Rathgar redbrick overlooking a leafy park

Rostrevor Terrace in Rathgar is unusual in that it is not strictly a terrace in the traditional sense at all. The 14 Victorian houses were built in seven pairs in the early 1860s and are joined only by the coach-house walls at garden level.

They are gracious redbrick homes overlooking a leafy residents' park set well back from the busier Orwell Road in the heart of a mature, almost genteel, suburb.

Number 4 Rostrevor Terrace, which is for auction by Sherry FitzGerald on October 3rd with a guide of £1.25 million (€1.59m), is a generously-proportioned four-bedroom family home laid out over two levels.

It has a self-contained Pre '63 two-bedroom apartment at garden level which could be reincorporated as part of the main house.

Granite steps with moulded nosings and sturdy cast-iron railings lead to the main entrance which has an iconic doorcase and a fanlight of plate glass without tracery.

The entrance hall has a ceiling centre rose and feature arch leading to an inner hall, with doors leading into the drawingroom overlooking the front, and to a diningroom to the rear. The drawingroom is painted a deep green and is certainly the most impressive room in the house.

The diningroom is almost as dramatic with deep red walls and a bay window overlooking the back garden. Off the other side of the hall is the galley-style kitchen- breakfastroom decorated in black and white with French doors leading to a sun deck. The kitchen is bright and functional but small and new owners might be tempted to create a new kitchen at garden level. The sun deck outside is, however, quite superb and cleverly designed to catch the sun at different angles. Also at this level is utility room-cum-study.

Off the first-floor landing is the family bathroom, decorated with a fairly exotic touch thanks to a liberal use of drapes and strong colours. Three double bedrooms are at first-floor level, with the main bedroom having a walk-in dressingroom, "borrowed" from the room behind. Again, the original design could be reinstated. The three rooms have period features and high ceilings.

The fourth bedroom is a small double on the second floor return and overlooks the back garden. The self-contained garden level apartment consists of a large livingroom, two double bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and utility storeroom. The original staircase leading to the main part of the house is still in place to facilitate easy restoration.

The house has well-planted gardens front and rear with off-street parking. The 130 ft garden to the back has a pergola, Roman seat and a pond with a waterfall.