115 Strand Road, a period house built in 1836 by the Earl of Pembroke was, along with its neighbour number 113, converted into apartments in 1989 by a local developer.
Numbers 11 and 12, which are now merged into one 109sq m (1,173sq ft) unit are home to marketing and communications consultant Lita Notte. “We bought number 11 17 years ago and when number 12 came up for sale seven years ago, it made sense to buy it and merge the two together, but in doing so we decided to do it in a way that they can easily be returned to two units,” she says.
Overseen by architect Elaine Mahoney, the only tell-tale that the space was once two units is the fact that there are two doors, standing side by side on the top of the stairs – the apartment takes up the entire top floor of the building allowing dramatic views of Dublin Bay.
Interiors of the three-bedroom apartment were designed by Eoin Lyons, who created clever storage solutions throughout, and an impressive bathroom featuring a free-standing bath. “The look I wanted was that of a Parisian apartment in a period building,” says Notte.
The merger allows for one large living-cum-dining room with three-metre sash windows overlooking the strand in Sandymount.
In its current layout the third bedroom, which is a single – the others are double – is used as a home office, which also has sea views.
The property, which retains all its period details with the exception of the fireplace – which now houses a gas unit – has two designated car spaces to the rear; there is also parking along the road for guests.
Notte, who is moving to Carlingford initially with a move to France on the horizon describes the beach as her front garden: “It’s beautiful in all weather, a different colour every day – and you know when summer is arriving when the sailing boats are out on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.”
The property, in turnkey condition, will suit downsizers who wish to be close to a village, live in a period house and have superb sea views. The apartment can easily be turned back into two units and rental incomes are high in the area – a studio on the ground floor of the building has just been let for €1,500 per month. The three-bedroom apartment is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €775,000.
