Standing outside 47 Arnott Street, located just around the corner from Heytesbury Street in Dublin 8, nothing is quite as it seems.
The exterior, which is mostly redbrick with black panelling, might suggest that what lies inside could be dark, with no outside spaces, but on entering the 105sq m (1,130sq ft) property a different story emerges.
The house, along with its three peers on the road, were listed for sale in 2007 for €1.8 million. At that time they were four derelict cottages which had the bonus of full planning permission for designs by architectural firm RKD for Ropewalk Developments. The four properties were duly constructed and came to the market in 2010.
Internally, it is all a bit of a surprise due to the contemporary design. The two bedrooms – both of which are generous in size are located on the top and ground floors – leaving the split-level kitchen, dining and living room on the central floor.
The dining space is set on a height overlooking the quiet road, but due to its elevation, you don’t see any cars, and this is one of the quietest roads in the area.
Here too there is a small space enclosed in glass with slatted windows that can be opened fully in good weather. Currently it is filled with plants and a reading chair, but was also home to the family dog for a period.
Roof terrace
Another surprise is the roof terrace – accessed by a staircase beyond the principal bedroom upstairs. It is a lovely outdoor spot framed by hedging for privacy and the backdrop is an old towering chimney from the Meath Hospital.
A further outside area is a small, cedar-lined space off the second bedroom on the ground floor. It could, with a few plants, be an interesting little outdoor room.
The property has lots of storage throughout, both in the bedrooms and hallways. It also has a good energy rating of B1 thanks to insulation and solar panelling.
It will be the location along with the contemporary interiors that will attract buyers. Though not technically in Portobello, it has the ‘Portobello effect’. It is just three houses from Heytesbury Street, which is one of the most expensive roads in Dublin 8, due to its proximity to St Stephen’s Green and the plethora of eateries on Camden Street.
According to the property price register, number 47 was last sold in 2016 for €575,000, while its neighbour number 49, a smaller unit at 90sq m, sold for €710,000 in 2018. The current owners of number 47, Lisa and Max Castle, are moving to Dún Laoghaire and have placed their home on the market through DNG seeking €725,000.
