One bed wonder: Skilled conversion in Ranelagh for €495,000

Located among the maze of back lanes off Ranelagh Road is 9 Mountpleasant Terrace, an end-of-terrace period house which has been fully refurbished into a very cool modern home.

The conversion was designed by Tom de Paor, who this year was awarded an International Fellowship by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) – one of only three Irish architects ever to receive the honour.

RIBA describes de Paor as "one of the leading architects of his generation" and his work has been featured five times in the Venice Biennale – the largest visual art festival in the world. His current work is that of the soon to open Picture Palace cinema in Galway, and he also lectures in Harvard University.

De Paor moved the original entrance to the side of the property which now allows one open plan living/dining area on the ground floor of the property and one huge bedroom upstairs. A kitchen was added in the extension with a glass roof that feels like a floating pyramid due to the angular shapes, and acts as a prism to reflect light into the property.

The origami theme is translated upstairs in the bathroom, with angular walls echoing the geometric staircase. A utility lies behind a secret door in the living room which in turn leads to a small courtyard garden.

Leafy bamboo lines the front of the property and it is also used as flooring throughout the house providing a wonderful contrast with the exposed granite walls of next door.

The bedroom takes up the entire upstairs of the original house, and has an abundance of storage.

The property which measures 84sq m (904sq ft), will make an interesting alternative for buyers in search of a one-bed apartment in Dublin 6, and is for sale through Felicity Fox with an asking price of €495,000.