A large detached house on a quarter of an acre of garden at 32 Herbert Park in Ballsbridge is likely to set a new record for the road when it is auctioned on April 7th. Tom Day of Lisney is quoting £2.5 million plus for the Crampton-built three-storey house standing on the corner of Argyle Road.
A detached property of this calibre has not come on the market in the immediate area for several years, so there is likely to be keen interest in number 32, a well kept property that has been leased out to the Moroccan embassy since the mid 1990s.
Built by Crampton in the early 1900s, it is a fine family house with attractive reception rooms and no less than seven bedrooms.
Although it appears to be in good structural order, new owners will almost certainly redecorate and possibly extend. Not that there isn't enough space: it has almost 4,800 sq. ft, but buyers in this price range like to put their own stamp on a property.
There is plenty of space to build a large kitchen extension or conservatory at the back of the house. At the end of the south facing garden is a large purpose-built garage with its own clock tower and basement games room. It could be converted to a mews house or office subject to planning permission. There is a separate entrance leading to it from Argyle Road.
The double-fronted house has a large hall with a striking tiled fireplace. To the left are two superb interconnecting reception rooms - a drawing-room and a dining-room, both of which are extremely bright and well-proportioned. Divided by high folding doors, together they make a very grand reception room. Off the drawing-room is an old-fashioned conservatory with a tiled floor and a door to the garden. The dining-room has windows flanking a French door to the garden. Both rooms have original carved timber fireplaces.
Leading off the back of the hall is a large kitchen with a nice old-fashioned feel to it. Beyond it is a utility room and a long breakfast-room or study that extends into the garden and could be transformed into a summer dining-room.
Upstairs, the main bedroom is a gorgeous room that mirrors the drawing-room below and has a luxurious en suite dressing-room and bathroom. There are further bedrooms at this level, all of which share a family bathroom. One of the bedrooms leads to a big first-floor conservatory that could be altered to make a sitting-room or study.
The stairs lead on up to the top floor where there are three sizeable attic bedrooms, a bathroom and a store room, all ideal as children's rooms.
Herbert Park is rapidly becoming one of the top residential roads in Dublin. It is close to the city centre, and there are good schools, shops and restaurants all within a few minutes drive.
The park is a bonus, and the fact that there are no houses on either side of the road for a considerable stretch keeps the level of traffic down.
