RATHFARNHAM €450,000:WHEN LAUREL COTTAGE was built in Rathfarnham – in 1910 – Stocking Lane was deep in the countryside, at the foot of the Dublin Mountains. The original owners would probably have been almost self-sufficient, thanks to the large garden.

Cute from the outside, with its mix of cut stone and redbrick, the double-fronted single storey house would originally have had a warren of small rooms on the inside – not the sort of space young families prefer.

The current owners opened up the space and enlarged the cottage to 106sq m (1,140sq ft) – with a smart looking extension that manages to look both contemporary and entirely in sympathy with the original design – creating an airy modern two-bedroom home.

New windows and doors further updated the look without taking away from the stone-cut charm.

Laurel Cottage is now for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €450,000.

The main living area is open plan. A sitting area to the front leads into a dining area, with the kitchen to the side. Larchwood flooring runs throughout, except in the kitchen where tiles have been laid to compliment the sleek, grey German designed units.

The ceilings have been raised to roof height to increase the sense of space.

The two bedrooms are doubles, with the main bedroom having an en suite and a large walk-in wardrobe. There is also a small shower room and a utility room.

Just outside the kitchen/dining area is a timber patio in the large, mature garden and there are electric gates.