A short terrace of three houses at the entrance to Seafort Avenue, just off Strand Road in Sandymount, was built in the 1950s on a road leading up to the village. They are standard pebbledash and redbrick three-beds with long rear gardens and views of the beach from the top windows.

The current owners of number 42 bought in 2013 when the house, at the end of that terrace, had already been extended in every way possible: to the rear to create a large, light-filled family space, and up into the attic. All they had to do was decorate to their taste. This time around, everything feels so freshly done it is unlikely new buyers will even bother doing that.

As well as extending, the work involved reorganising the downstairs space in a very interesting and flexible way. It’s so smart-looking and liveable that three-bed semi-detached owners looking for inspiration would do well to take note.

White units

Originally the property had two interconnecting reception rooms and a small kitchen. The front room was left as is – a comfortable livingroom – but now the back reception room operates as the kitchen, fitted with white units and metro tiles to bounce the light around. This opens directly into a split-level living space comprising a dining area, a seating space and a room-sized area used by the owners as a play space for their two small children. There are windows everywhere in this extension – several rooflights, tall picture windows and glazed doors out to the deck.

Upstairs there’s a large family bathroom, two double bedrooms and a small single. On up again, the attic has been converted and is used as a guest bedroom. There’s also a toilet off the downstairs hall. The house now measures 139sq m (1,500sq ft) plus attic room of 14sq m (151sq ft).

Garden room

The back garden is divided into three areas: a large timber deck, a carefully landscaped and planted area and, to the rear, a garden room (painted a smart navy colour) which could serve many uses from a home office to a gym.

Work included widening the front gate – a sensible move because parking on sunny days is at a premium on this road – and so number 42 has off-street parking for two cars.

Sherry FitzGerald is seeking €1.15 million for 42 Seafort Avenue.