Seaside stunners in sought-after Sandycove

Cliff Terrace - €1.75m : Cliff Terrace is not long

Cliff Terrace - €1.75m : Cliff Terrace is not long. Made up of just three, tall 19th century houses set back from the coastal side of the road in Sandycove, Co Dublin, it's likely to have been the first group of adjoining houses built in the area.

Number 2 Cliff Terrace, the middle house of the three and distinguished as the one carrying the name of the terrace in a high niche under the eaves, is for sale through Lisney with a guide price of €1. 75 million.

When it was last sold to its current owners 33 years ago, it went for a modest (by today's standards) £16,000.

Built in the early 1860s on what were lands belonging to the Earl of Wicklow, and with original features like shutters, sash windows, internal panelled doors, cornicing and some fireplaces all intact, number 2 is also a house with spectacular rear views across the bay to Howth and the far horizon. On two storeys over garden level, its 214 sq m (2,300 sq ft) of floor space divides into five bedrooms and three/four reception rooms. It goes to auction on March 23rd.

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The white and creamy yellows used throughout create a light, airy mood which is nowhere more apparent than in the entrance hallway. High ceilings are bordered by ornate cornicing and an arch frames both the long window at the turn of the stairs and the garden views seen through a glass panelled door at the end of the steps to the garden, the latter already in blooming colour. There is a ceiling rose too, and dado rails.

The ground floor drawingroom runs from front-to-rear of the house and has shuttered, sash windows at either end. A fine feature fireplace has a black-grey-tan marble surround and tiled inset.

The kitchen and diningroom are on this floor too, with the rear sea-facing kitchen having distant sea views. Bright, decorative tiles form a backsplash and there is a full range of fitted units at eye and floor level. The diningroom has shelving to either side of the chimney breast and the fireplace, though boarded up, could easily be made active again.

There is another fine fireplace, this time in white marble, in the main, en suite bedroom. Also taking up the width of the house and with sash windows at either end, it has a wall of period-style, frosted-glass fronted wardrobes. The blue carpeted, white tiled en suite has a shower and toilet.

A second bedroom, with wide views of the bay, has fitted wardrobes to either side of the bed while a third, this one to the front, has a picture rail. A front-facing sash window distinguishes the family bathroom which also has a deep bath and wood panelling half-way up. The floor is of polished timber.

Accommodation at garden level is self-contained and, with the steps down from the main house blocked off, is separately entered. The descending stairs could be easily re-opened or, alternatively, the two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen breakfastroom and family room rented out. The good-sized bedrooms are to the front and rear, one carpeted, the other with the quarry tiles used throughout at this level.

The bathroom has flower-patterned tiles and a shower.There is a wide, timber topped counter between the fully-fitted kitchen and family room, which has two windows to the front.

Bushes, plants and trees in the mature and well landscaped rear garden give it a botanical feel. A curved path runs past a sheltered, bower-like seating area to a secret garden which has a water feature and high, enclosing granite walls. To the front there is gravelled car-parking for up to three cars.