The location of this two-bedroom pied-à-terre on Eastmoreland Lane in Ballsbridge will be one of its real selling points for house hunters looking for a smart, downsizer period home. Once part of the Pembroke Estate, it lies just off Haddington Road and around the corner from Baggot Street Upper, which has so many amenities from grocery shopping and restaurants to banks and public-transport hubs. The Luas green-line stop at Charlemont is about a 15-minute walk and the Dart is accessed from the Lansdowne Road stop.
The house’s owner, who purchased the 84sq m (900sq ft) property in 2014 for €505,000 according to the Property Price Register, fell for its location when downsizing over a decade ago. “I walk everywhere,” the owner said. “We have three parks locally – the newly revamped Merrion Square, Herbert Park as well as the new park opposite the Mespil Hotel.”
Wilton Park, as it is now known, is a super canal-side park between Leeson and Baggot Street bridges, with 30,000 new shrubs and 48 new trees as well as a restored Victorian fountain.
Number 2 Eastmoreland Lane is also close to two Aircoach stops (Leeson Street and Northumberland Road) where you can hop on a bus to the airport, while a 20-minute walk will have you at St Stephen’s Green.
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Much has been done to the interiors since the house was last on the market. Back then, it had pair of Corinthian columns between the dining and living area and had a gothic three-arched gas fire. “When we couldn’t get parts for the [gas] fire, we decided to do a complete overhaul of the house instead,” said its owner, who then transformed the place into its current form.
All flooring was removed and replaced with attractive tiling which is now toasty as new underfloor heating was also installed. Despite this, the Ber is an E1. But this is a property dating from the 1840s, where things like good curtains can help retain lots of heat.
The entire house was rewired and Monaghan-based Carbin Carpentry were tasked with panelling the walls of what is now an open-plan living-cum-dining room. The opposite wall is still lovely, exposed stone, serving as a reminder of this pad’s Georgian heritage. The company also installed a full new kitchen, which is well lit, thanks to the use of glass blocks in the ceiling. Adjacent is a small utility, which has the benefit of opening out on to Haddington Lane.
Upstairs is accessed by a curved staircase which previous owners imported from Egypt. There are two double bedrooms, both of which are en suite. A third loo is located downstairs just inside the front door.
A special feature upstairs is situated off the rear bedroom – a small roof terrace that previous owners used as an art studio. The current owners have grown bougainvillea and even lemons here such is the light and warmth offered by its covered, glazed roof, which has two new Velux windows to stop the room from overheating.
The owner, who is moving to be closer to family and the sea, says: “It’s my dream house; if I could lift it out to Monkstown, where I could swim every day, I would. It’s such a lovely space to call home.”
To this end, she has placed her Georgian gem on the market seeking €765,000.
