Dundrum/€850,000: Built in the 1850s when Dundrum was a country village, the tall Victorian houses on Sydenham Road have seen plenty of change over the years but, with the Luas expected shortly, Dundrum is firmly on the map as a convenient city suburb.
Douglas Newman Good is expecting 8 Sydenham Road to achieve €850,000 when the two-storey over basement house goes to auction on March 10th. The 158 sq m (1,700 sq ft) house has three/four bedrooms. While number eight could do with a decorative upgrade, new owners could move in and restyle at their leisure. All the basics are here, from fine white and black marble fireplaces to deep ceiling cornicing and pitch pine floorboards under the carpets. Working shutters are in constant use.
A row of railed steps climbs to the front door. Inner and outer entrance halls are divided by an elegant arch. To the right is the drawingroom, a well-proportioned room with a white marble fireplace and bay window. Behind this is a diningroom, with a black marble mantelpiece and views of the garden. At the end of the hall, a roomy butler's pantry has cupboards. The family tends to congregate in the garden level rooms, where there is a kitchen with an alcove for an Aga. Next door is a family sittingroom with an open fireplace. Across the way is a shelved study which doubles as a fourth bedroom. A door opens at the end of the hallway to a stone-walled garage which was the original courtyard. The staircase is the traditional mahogany-railed version, with decorative white spindles. Three double bedrooms are off the first floor landing, all with marble and cast-iron fireplaces.
The family bathroom is very quaint, with its mahogany-enclosed bath and tiny window looking out on the treetops. A separate toilet is tucked into the first floor return. The owners have created a wonderful 125 ft back garden, with hydrangea, jasmine and wisteria covering the walls, rose and herb beds, espaliered blackberries and masses of planting. Copper beech, oak and chestnut trees are fully grown.
