Sliding doors and cosy spaces in Drumcondra

Clonliffe Gardens, a small estate off Clonliffe Road was built in the 1940s when Dublin Corporation was working on a massive building plan that had begun in earnest in the 1930s to provide good quality housing to solve the city’s housing crisis.

Large areas of Drumcondra were developed and Clonliffe Gardens, a small estate off the more established Clonliffe Road, was built, lined with a mix of terraced and semi-detached two-storey houses, solid family homes with gardens front and back.

Many have changed hands in recent years and number 18 last sold in 2003 when its architect owner saw the potential in the three-bedroom house which is located in a keyhole cul-de-sac. She completely refurbished the house, from rewiring to replacing the wooden sash windows, to extending at the rear to make space for a good-sized eat-in kitchen, a small pantry and a utility room. The 107sqm 1,150sqft house is in walk-in condition, new owners will be hard pressed to find something to change.

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The original architect devised a simple layout that maximises the light, so there are two windows in the gable wall to throw light into the hall and landing. At ground level, there are three sash windows to the front, two belong to the small front reception room, the third to what was originally a cloakroom but is now a guest toilet.

Wanting flexibility, the owner knocked through the two small reception rooms but designed smart looking contemporary sliding doors that can be closed over to divide the space. In the new extension there are roof lights and windows to bring light in from all angles and it opens directly from the rear reception room. The white-doored kitchen units are topped with a custom made stainless steel work surface that extends up the wall as a splashback – the effect is modern and clean. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, two doubles, a small single and a bathroom.

The garden, mostly in lawn, has a healthy-looking vegetable patch at the end. There’s a side entrance and parking for two cars at the front although Clonliffe Gardens is in walking distance of town so two cars may not be necessary. 18 Clonliffe Gardens is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €395,000.