It is probably a while since the larks could be heard singing on Larkfield Avenue in Harold’s Cross – the busy junction at Mount Argos crossroads. But inside number 50A, there is not a sound to be heard from outside. The installation of good windows, a hedge of red robin and electric gates has created a complete sound barrier, yet the house is just minutes from shops and services.
The property was constructed by architect John O'Driscoll in 2008 and bought by the current owners, Gerry Seery and his partner, Penelope, in 2010 for €555,000. The couple are moving to a larger property as the family is growing "at a very fast rate".
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Seery, a third generation goldsmith, learned his trade from his father and grandfather before him, and is now moving closer to the family business, Tobin’s Jewellery Repairs off Camden Street.
The property’s modest exterior is very deceptive as inside lies 145sq m (1561sq ft) of space over three floors, in addition to a decent-sized family garden.
On the ground floor is an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, which can be closed off with sliding doors when privacy is required.
The kitchen island has an oak counter , and there is solid oak flooring throughout.
On the first floor lies the master bedroom, which is en-suite and has a fine-sized dressingroom which means the room itself is calm and uncluttered. Two further bedrooms – a single and a double – are on this level.
The surprise is the room on the second floor, which is the largest in the house. It is currently used as a bedroom but would also make a super living space due to its size and generous ceiling heights. There is also a bathroom at this level.
The property is on the market through DNG with an asking price of €598,000. Sherry FitzGerald are selling number 46, which has less space, at 101sq m (1,087sq ft), asking €495,000. Number 6 has just listed as sale agreed. The asking price was €395,000 but at 74sq m (797sq ft), it is almost half the size.
Number 8 Grotto Place lies off Rock Road just opposite Booterstown DART station. The property was purchased by the current owners in 2012 for €215,000. “It was in absolute bits,” the owner says. “It had been started by the previous owners but they stopped, there were parts of the roof missing and the house lay idle for almost a decade.”
Under the guidance of architect Ed Hogan, the house was fully refurbished with the addition of an extension to the rear, almost doubling the size of the property, which now stands at 93sq m (1,001sq ft).
The attics were removed in a bid to give greater ceiling height – all the ceilings are now vaulted. To compensate for the limited storage, a new shed was constructed in the back garden to house all the electrics and the water tank. “This also makes the house really quiet,” says the owner.
The extension added an open-plan living-dining-kitchen area, which opens out to the rear garden through concertina doors, giving a great sense of space. A cream kitchen by In House features integrated units around a central island and a large range. Flooring throughout is a high-quality smoked oak laminate.
The property, which would make a fine first-time-buyer home, has two bedrooms – the master has a freestanding bath, while the family bathroom has a wet-room layout.
The front of the property was changed to accommodate off street parking. The rear garden is laid out with decking and, though purists may balk at the AstroTurf – for some families it is the simple no-muck-nor-maintenance option. Booterstown Nature Reserve across the road is ideal for muddy walks in wellingtons.
“The builder kept showing me pictures of a barbeque he built in Germany and I finally gave in, and now it’s one of the best things we did in the property,” says the owner of the tall unit which stands in a corner of the garden.
The property, which is now almost double its original size and in turnkey condition, is for sale through DNG with an asking price of €595,000.
