Number 17 Grange Terrace is one of a row of cottages originally built for gravediggers working at Deansgrange Cemetery, across the road. Its owners say they have been happy residents of this pretty three-bed cottage since they bought it in 2018 – for €445,000, according to the Property Price Register. They have since renovated the property, boosted its energy efficiency and imbued it with style and charm.
The front door opens into a short hallway with two bedrooms on either side and shutters on the windows. Laminate flooring runs through the bedrooms and the livingroom in the centre of the cottage. To the right of the livingroom there is a small hallway to the bathroom. Recently tiled, it is painted a pale blue with a roof light. Beside it is a small bedroom, painted a vivid green and it is used as a home office.
During the renovation everything in the 79 sq m (850 sq ft) cottage was stripped back to the walls, lifting the floors and insulating the subfloor. The front and back walls of the house had external insulation added. When the owners bought the house the Ber was a G; the renovations have brought it to a C3.
The livingroom has a stone fireplace with an inset stove. It is southwest facing, and is bright and sunny with double doors leading to a patio. A built-in corner unit adds storage and a door on the left leads to the kitchen.
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 extension that previously housed a kitchen and utility has been knocked through to create one long space, into which a smart galley kitchen fits perfectly. Deep blue units sit beneath a white quartz countertop, bringing the room up to date. At its end, tall floor-to-ceiling units contain the kitchen laundry appliances and the fridge-freezer; the space is streamlined and clutter free.
A door from the kitchen leads into the small but well thought-out garden, where every inch of space has been maximised. A warm, Indian sandstone patio spans the width of the house; it’s topped by a striped navy and white awning, a super addition to the space. High fencing ensures privacy. There is another patio at the end of the garden with a barbecue area.
At the end of the garden is a garage with extensive storage and a door leading to the laneway behind the house, where residents have permission to park. This is an important feature as the on-street parking that used to be in front of the house has been removed and the council is installing a two-way cycle lane on Grange Terrace. The reduction in traffic will make what is a calm residential area even quieter; a point worth noting with two of the bedrooms overlooking the road.
The owner says his family would stay here forever if they could but with two children and two dogs, they are looking for somewhere bigger. The property is on the market through Janet Carroll Estate Agents, seeking €675,000. The house would suit a couple, either starting out or downsizing. They often take the dogs through the cemetery for a walk, Clonkeen park is nearby, and there is shopping in Blackrock, Deansgrange and Foxrock villages.
Connectivity is good; Deansgrange is a stroll away with good shopping and an excellent public library, two bus routes run near to the property with one bus stop metres away.