Northumberland Avenue, which runs southwards from George’s Street Upper in Dún Laoghaire, was one of the earliest streets to be developed in the seaside suburb and was almost complete by 1850. The medieval pile Corrig Castle also stood on the road and was used as a Red Cross hospital during the first World War but was demolished by about 1945. Its Georgian terraced neighbours survived, and many houses are exactly as they were, when constructed in 1830.
Number 34, known as Lismore, is a double-fronted, two-storey over garden gem that was purchased by its current owners in 2016 for €870,000. “It hadn’t had much done in a long time so we stripped everything out,” says the owner. Refurbishments included repairing the roof, relining the chimneys, installing new plumbing and drains and a new heating system along with a new kitchen and bathrooms.
The entrance hall has two reception rooms – one at each side – that stretch the entire depth of the property. “What I really liked about the house when we first came to see it – even though it then had awful fluorescent lights – was the fact that it was dual aspect. There is such lovely energy and light in the place,” says the owner, who has been bitten by the renovation bug and is in search of another project.
The diningroom, with dark-stained hardwood flooring, has a cast-iron fireplace and a ceiling arch that delineates the room from the new built-in storage units at the end that overlooks the garden. On the other side of the hall, a drawingroom has a wood-burning stove set into the hearth of a marble fireplace, and both rooms have working shutters.
A Shaker-style kitchen lies on the return, which is also bathed in light thanks to it being dual aspect. From here, there are sliding doors that open to the rear garden.
The principal bedroom also spans the depth of the property, with three further double bedrooms upstairs.
There is a generously appointed two-bedroom apartment at garden level, which could be rented out or used for an au pair. The brochure lists two energy ratings; this is because the apartment has a separate boiler and has its own Ber of C3, while upstairs is rated D2.
The last work the owners completed was landscaping the rear garden, a project they undertook themselves. “Because we had lived here for a few years before doing the garden, we knew the sunny spots at different times of the day. While the garden is east facing – so it gets the morning sun – the fact that it is end of terrace allows the westerly sun through the gap, and it means that we actually get sunshine until 8pm in the summer months.” They planted the garden with bee-loving plants and installed bird boxes. An old apple tree – currently in bloom with its white blossoms – has provided years of fruit and sits to the rear of the lawn adjacent to a children’s play area.
“It’s a real indoor-outdoor house,” says the owner, “like a home for all seasons. I just love the roaring fire in the sittingroom throughout the winter and spending summer evenings having dinner in the garden.”
The 254sq m (2,734sq ft) house, which has six bedrooms in total, is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €1.575 million.
