It’s not often you get to look down on Sorrento Terrace, the gleaming strip of Victorian houses between Bulloch Harbour and Vico Road in the seaside suburb of Dalkey, in south Co Dublin, home to some of the country’s most expensive residential properties.
At Villa Belvedere, a semi-detached early Victorian home perched on an elevated private road, deciding where to sit will be the question, as there are just so many options. You could take a seat on the balcony off the principal and secondary bedrooms upstairs and eat the strawberries growing in a pot while taking in the breathtaking views. The front garden – in formal Victorian style with two distinct areas bordered by topiary hedging and shrubs – also has a place for dining, and here the vistas are equally dramatic. Alternatively, a roof terrace that appears to float over the house is a perfect spot for sipping something special while the sun sets over the Irish Sea.
The owner has put quite a bit of thought into the use of external spaces, as they are all on different levels, carved into the granite face. While most capture the magic of the views, a terrace off the formal drawing room to the rear is ideal for windy days as the property itself acts as a shield against the prevailing winds. Here lies yet another space for al-fresco dining, and just in case your diners might get a bit chilly – an outside fireplace will keep them toasty whatever the hour or temperature. And just as Villa Belvedere is not your average house – the fireplace actually has a proper antique fire surround – it all looks rather grand but it’s really lots of fun. Here tumbling cloudberry creepers provide delicious amber fruits with the onset of autumn.
Inside the 218sq m (2, 350sq ft) property there isn’t a dish out of place. The property is packed to the brim with antiques and fine art, and pays homage to the owner’s penchant for collecting Boulle cabinetry. At garden level lie two drawing rooms, one of which overlooks the front garden and the sea, and a second to the rear – both have impressive period fireplaces. A sage-coloured bespoke kitchen with an Aga and white marble countertops flows into a dining room – one of the many spots for entertaining in the property. Upstairs are four bedrooms: two that share the front terrace, one to the rear and one that may have been a child’s or maid’s room – as the door case is shorter – lies up a small flight of stairs.
The property is handsome and laden with well-preserved period details, and the gardens will attract house hunters to Villa Belvedere. Primarily for the views, but also for their layout and interesting spaces, which are essentially outside rooms, with carefully planned landscaping.
The house lies on a narrow private road shared with three other houses, and benefits from a garage at this level, and is now on the market through Knight Frank seeking €2.9 million.
