Two well-presented, flowing family homes in Dublin 6W

A 1950s house beside Bushy Park in Terenure and a 1930s home down the road in Harold's Cross have been done up in different styles but both are in good condition, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER

THIS FINE, four-bedroom, semi-detached home in Dublin 6W is on the edge of Bushy Park with its woodlands, Dodder walk, playing fields and the city’s first public skate park.

The house at 76 Rathdown Park in Terenure is well situated for families with children of school-going age. Terenure College is practically across the road and Our Lady’s School in Templeogue is a short walk away. Enrolling the kids in these schools would turn school run stresses into a walk in the park.

The 133sq m (1,435sq ft) property is selling for €895,000 through agents Sherry FitzGerald.

The house, built around 1956, has a good flow starting with a stylish oak parquet floored hall which has a decorative archway. Two interconnecting rooms, a dining room to the front and living room to the rear, span the house. The rooms have matching white marble fireplaces, timber floors, open fires and period-style detailing such as ceiling roses and coving. A set of double doors opens onto an Indian sandstone patio that runs the width of the property.

A door leads from the living room into the breakfast room where another set of doors leads out to the back garden. This room has a gas-inset fire with wrought iron surround.

The kitchen is in a decorative design in oak by French company Arthur Bonnet. It has grey granite countertops and window sills and ornamentally tiled splashbacks.

Off the kitchen there is a sizeable utility room and a second front door, handy for letting in kids grubby from games.

A mahogany staircase with brass rods and an impressive large stained glass window leads to the four bedrooms on the first floor.

The house has three doubles and one single bedroom. The single is to the rear. All have built-in wardrobes. The largest double is to the rear and has a mahogany surround fireplace with a gas inset. This feels like the main bedroom but it is the other double to the rear that has a shower en suite.

The black-and-white tiled family bathroom has a Jacuzzi and separate Grohe power-shower with body jets. This can also be used as a steam room. The attic is insulated and partly floored and is accessed via a set of Stira folding stairs.

The house is well presented with classic decor that won’t be suited to more contemporary tastes. A simple paint job would transform the feel of the rooms.

The south-facing garden ticks all family requirements. It is sheltered, protected by mature trees on three sides and feels very private. There are mature flower beds and a small sandstoned spot to the back where you can catch the sun.

The lawn is big enough to kick a ball around on and there’s a pond with a water feature for a gentle outdoor soundtrack. The garden is wired for lighting.

The house is beside Bushy Park and all its amenities near Terenure village where there is a burgeoning cafe and restaurant scene.

The house comes with a detached garage that is about 38sq m (410 sq ft) in size.

There is off-street parking for several cars and plenty of storage for bins and other household paraphernalia.

76 Rathdown Park in Terenure, Dublin 6W

Description: four-bedroom house beside Bushy Park,

for €895,000

Agent: Sherry FitzGerald

WALK-IN OR DIY? NEIGHBOURING HOUSE NEEDS AN OVERHAUL

JUST OFF the busy crossroads at Kenilworth in Harold's Cross is 7 Wilfrid Terrace, a tastefully modernised 1930s house.

The three bedroom mid-terrace property measures 98sq m (1,055sq ft) and is selling for €420,000 through agents Sherry FitzGerald.

The living room, to the front, has a bay window, original floorboards and a genuine Irish cast-iron 1930s fireplace. The room has built-in shelving and storage. A guest wc is under the stairs.

To the rear the property’s original layout has been opened up to create a smart U-shaped kitchen area with solid hardwood floors and a utility space set against a wall. Steps leads down to the family or dining room. A pitched ceiling with Velux windows lets extra light into the northeast-facing room.

Double doors lead to the small, well maintained back garden which has herbaceous borders and a small patio area to the rear. There is pedestrianised access to this. The house has an internal shed which has been cleverly built into the main extension, visibly freeing up the garden.

Upstairs, there are two doubles and one single. The main bedroom to the front has fitted wardrobes and a bay window. The second double overlooks the garden. The single bedroom is used by the current owner as a home office. The family bathroom has a double-ended bath with Triton shower. The house has a solar panel on the roof to heat water.

7 Wilfrid Terrace, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6W

Description: modernised 1930s’ house with three bedrooms, for €420,000

Agent: Sherry FitzGerald

BUYERS SHOULD compare the walk-in condition of 7 Wilfrid Terrace with that of number 3, an end-of-terrace house four doors up that is in need of complete modernisation.

At 96sq m (1,030sq ft) the four-bedroom house is slightly smaller and has a cluttered ground floor layout. It too has a sitting room to the front.

To the rear there is a second reception room, a downstairs bathroom and a single-storey extension that houses one of the property's three double bedrooms and a kitchen. It overlooks a car park to the rear.

The extension takes up much of the property's original garden leaving just a small external space.

Upstairs there are two more doubles and a single. All have wood panelled walls and ceilings. It is for sale at €350,000 through agents Sherry FitzGerald.