Once considered unexciting in terms of design, 1930s houses have finally come into their own, particularly in fashionable neighbourhoods where large period houses are beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest buyers.

It is hardly surprising, so, to see a guide price of £1.2 million (€1.52 million) for Errisbeg, an interesting pre-war house at 8 Stillorgan Road in Donnybrook, fronting on to the Stillorgan dual carriageway.

The detached house will be auctioned by joint agents Douglas Newman Good and Gannon on April 11th. With traffic still a big issue, the location will be a strong selling point for the house, which was bought 10 years ago for just over £200,000. Not only is it on one of the main routes into the city, it is also near a whole range of schools, churches and shops.

Like most houses of this era, it has a decent-sized back garden and a sunny westerly orientation. The house is set well back from the road and has an enclosed front garden and plenty of off-street parking.

It is a distinctive house with its cottage-style windows and tiled mansard roof and though it is not particularly large at 2,400 sq ft, there is scope to extend into the garage at the side, to the rear, or by squaring off the upper floor.

Inside, the house has a charming old-fashioned feel though the current owners have updated and redecorated it regularly. Double glazing throughtout cuts down on the noise of traffic outside to a remarkable extent. The current layout has the kitchen to the front, where two windows and a roof light catch the morning sun. It's a big comfortable room with a pine floor and ceiling and pine units painted Kelly green.

A door leads through to a formal diningroom with a bay window incorporating French doors. Off the diningroom is a family room with a fireplace which also has French doors to the garden. There is also a small study which was created by roofing over a passage at the side of the house.

The drawingroom - next to the diningroom but not connected to it - is another pleasant sunny room with doors to the garden. It has an impressive marble fireplace with a Georgian grate. The French doors of all three reception rooms open on to a wide patio which the family use as an outdoor diningroom all summer.

Upstairs, there are two double rooms and two singles, all sharing the family bathroom. By extending out on either side, however, extra bathrooms could be added.

The high attic could also be converted to make an extra bedroom or study.