

Number 42 Mount Pleasant Terrace offers a masterclass in refurbishing a small space to maximise every square centimetre. Its owner bought the artisan cottage in August 2012 for €110,000, according to the property price register, and employed the skills of Gearoid Carville of ABGC Architecture and Design to make the most of its volume, much of which is concealed under the roof of this attractive redbrick style.

He started by dropping the ceiling level at ground level and opening up the ground floor so that the house now opens directly into the living area accessed via steps. Separate zones for dining and kitchen break up the room, which is dual aspect thanks to glazing in an L-shape that overlooks the small but west-facing courtyard.

There is only room to install a bistro set here, but the access to a shared but gated lane allows you to keep your bins out of view. And it means that you don’t have to drag them through the house as is often the case in such mid-terrace properties.

The kitchen is a vanilla gloss design by Ikea that has laminate worktops and has stood the test of time better than other affordable options. Set in a C-shape, a counter divides the dining and cooking areas.

The washing machine and dryer are hidden from view behind one of two mauve painted doors. The second conceals the water tank and gas boiler making these readily accessible should you ever need to call in someone to do repairs. Further storage is secreted behind the open shelving that divides the stairwell from the room, where suitcases and Christmas decorations are housed.

At the top of the stairs, to the back of the house, there is a light-filled and private double bedroom. Its window features opaque glass with more light steaming in from a rooflight above the bed. To the front is a space that is used as a home office cum guest room where original brickwork has been exposed as a feature. It doesn’t have a window so it can’t be called a bedroom, but is big enough to accommodate friends that come to stay.

The C1 Ber-rated period property, which is just 55sq m (592sq ft) in size, is in walk-in condition and is asking €525,000 through agents Felicity Fox.

A comparison that shows the appetite for well-designed, turn-key one-beds in the area, can be seen in the sale of number 9. While a very different style of one-bed, and larger, extending to 84sq m (904sq ft), the Tom de Paor designed home came to market in November 2017 asking €495,000 and sold for €550,000 in June 2018.