Monkstown: €4m: An 1850s redbrick has been given the ultimate makeover, inside and out. Rose Doyle reports

Ashton, The Hill, Monkstown, Co Dublin is one of 12 tall semi-detached redbrick three-storey houses built in 1850.

An elegant house, it has been coolly and comprehensively refurbished and is in a state so pristine, one has to remove one's shoes on entering.

Sheltered by trees, and with a sweep of terraced gardens at the rear, Ashton shares a leafy exclusivity with the other period houses on the crescent-shaped street. The refurbishment, carried out over the last three years, has modernised Ashton as well as adding a double garage with gym and a sunroom. There is underfloor heating.

It has a floor area of 500 sq m (5,380 sq ft) in which there are four reception rooms and four/five bedrooms. Lisney, which is quoting a guide of €4 million, will be selling Ashton at auction on April 27th.

First impressions are of high- ceilinged spaces in tones of cream, dusty yellow and beige. Attention has been given to detail, with original features preserved where possible, and replaced or remoulded where necessary.

The entrance hallway is a case in point. New floor tiles replicate exactly the tiling of the period, a dado rail with wood panelling below is new but very much in period while the fanlight and a side door have had their original coloured glass refurbished, along with the cornicing and ceiling rose. A decorative arch leads to the inner hall.

A study/office at the rear of the hallway has been completely fitted with custom-built American oak, even to the surrounds of a deep box window overlooking the gardens. The elaborate fireplace has an overmantel with mirror and is fitted with a remote controlled gas fire.

The drawing and diningrooms are to either side of the inner hall. The front-facing diningroom has church-spire views from its sash windows and a white marble fireplace with side columns and a cast-iron inset. The cornicing and ceiling rose are highly decorative and there is a picture rail.

The drawingroom has similar Victorian features and a marble fireplace which has inset period-style tiles and shelving and cupboards to either side. Folding doors conceal a home cinema and hi-fi station.

The garden level has complete family accommodation with a kitchen/breakfastroom, two bedrooms - one in use as a playroom, one en suite - sunroom, sauna room and gym.

The kitchen-cum-breakfastroom has been given a period look with Christians-style fittings and a large Aga set against Dutch delph tiling. Travertine marble-tiled heated floors stretch through to the utility and sunroom.

The worktops are marble-topped as is the centre island. A limestone fireplace is a feature of the sunroom, which has a wall on one side of exposed stone, vaulted glass ceilings and a box window overlooking the patio and gardens.

The dado rail and panelling in the entrance hallway continues up the stairs to the first floor landing which is effectively lit by an original, leaded-glass skylight. The main en suite bedroom has two front-facing sash windows with working shutters and a dappled grey marble fireplace with cast-iron inset.

The large en suite has a mirrored bath, arched windows, separate shower and a marble-topped vanity unit. There is a dressingroom off it.

A second bedroom has windows to the side and rear and a cast-iron fireplace while a third, to the rear, has window seats in its two sash windows and another cast-iron fireplace.

A short flight of stairs leads to a shower/steam room.

A wide sweep of granite steps lead to the front door while a high, old conifer rises from an oval shaped lawn in the centre of the large gravelled driveway.