Dalkey cottage is family-sized

Dalkey €1.25 millionAt four times its original size, this cottage in Dalkey dating from the early 1900s has been restored to its former glory – and much more

Off Barnhill Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin, 5 Montevella is at the bottom of a lane of cottages built in the early 1900s. It had an original floor area of about 70sq m.

Number 5 was an almost-derelict five-room cottage with an outdoor toilet when the current owners bought it in 1989.

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The old part of the house has been restored to its former glory

They renovated it by degrees over an 18-year period, extending it so substantially in 2008 that it is now, at 274sq m, nearly four times the original size.

DNG is asking €1.25 million for the house, which has five bedrooms and a B3 energy rating .

The old part of the house was bereft of many of its original features but they have restored it to its former glory with ornate cast-iron fireplaces, specially made double wooden glazed sash windows, cornicing and picture rails.

The front bedrooms on either side of the entrance hall are two-tone, painted a fresh-looking grey and taupe, with ornate black cast-iron fireplaces. Both rooms have polished floorboards, but the hall and main living areas and bathrooms are floored with a flecked Antica Tuscan travertine, which on paper might sound a bit incongruous in an old cottage, but it really works.

A blue child’s bedroom off a little passage overlooks an inner courtyard. There is also a stairs in this passage, to a converted attic, which has a low enough head height but is spacious and used as an office with eaves storage.

A family bathroom with a modern wide trough sink imported from France has underfloor heating, an antique cast-iron bath and a separate shower.

A double guest bedroom has glass-panelled double doors to the sun room, the first substantial part of the extension, which has a double Weatherglaze atrium roof and five sash windows overlooking the garden.

With so much glass in the room, on a sunny but bracing February morning, the space is toasty. It has tinted glass that is Argon-filled for insulation.

A playroom off the sun room is a cute space with primary coloured accessories and immaculately arranged toy boxes.

The main bedroom, also off the sun room, is dual aspect with coffee-coloured walls and white cornicing, big sash windows, a narrow walk-in dressing room and a luxurious en suite Italian Crema Perlato Limestone tiled bathroom with anti-slip ceramic mosaic in a big steam room/shower.

The next portion of the extension at the end of the sun room is a single-storey wing with a high vaulted ceiling that comprises a kitchen/dining room and a separate family room.

The kitchen is a popular Italian make called Comprex and is sleek and contemporary without looking too industrial or cool for school.

Off-white and wenge, it has stainless steel splashbacks, some frosted glass wall units, and a breakfast bar and counter with a double sink unit and drainer. The dining area part of the kitchen is a good size with exposed oak roof support beams that really add character.

Double-glazed sliding aluminium doors with thermal insulating glass open to the garden here and in the separate family room.

The pièce de résistance in the kitchen/dining room is a TV-shaped German-made (Wodke) wood/solid fuel burning stove that can be rotated to the desired position .

There’s also a utility cum glazed-roofed laundry room off the kitchen. The back garden is south facing with high hedges, a nice outdoor Tuscan travertine patio and bits of rockery garden fringing the synthetic raised lawn.

There’s a shed with a heat pump and storage and a covered-in side entrance to the back garden.

5 Montevella, Dalkey, Co Dublin

Description274sq m, five bedrooms, large kitchen cum sun room, double-glazed timber sash windows

AgentDNG