Co Dublin/€1.45m: When is a Victorian house not a Victorian house? One answer is when the original has been gutted and rebuilt inside from the roof down, remade to the heart's desire of two contemporary minded architects and fronted by the original, 19th century redbrick façade.

This is what has happened to 3 Summerville Terrace, Dalkey Avenue, Dalkey, Co Dublin, home to architects Helen Murray and Michael Hussey. In poor condition when they bought it seven years ago, they've built what is virtually a new house inside, retaining the façade, a few original internal walls and replacing old sash windows with newly made, double glazed versions.

It has a floor area of 130sq m (1,400sq ft) - not including an attic conversion - with three bedrooms and an open reception space with kitchen, living and dining areas.

The design allows the 90ft long rear garden to become an extension of the living space when weather permits. Douglas Newman Good is looking after the private treaty sale and is quoting €1.45 million.

There's an indication of what to expect inside in the soaring inner door of the entrance hallway. Beyond this the entire floor has been opened up to create a dining area by the front bay window, a working kitchen area in the centre and, lower by a few steps and leading to the garden, a family/livingroom.

The floors, here and throughout, are walnut and the white-painted walls have cupboards and shelving cleverly concealed behind press-release doors. The kitchen breakfast bar/ worktops are stainless steel.

One livingroom wall is filled with floor-to-ceiling walnut shelving. The house's pièce de résistance is a wall of glass at the back which slides on a rail and folds completely back, opening the entire wall to the garden.

Upstairs, the bedrooms have original cast-iron fireplaces. There are rooftop and distant sea views from two large Velux windows in the attic space.