Carefully considered comfort in Sandycove for €1.15m

The phrase “deceptively spacious” can cause all sorts of alarm bells to sound, implying small spaces and pokey rooms that you could just about manage to swing a cat in, if you had a diminutive enough cat.

From the outside, 28 Lower Albert Road looks as if it might fulfil the clichés: it's a single storey period terrace, albeit double fronted, and with gravelled parking for two cars through the electric gates.

So where have they managed to put the four bedrooms? And should only very experienced cat-swingers apply?

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Not at all; the current owners, who have lived here for more than a decade, worked with MacDonald Vagge Architects to build up, down and out at the back, getting a total of 178sq m (1,915sq ft) of space, and adding a double height kitchen and sun room into the bargain.

Stately space

The entrance hall, and livingroom to the right, are typical of a house of this period: nice proportions, lots of light, and a sloping ceiling, reminding you of the building’s cottage-style origins.

But then, walk through and down a couple of steps, and you're into the kitchen, which has been exceptionally nicely kitted out with walnut floors, an island unit, stainless steel countertops and splashbacks, and the kind of five-ring gas hob that makes playing at MasterChef a breeze.

This leads on, via a dining area, to a sunroom that has a tasteful modern fireplace, and French windows through to the wrap-around patio, with steps up to a lawn.

There’s also a utilityroom off the kitchen, and a very nice additional touch is a study space, between the kitchen and living room, so you don’t feel cut off from family life while you’re getting the admin or the homework done.

Two double-sized bedrooms and the family bathroom are on the ground floor. One of the bedrooms has French windows to the garden.

Gallery

Upstairs is a gallery that overlooks the kitchen, with plenty of built-in storage. This leads to the master bedroom, complete with en suite and balcony on the garden side.

A fourth, small single bedroom is up here too, though if you had fewer people to put to bed at night, it would make a brilliant dressing room instead.

At €1.15 million, with Sherry FitzGerald, 28 Lower Albert Road is in a great area, has been very stylishly done and is definitely worth a viewing. Felines not included.