Rare original in D6 made for families

The supply of good quality family homes in long established suburbs continues to grow with more and more downsizers sensing that the market has recovered sufficiently for them to start thinking of their future needs. And while it will put pressure on similarly well-located smaller houses, it means families in a position to trade up have more options.

Number 6 Dartry Park has been in the same family for nearly 40 years, but the owners now hope to trade down to a smaller property in the area.

They have extended twice: the first time was when they moved in and added a two-storey extension at the back. They extended again in the late 1990s when they converted the integrated garage into a home office with a bay window to retain a consistency of style. At the same time they converted part of the attic into a large room accessed via a spiral staircase.

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The house has 250sq m (2,685sq ft) of space so it’s a substantial semi-detached pre-war house that, with its good-sized back garden, will make an attractive proposition for a growing family. It is for sale by Sherry FitzGerald for €1.395 million.

Rear extension

The rear extension added significantly to the living accommodation. It is well designed, as it does not take light from the two interconnecting reception rooms. It added a large eat-in kitchen with access to the back garden on the ground floor, while upstairs it added a bedroom suite incorporating a showerroom and walk-in wardrobe, and a family bathroom.

What was originally the breakfastroom is now a cosy family room, while upstairs the original bathroom has become the smallest single bedroom. There is another single and two large doubles, the largest at the front with a bay window.

Period features

The period features in these houses are lovely and include parquet flooring in the bright hall which also has timber wall-panelling. The generous approach to space when it was built makes for a roomy hall and landing.

This has allowed owners in similar houses on the road to extend the staircase up into the attic room which new owners might consider doing if they don’t fancy the spiral staircase. They could also put in a more modern kitchen and update the bathroom.

They might also knock through from the hall to the room in the former garage. To suit their own needs, it is now accessed from the exterior side passage, an arrangement that might not suit everybody.

Houses on this quiet Dartry cul-de-sac don’t come up too often, particularly houses like number 6 which were the original houses on the road. There is off-street parking to the front.