Architect designed house is open plan and bright

Dublin 6: €1.85mA house by O'Mahony Pike Architects in Ranelagh shows how successful open-plan living with well-planned storage can be, writes Alanna Gallagher

An architect-designed town house that is part of an interesting infill scheme off Northbrook Road in Dublin 6 is for sale by private treaty through Sherry Fitzgerald with an asking price of €1.85 million.

The three-bedroom house at 6 St Annes is on a quiet cul-de-sac off Northbrook Lane and was, like the entire scheme, designed by O'Mahony Pike Architects.

The terraced, yellow-brick property has off-street parking to the front and a rather plain exterior.

Inside, the traditional layout has been reversed with the bedrooms, two doubles and a single, on the ground floor. The main bedroom has a shower en suite as does the single, which the present owner uses as an office.

An enclosed courtyard with water feature, mature bamboo and external lighting allows plenty of natural light into the hall's interior.

One of the property's key selling points is its large decked exterior, which is situated to the back and overlooks a private courtyard. A back gate leads from the deck through the courtyard to pedestrian access directly onto Northbrook Road.

In addition, the deck is west-facing and orientated to get the most of the evening sun. Three large bamboo planters act as a screen.

The top floor is open plan. A solid oak staircase leads up to the large and light-filled living space. The kitchen and diningroom are situated to the front to avail of the morning sun and is home to a white Siematic kitchen and compact island, both with unpolished granite worktops. The living area has a swish gas fire and is located to the back.

The calm and contemporary upstairs has painted ceiling beams to soften the look of its vaulted ceilings.

It is an extremely good example of successful open-plan living and a very desirable space to spend time in.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, there is oodles of stylish yet practical storage, beginning with the entrance hall, which has a bank of closet space hidden behind slick mahogany doors.

In the hallway, a large hot press with hanging room for drying clothes is another clever addition and the adjacent utility room has space for a washer/dryer while offering extensive additional storage under the stairs optimising otherwise dead space extremely efficiently.