When Vicki Robinson bought 194 Upper Glenageary Road almost 30 years ago, she had a particular design idea in mind. She wanted to pay homage to the grand old house she grew up in, Rathbarry on nearby Silchester Road. So she expanded the house to the side to create a double-fronted facade, and put in bay windows to give the house a regal look. It was a way of keeping a connection with her family history in the area: her great-great-grandfather John Loftus Robinson was the architect who designed the People’s Park in Dún Laoghaire in the late 1800s.
For years, Robinson ran Chez Nous Pre-school & Montessori from the extension, which has its own, separate entrance at the side, but she has since closed the business and now it’s a spacious, fully furnished studio/one-bedroom apartment which can be rented out or surrendered to teenagers as their hangout area. A reminder of its former use is a large bathroom with small cubicles and sink units set low for little ones, which new owners will want to convert to a grown-up size bathroom.
The kitchen/family area needs no work: it’s generously sized with a kitchen island and a four-door Aga with separate integrated oven, hob and microwave. Four large electronic Velux windows bring in ample light. Off the kitchen is a large study/utility room with plenty of storage. The livingroom/diningroom is also generous, with wooden floors and a redbrick fireplace and gas stove. There’s underfloor gas heating.
Double doors from the kitchen bring you into a large, completely private south-southwest facing back garden, which is divided into two discrete zones: large paved patio area that’s made for outdoor entertaining and a rear area under AstroTurf, with mature plants and a garden shed, which was formerly the play area for the Montessori. A large hot tub — fully enclosed for safety — adds a decadent touch to the patio area. It’s a tradition, says Robinson, for the family to gather for champagne in the hot tub before Christmas dinner.
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Upstairs are five generous bedrooms with a family bathroom and en suite, and a large attic conversion with office space and views over Dublin Bay to the front, and Dalkey and Killiney hills to the back. The main bedroom, to the rear, has a separate walk-in dressingroom and en suite, and double doors open to a flat roof. To the front is a paved drive with room to park up to six cars.
At 297 sq m (3,197 sq ft), Chez Nous is big enough for a full-sized family with teenagers and young adults to enjoy their own space — and they can all meet at the hot tub at Christmas.
Number 194 Upper Glenageary Road has a Ber of B3 and is for sale through Clare Connolly Estate Agent asking €1.495 million.
