“A mouthful of a view” is how the owner of 127 Anglesea Road, in Ballsbridge, describes the vista from a mezzanine window at her home, adding “to be in the centre of Dublin looking out over green fields is just amazing”. A superb rear double-height extension, constructed two decades ago, allows verdant views to the rugby grounds at Bective Rangers, Old Wesley and Bective Tennis and Padel Club.
Inside the redbrick exterior, which is still as perfect as the day it was repointed two decades ago, lies a Carrara marble-floored hallway. Beyond the two interconnecting reception rooms, both used as drawingrooms with all their period features intact, is the new extension housing a mammoth amount of glass. Originally designed by restoration architect James Kelly of Kelly and Cogan Architects, the owner, who has an interest in design, tweaked the original plans: “It had a triple-height extension, but the wraparound was too small, so we changed it and tweaked the decor.”
She also changed what were granite steps, that lead from the hall upstairs to garden level, to solid oak, as she wanted to soften the design, and they now marry well with the wide-plank oak flooring sourced from the Hardwood Floor Company. The fact that there is a glazed banister makes the stairs appear to float, while also allowing more light to garden level.
Here, taking centre stage is a white granite kitchen island so large that builder, Paul Callan, removed a window at garden level to fit the piece in.
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Also at garden level is a livingroom with mid-century pieces of furniture and to the rear is a fine dining area that opens out to the rear garden. Here a courtyard provides a suntrap for pre-dinner drinks; the mezzanine upstairs is another space used for pre-prandial beverages. The garden, with lots of interest from spiky dense evergreens, was designed by landscape architect Elma Fenton, silver-medallist at Chelsea Flower Show and multiple-award-winner at Bloom. With an ecological approach, Fenton used natural materials balanced with functional green spaces. The tranquil space designed around curved lines needs to be weeded and have the discoloured stones replaced to get it back in shape.
Four bedrooms lie on the top floor of the 311sq m (3,347sq ft) house. The principal is en suite, which is one of five bathrooms in the three-storey property.
Besides its period details and contemporary extension, its location is a real selling point of number 127. As it is midterrace, when you’re in the back garden, noise from traffic out front is blocked off. The area is surrounded by numerous sports clubs, including the aforementioned rugby and tennis, while one of the country’s largest cricket clubs, Merrion Cricket, is just up the road. Sailing is a few Dart stops away, while everything from swimming, exercise classes and gym workouts are available at David Lloyd in Riverview just a few minutes’ walk up the road.
Another facility due to open is the greenway cycle track that will link the Dublin Mountains with the city centre, part of which will allow new owners to walk to Herbert Park away from any traffic.
With a heavy heart, the owner of number 127 Anglesea Road is selling up and downsizing. To this end, she has placed her home, which is Ber-exempt, on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €2.6 million.
