Greenville Terrace is almost opposite the entrance to Griffith College on South Circular Road, Dublin. It’s a mix of housing types, with one side of the street enjoying west-facing back gardens. No 38 is a single-storey period property on the other side of the road that has compensated for its lack of evening sun in the back with a very smart internal courtyard that floods the rear of the house with daylight.
The owners bought the property in late 2014, paying €360,000 for it, according to the property price register. But the house has changed drastically since then, with details such as the tiled path to the front door and a bike rack and bin space on granite paving secreted behind a high hedge, hints to the smart refurbishment inside.
Cormac Buggy of QBB Architects was taken on to maximise every square centimetre of space and he has realised a very contemporary home that boasts a B3 BER rating and minimal sound transfer, something the owner paid special attention to, in a mid-terrace property.
Buggy pushed the already lofty ceiling heights right up to create a vaulted room so that the hall and room to the front, now the main bedroom, extend to almost 4.2m high. Zoned underfloor heating warms the entire 90sq m (969sq ft) floor space and in the bedroom a rain-sensor roof light allows air to circulate securely but has an auto shut function in case of rain. It’s just one example of the attention to detail in this build.
Buggy held back some attic space for storage but otherwise the room has been pared back, with plantation shutters added for extra privacy. There is a fine en suite bathroom, lit from above by a rooflight, that is bright and sizeable, with a wet room shower set-up and separate full-size bath all tiled in a natural stone. It is private and very practical.
The living room to the rear is bright, thanks in part to another rooflight, this one set flush with the roof and located above the dining table. Floor to ceiling glass doors open out to a small courtyard, and the kitchen, to its rear, looks on to the same vista. It has been fitted with a Kube design and has a breakfast bar that can fit three.
To its rear is a laundry cupboard, fitted with a small Belfast-style sink, which leads through to the property’s second double bedroom, currently used as a home office. Adjoining it is a shower room where the back door – a contemporary take on the traditional Irish half door – can be opened to allow steam to escape. It overlooks a tiny outdoor space where there is pedestrian rear access to a lane.
The house is seeking €645,000 through agent Moovingo.
