Old meets new in Rathmines for €895,000

Bessborough Parade is a graceful concave terrace of 16 houses, the shape of its curve dictated when it was built in the 1840s by its site, bounded by a tributary of the Swan river.

The owners of 14 Bessborough Parade have put their hearts, time, thought and a great deal of work into making it a home that works for them – albeit one that their expanding family means they must now regretfully leave.

It has three good-sized bedrooms, three reception rooms, kitchen, large family bathroom, inner courtyard and 150sq m (1,616sq ft) of floor space.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 6

For sale by private treaty through agent Hunters, the asking price is €895,000.

The owners bought the house 11 years ago and lived in number 14 for 18 months before beginning the renovation and extension.

“It’s an old house in an historic area and we wanted to be kind to it,” the owner says. “It was a much smaller building without the extension.”

Contemporary

Architects De Blacam & Meagher designed the extension and the home which emerged is notable for its light, space and sensitive fit of original rooms with contemporary additions.

An interior courtyard makes for a stepping-stone between the old and newer parts of the house, while the rear garden pays homage to Bessborough Parade’s salient landmark – Rathmines parish church and its iconic copper dome.

Courtyard

The extensively fitted kitchen is made interesting by a window overlooking the inner courtyard.

The courtyard is accessed from the dining room via sliding doors and from the family room (one of the original reception rooms) via French doors.

Original features such as fireplaces, plasterwork and sash windows have been either preserved or replicated.

The rear garden was dug out and lowered to align it with the dining room – which, in a nice touch, is roofed in copper similar to that of the church dome.

High, Iroko-covered walls give privacy. There is a hidden garden shed and the whole space has a sheltered, pleasantly secretive air.

The good-sized bedrooms have sash windows. The family bathroom is on the return.

Designated street parking is supplemented by a space in the church parking lot.