Period elegance with modern twist

This redbrick house, with granite steps and original decorative ceilings, is in the heart of Donnybrook, just a stroll from shops and nearby Herbert Park

46 MOREHAMPTON ROAD is a fine four-bedroom period home located in the heart of Donnybrook, Dublin 4.

The two-storey over-basement terraced house covers 315sq m (3,400sq ft) and is seeking €1.3 million through agents Sherry FitzGerald.

The property is set well back from the road, critical given its setting along this very busy thoroughfare, that links the city centre with the N11. At peak times traffic roars past. On a wet, midweek evening the sound was just a distant hum.

A large set of granite steps leads to the hall-level front door. The hall makes a striking entrance with its fine decorative ceiling covings and a ceiling rose. Number 46 has been rented for the past four or five years and is in need of decorative attention. Nothing major to be done, but there are some signs of wear and tear on the scuffed beige carpets at hall level for example.

The interconnecting reception rooms are to the left, and are divided by sliding doors. Twin windows to the front overlook the greenery outside.

The rooms have matching marble fireplaces, ornate ceiling coving, picture rails and ceiling roses. The dining room to the rear overlooks the private back garden. Three of the four alcoves currently house free-standing cabinets that dominate the space. These are not included in the sale, so shouldn’t clutter your view of the rooms. All the windows have their original shutters. The walnut floors throughout are a recent addition.

On the hall return is a room once used as a study. A lovely deck leads off it which adds an extra outdoor element, making it a great place to enjoy a morning coffee.

An oriental-style runner guides you downstairs to garden level and a huge, cream-tiled hall. A second front entrance is situated at the end of the hall. Next to it is a cloakroom. Two sizeable rooms interconnect; to the front is a wooden- floored dining room. A black, period, gas-fuelled fireplace could help turn the space into a very cosy family room.

The cream kitchen is by Clive Christian – a symbol of prestige in the boom years. Black granite-topped counter units and a large island in the middle offer plenty of storage as well as practical space for dining in the kitchen. An Aga has pride of place along the dividing wall. Double doors lead onto a patio area and a garden that runs to about 100 feet in length.

Also at garden level is a large, walk-in utility room with plenty of space for hanging clothes as well as a separate drying room. Off this is a wooden-floored room that has been used a home gym. Off this is a sauna and a guest toilet.

The garden is secluded and relatively low maintenance. It is divided into several areas – the small lawn beside the house leads to a patioed area at the end. The garden faces north-east.

On the first-floor return is the first of four double bedrooms. It has built-in wardrobes and a shower en-suite bathroom and would be perfect for teens or an au pair.

On the first floor there are three double bedrooms. All have shower en suite bathrooms and built-in wardrobes. The way the rooms have been sub-divided to accommodate the bathrooms takes from their original proportions. One of the front bedrooms would benefit from being reconfigured. A family bathroom would better serve the floor and could be taken from the sizeable landing. There is a small amount of guttering leakage in one or two of the rooms but that is currently being addressed.

The front is well shielded from the road by mature trees and high hedging. There is off-street parking for four to six cars. The house shares its front area with next door. There is no dividing wall or hedge.

The house is a stone’s throw from an array of specialist shops and cafes on Donnybrook’s main thoroughfare. There is a plethora of good schools within walking and cycling distance. Herbert Park is just a short stroll away.

46 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

Four-bedroom period home with secluded, low-maintenance garden.

Agent:Sherry Fitzgerald