Bigger and better Monkstown turnaround for €1.195m

Maison, number 95 Monkstown Avenue, is one of a small number of houses set far back off the main road with a crescent of grass and trees screening some of the traffic noise. Added triple glazing to the front dials any din right down. Husband and wife boutique developer team Kevin and Kathrin Houlihan bought the property in August last year for €880,000 and added about 93sq m (1,000sq ft) so that the four-bed double-fronted property now extends to 205sq m.

The well-balanced house, with off-street parking for several cars, is now in walk-in condition. It opens into a sizeable hall where the ceiling heights are 2.6m. There’s a smart, square sitting room to the right, accessed via a set of double doors. The room’s original coving has been retained and a glass-fronted fire, set into the original chimney, offers visual warmth in the depth of winter. Across the hall is a smaller room set up as a study cum boot room but could also be a playroom for smaller children or a home office.

But it is the large space to the rear that has the greatest appeal. Divided into definitive areas, a living area is set around another glass-fronted fire with a porcelain tile hearth, while the dining and kitchen are set beneath a stepped ceiling that extends from 2.8m to 3.2m.

The kitchen, which has marble-effect quartz tops, includes a pantry unit and a vented and windowed utility room with a laundry chute connecting with the family bathroom above.

Three sets of timber French windows create a lovely sense of balance to the back wall of this room and open out to a granite terrace over 4m deep that steps down into the garden. While north-west facing the garden is a good size, has been well planted and gets evening sun on the terrace. There’s also a cool brick outdoor kitchen with bespoke concrete counters.

Thanks to the addition of a damp-proof membrane and hemihydrate floor (the most advanced style of screed for a seamless underfloor heating system) as well as 150mm high density insulation in the walls – the kind used in A-rated new build homes – it has been transformed from a G Ber rating to a snug B2 rating.

The house also features a smart garden room with a vaulted ceiling which enjoys direct southern sunlight. It has internet points and could be invaluable to anyone working from home or juggling an office job with rearing a family.

The stairwell is bright and leads to the four double bedrooms upstairs. All have built-in wardrobes as well as room for study desks.

The main bedroom, set to the rear, has a crescent-shaped internal en suite with a large shower stall and smart grey tiling, a look that is mirrored in the family bathroom.

The rooms are light-filled thanks to the large windows, with deep grey uPVC frames to the front of the house and off-white designs to the rear.

The property is seeking€1.195million through agent Janet Carroll.