West Road in East Wall is a quiet street of redbrick terraces, with few passing cars, that sits across from an elevated railway line, obscured by an old stone wall and mature hedges. It is a handy location just an 18-minute walk from Connolly Station and a 10-minute stroll from Cloud Cafe and Da Mimmo Italian restaurant on North Strand Road; the owners had no need to own a car living here. Fairview Park is also within a 10-minute walk from number 61, for those looking to stretch their legs or for those with four-legged friends, and to grab a coffee at Two Pups.
The two-bed terrace, extending to 85sq m (915sq ft), has a neat, paved yard to the front and a front door adorned by a bumble bee knocker. The owners – who bought the two-bed property in 2019 for €404,000, according to the Property Price Register – have added some funky, contemporary touches to the interior, infusing the house with personality. Their bold use of colour could certainly qualify as “dopamine decorating” – the idea that colour can increase your sense of wellbeing.
An eye-catching geometric floor tile in shades of pink and blue makes a great first impression in the entrance hallway, complemented by a navy-blue shade on the walls and camouflaging the radiator.
The owners reinstated walls to create a cosy pink livingroom to the front of the ground floor, with herringbone engineered wood flooring and an original cast-iron fireplace. As both the owners work on screens all day, they wanted to have a room without one, which their niece refers to as “the conversation room”.
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
Down the hall, you enter a spacious living area, with terracotta tiled floors that continue into the kitchen/dining space. Here, there is light from a Velux window overhead as well as a window to the side. The kitchen units are painted deep navy and there are integrated appliances, wooden countertops and a white metro-tile splashback. This part of the house occupies an extension added by previous owners.
Beyond the kitchen is a good-sized pantry which also houses the washing machine and a wine fridge – the ample storage is something they will miss about the house, the owner says. A good-sized bathroom sits to the rear of the ground floor with a pale pink roll-top claw-foot bath, a shower and vintage-look sanitary ware.
The outdoor space was minimised by the generous extension, so just a side walkway remains, with access to a rear laneway. The property has quite a low F Ber, which a new owner may look to address.
Upstairs, the main bedroom occupies the entire front facade of the property, painted in rich forest green with built-in wardrobes and wooden floors underfoot. The second bedroom is also a good-sized double with a cast-iron fireplace and built-in wardrobes. A shelf in the stairwell provides a good spot for pictures and plants to appreciate as you descend. Number 61 West Road, East Wall, is now on the market through DNG, seeking €425,000.