NINE YEARS ago, when the current owners moved into this terraced, Victorian house at 136 St Lawrence Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3, they took over from a family who had happily lived here for 40 years.

They set about a major refurbishment, with an eye to its history and cheerful family mood, and took care with original features, re-used materials (bricks and stone) where they could and added a rear kitchen/familyroom with the sort of light and flowing space undreamed and unheard of when the house was built in 1897.

The result is 245sq m (2,600sq ft) of elegant, bright rooms with high ceilings, intact plasterwork, great fireplaces, polished floorboards and long sash windows. Over two levels, with first-floor returns, there are five bedrooms, three reception rooms and a kitchen/breakfastroom. Gardens front and back are landscaped and there is a double garage.

The house is for sale at €1.395 million through Douglas Newman Good. The vendors, acknowledging both the economic times and their love of Clontarf, say they are “open to all offers, including a swap that will allow us downsize but stay in the area”.

A pouring-cream colour throughout makes for a mellow mood and allows the original features come into their own. Its period is most keenly felt in the ground floor, interconnecting reception rooms where a deep, bay window in the front drawingroom throws light onto the original marble fireplace and polished floorboards. There’s a similar fireplace in the rear, diningroom.

The kitchen, designed by architect Brian Hogan, are hand-painted and appliances are cleverly integrated. All is light with a pair of large rooflights and an end wall taken up by double glass doors. The bricks surrounding a stove/fireplace are original and pick up similar bricks used in steps and a sitting area on the garden.

Three of the bedrooms are off the first floor landing; one is on the hall return and the fifth on the first floor return, along with the family bathroom. All of the bedrooms have cast-iron fireplaces.