In Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, time is inverted, resulting in confusion and bafflement for the protagonist – and the viewer. In this mid-18th century marvel in south Dublin, time also seems to have been inverted but it all makes perfect sense. Look at the house from one angle, and it’s all sleek and new; look from another angle and it’s reassuringly classic and grand. As you explore this 345sq m (3,713sq ft) haven set well back from Seapoint Avenue, just behind Seapoint Dental Clinic, it soon becomes apparent how skilfully the two eras have been blended, and how cleverly the house has been redesigned and refurbished to suit residents of any age or stage. Timeless is the word that comes to mind. With a D2 Ber, the five-bedroom property is for sale through Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, seeking €2.795 million.
Seapoint House has a triple-fronted facade with all the trimmings of the 1700s, including decorative plaques, and is tucked neatly behind wrought-iron security gates with a long, granite-walled front garden with ample lawns and gravelled parking for several cars. Step inside the front door with its fan window and your breath will be taken away by the stunning entrance hallway that runs the depth of the house, large enough to host a party without having to retreat to the kitchen.
The Portuguese limestone floor and the open fireplace with polished steel surround and slate hearth are eye-catching enough, but your eye will be drawn to the huge glass wall to the rear, which runs from floor to second-floor ceiling, and looks out on to the sun-drenched rear courtyard. In front of that is another marvel – an oak-clad floating steel staircase leading to the upstairs bedrooms.
There are two large reception rooms overlooking the front garden, both with large picture windows, wide-plank floors, ceiling coving and open fireplaces with granite surround. The drawingroom has integrated shelving and a wine rack, and French doors leading in to the inner hallway; the sittingroom has lots of built-in shelving and is currently used by the owners as a combined office/relaxation space. Sounds like they’ve got the right work-life balance there.
One in five people expect to pay mortgage in retirement, survey finds
Irish architectural great Ronnie Tallon built a home far superior to Mies van der Rohe’s original. Time to protect it
Sherry FitzGerald CEO Steven McKenna to leave firm to ‘explore new opportunities’
Avoiding double taxation on sale of a property abroad
The extensive refurbishment was done before the current owners moved in, but they added their own touches, including putting down the new hall floor and moving the kitchen from the back to the front of the house, making the downstairs flow much more smoothly. The state-of-the art kitchen-breakfastroom now overlooks the front garden and gets the benefit of the morning light. The floor is tiled, the lighting is recessed and the floor and eye-level units are nicely streamlined. Fittings include stone work surfaces, a Samsung fridge-freezer, a Neff five-ring induction hob, a De Dietrich double oven and an integrated dishwasher. There’s also good-sized utility room and a guest WC on the ground floor.
Where the kitchen used to be is now an impressive family room with another eye-catching feature: a curved floor-to-ceiling window that looks out on to the rear courtyard garden. An electric fire with raised marble hearth adds a cosy vibe to this room which, combined with the kitchen, nicely links the inside with the outside. The inner hallway has sliding doors opening out to the rear garden, which, though only 14.3m by 6.4m, is a whole world unto itself. The current owners got professional landscapers in to remove the lawn and put in paving, raised beds, outdoor lighting and a water feature with a granite sculpture, all nestled behind a feature granite wall with a private raised roof terrace which provides a great space for relaxing. The rear courtyard makes for a great oasis and a focal point for relaxed living.
Ascending the floating staircase alongside the full double-storey-height window is an experience in itself, allowing you to survey the wide hallway and adjoining rooms and get the full sense of this elegant space. The first floor has a long gallery landing looking out over the back garden, and a long bespoke rug runs the length of the landing, adding another dash of colour to this vibrantly decorated home.
The principal bedroom suite has a large walk-in wardrobe with lots of built-in drawers and shelves, and an en suite bathroom. A Velux roof light lets in light, and a sliding door leads out to a large terrace with artificial grass overlooking the back garden. The ceiling curves down over the bed, creating a cocoon effect.
The other four bedrooms overlook the front, and all of them are fine doubles with picture windows, three with ceiling coving, two with built-in wardrobes, and one with wall-mounted shelving. Bedroom two is currently being used as a home gym. The main bathroom has a vaulted ceiling, a large bath and a shower, plus a roof light and recessed down lighting. There is access to the attic, which runs the length of the house and has a high ceiling, giving the option for conversion.
And as if there isn’t enough space to accommodate prospective owners’ work, study, hobbies and leisure, there’s an additional space outside, a former coach house that has been turned into a handy home office/gym, fully tiled with underfloor heating, with an adjoining shower room. And tucked behind the roof terrace, opening out on to Temple Crescent, is a small garage space as well as another larger garage at the front.
Seapoint House is conveniently located on Seapoint Avenue, allowing easy access to Blackrock and Monkstown villages, with restaurants, cafes and boutiques aplenty, and both Blackrock and Frascati shopping centres nearby. The popular Seapoint swimming spot is a five-minute walk away, and Seapoint Dart station is just two minutes away. Schools in the area include CBC Monkstown, Scoil Lorcáin, Guardian Angels, Rockford Manor, Sion Hill, Blackrock College and Willow Park.
