House that gives everyone space

BLACKROCK/€925,000:A 1930s semi-detached family home with south- west-facing garden has been tastefully refurbished and feels warm and cosy despite its size, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER

NUMBER 32 Greygates is a great family house with room for everyone to do their thing. The 1930s Kenny-built property was very tastefully refurbished under the watchful eye of architect Paul Brazil in 2005. It has many boom-era elements such as pre-set lighting systems in the reception rooms and a bespoke kitchen and it is wired for sound, but it is first and foremost a home, and one whose fine features are ageing gracefully.

The semi-detached property has a Blackrock postal address but is located on the Stillorgan dual carriageway opposite the Mount Merrion intersection.

A limed oak herringbone parquet floor graces the panelled hallway which leads into a lovely, well-balanced sittingroom, which has a modern open hearth. Double doors lead into a great family room, which has a vaulted ceiling and a raised hearth with modern gas fire and built-in TV and media unit. The glazed back window overlooks the south-west-facing garden where there is a very wide patio.

The family room leads through to a very smart solid oak painted kitchen by Dalkey Design House. It has sillstone countertops and the counters are hidden from view by a raised panel making it feel more in tune with the rest of the house. The kitchen has a reconditioned Aga from 1953. Behind the kitchen is a large utility room with larder cupboards and a separate front access.

There is ample room to eat in the kitchen. A dining area overlooks the back garden. While the whole ground floor is practically open plan it doesn’t feel overtly so, rather each zone operates and feels like a separate room. This makes the house feel warm and cosy despite its size. The house measures 247sq m (2,665sq ft).

There is a formal diningroom to the front that almost seems surplus to requirements. It could just as easily become a kids’ room or a den.

The three-bedroom house has an asking price of €925,000 through agents Sherry FitzGerald.

As you climb the stairs, a large box- bay window with atrium overlooks the back garden, flooding the landing with light.

On the first floor, there are three bedrooms where originally there were four. The master bedroom is to the rear of the house and is an ultra-roomy adult space. It has very smart cabinetry that spans the width of the room and includes a porthole window that lets you peer into the garden from the bed. The ensuite bathroom is a show-

stopping space filled with light from a large, frosted-glass porthole window set above the bath. There are his and hers sinks and more light seeps through from frosted-glass blocks set into the exterior wall of the freestanding shower.

The second double is to the front, and it has a bay window and a shower ensuite bathroom. The third bedroom runs from front to back, the current owners having knocked the third and fourth bedrooms together to make one huge space. Reconverting it back to two bedrooms would not be a big job. The room has an original cast iron fireplace.

A full set of stars leads up to the attic room where there is walk-in storage and substantial additional storage in the eaves. There is loads of built-in desk space too.

Out front electronic grey gates shield the property from the roar of the heavy traffic outside. Inside, the traffic is barely audible. There is off-street parking and a side rear access.

The back garden is more than big enough to kick a ball around. Measuring 115 feet in length it is also south-west facing making it a real sun trap.

There is a wide patio that spans the width of the house where there is room for not one but two outdoor dining tables.

While every effort has been made indoors to mute the traffic sounds, the busy hum is audible in the garden.

32 Greygates, Mount Merrion, Co Dublin

Description: Three-bedroom family home built in 1930 and refurbished in 2005

Agent: Sherry FitzGerald