You would be forgiven for thinking that behind the baby pink door of number 5 Havelock Square lies a quaint little period house. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Inside the property, which has been completely rebuilt, are four bedrooms and 177sq m (1,905sq ft) of living space.
Home to Clifden Foyle, his wife Orna Holland and their two daughters, Riley and Farrah, the family are moving to be nearer the girls' school in Dublin 6.
"We bought it in 2014 [for €550,000] when neither of us were living in Dublin, and it really was a challenge as parts of it were falling down," says Clifden, who runs the Strand Hotel in Dunmore East with sister Louise and mother Edwina.
Having an architect in the family is a fortunate contact when it comes to taking a rough diamond and turning it to a polished gem.
Clifden's uncle, Patrick Halley of Halley Murphy, who also designed the wedding venue at the Strand Hotel, drew up plans with the family's input and after 14 months between planning and build, the result is a superb mix of rooms bathed in light in a contemporary setting. The only original part of the house that remains is the front wall.
Roof lights in the open plan-living, kitchen and dining area were strategically placed so the space would catch the path of the sun. In addition, light floods in through the Sky Frame wall of glass doors that separates this room from the courtyard.
“We have a house in Dunmore East, and there I learned my lesson when it comes to windows,” says Clifden “We didn’t get much change out of €50,000 for these panels of glass, but they will last a very long time.”
The main bedroom is situated beyond the kitchen, and is accessed via a huge pivoting oak door which mimics the wide plank oak flooring used throughout the property.
It is simply a lovely space and has a divide that allows part of the room to be used as a living area/office, and also has access to the courtyard.
There is remarkable attention to detail throughout. Robert Trench of Studio Trench was engaged for the bespoke wardrobes and storage using his signature brass detail, which echoes the Flos light fittings throughout.
The use of pink in some of the rooms is so refreshing in a world that seems to have been somehow consumed by grey. The formal living room to the front of the house is powder pink and echoes the front door, and the custom-made calamine pink oversized velvet Roches Bobois sofas mimic the hues in the de Gournay papered feature wall.
More pink hues are in the main bedroom, and the dressing room in shocking pink is brave, brazen and a quite brilliant move.
The courtyard, which also features a line of pink porcelain tiles, is overlooked by the Aviva Stadium. It looms like a mothership in the night sky to great effect.
The family will miss the location, and it is easy to see why. Havelock Square is one of Dublin’s secret gems. “There is a great sense of community here, all the kids play on the grass out front, and there is a WhatsApp for families to communicate,” says Orna.
The location is always in high demand, because of its excellent proximity to the city centre and Grand Canal Dock, but houses don’t come up for sale here too often. In 2015, number 1, which appears to have sold off market, sold for €1 million, and in 2017, number 13, a three-bed house measuring 120sq m (1,295sq ft) sold for €814,000. Number 5, in turnkey condition with high -end interiors, at 177sq m (1,905sq ft) is seeking €1.075 million through Allen and Jacobs.
Or in Kimmage... €795k will buy this semi-detached period house on a quarter acre
Bang for your buck is not a phrase you hear a lot in Dublin these days, but the period property located at 63 Kimmage Road West appears to be good value for money, and is for sale through DNG seeking €795,000.
The road on which the property is located is an extension of Terenure Road West, which is why this part of Kimmage is at the forefront of the housing market in Dublin when it comes to price and location. There are an abundance of schools nearby, and the area is served by a good bus corridor.
Number 63, dating from the 1930s, is a good sized family home extending to 205sq m (2,210sq ft). The property has five bedrooms and five reception rooms.
It also lies on a generous site – the gardens occupy 0.226 of an acre – so this would tick boxes for larger families or indeed those with green fingers to have a substantial garden. Given the size of the garden, there is also room – subject to planning – to increase the overall size of the house.
New owners will want to remove the old carpets, freshen it up and address the BER rating, which is currently an E2. The rear garden is currently under-loved, but offers huge potential, like the house for a fine period family home close to the city and amenities.
