On a glorious day, with the tide out and the strand an inviting expanse, the charms of number 43 Strand Road are evident. A house with the best of both worlds, all is sand, sea and horizon to the front while, to the rear, there are the greener pleasures of an 85ft long garden with apple and silver birch trees.
Inside, an imaginative redrawing of the original 1950s layout makes the most of sea and garden. Vendor Deirdre says that “practically every wall in the house was moved, as well as the stairs. It was a huge job, the house was almost gutted.”
Architect Mary Donohoe rearranged things so that the main entrance, to the side, also leads to the rear garden. This allowed the formal drawing and dining rooms to face the front and, in a rear extension, the development of a large, sunroom-style kitchen/ dining/family room overlooking the garden.
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On the first floor there are four bedrooms (the main en-suite) and a family bathroom. A guest WC and utility are on the ground floor. The floor area covers 162sq m (1,743sq ft). Agent Sherry FitzGerald is asking €1 million for the private treaty sale.
Surprise basement
The original owners reared a family of four in number 43 and sold it to Deirdre and family in 1997. “It’s been a perfect family home,” Deirdre says, “with the beach and a garden, plus the sea presenting a different view every day.” She is moving, not without regret, to be closer to family.
At the end of a terrace of six houses, number 43 offers extra space in a surprise basement. Lying underneath the original floor area, this is used variously as an office, gym or storage area in neighbouring houses. An attic space has been floored in. Original features like doors, picture rails and banisters have all been retained and glass bricks make for an interesting feature in the hallway.
Both reception rooms have wide sea views, picture rails and feature fireplaces; the drawing room fireplace is of sandstone, the dining room has one in cast-iron. The pitched ceiling in the kitchen/dining/family room is some 20ft high and has an array of skylight windows. A raised, sandstone fireplace is gas-fired.
The delightful rear garden, landscaped by Dominic Murphy, is planted so that flowers and plants bloom in all seasons; daffodils are giving way to rosemary and more at the moment. There is rear-lane access and a large shed. The front, planted and pebbled garden has parking for two cars.
