It is something of an understatement to say that December 2012 was not an ideal to time to launch an upmarket development, so it was with some surprise that property watchers noticed that a scheme of semi-detached houses on Orwell Park in Dublin 6 with list prices starting at €900,000 had sold signs in their windows before they were even complete.

The seven houses – one is detached – were bought mostly by people trading down from much larger period houses, some in the neighbourhood – and the developer Eugene Renehan knowing his market went for a traditional exterior style and interior layout with rooms capable of taking large pieces of furniture. The A3 rating had further appeal for buyers coming from draughty old houses.

The owner of number 48a Orwell Park bought off the plans which allowed her to work with the builder to make changes to the original design and choose her interior finishes.

For the living room she sourced a reclaimed white marble chimneypiece and greatly enlarged one of the en suites. She put in ceiling coving upstairs to finish the rooms and installed Villeroy & Boch fittings in the bathrooms.

While it doesn’t look like it from outside, this is a five-bedroom house with 2400sq ft /223sq m. The fifth bedroom is up at attic level and it has an en suite.

The front door opens into a wide hall floored with wide plank timber. Off it is the good sized living room with an open fire, and the room is made larger by the square bay window.

It opens via double doors into the dining room. The kitchen at the rear of the house is fitted with simple painted timber units with black marble worktops. There is a guest wc and a utility room. There is a small south-facing rear garden and to the front off-street parking behind automatic gates.

Number 48A Orwell Park is for sale through DNG, asking €1.495 million.