Windsor Lodge, a large double-fronted period home on Seafield Avenue in Monkstown, Co Dublin, last changed hands almost 40 years ago when the current owners bought and refurbished it, then settled down to rear their six kids in this traditional family home.
The house was in excellent condition when they bought it, and the original intricate cornicing was intact, although the west-facing back garden needed a little love and attention to bring it back to its lush glory.
The owners eschewed an extension, so this five-bedroom house is almost exactly as it was when it was built in the 1850s – although they suspect the box bay window in the drawingroom might have been added later in the 19th century.
For new owners, there is huge scope to extend on either side of Windsor Lodge but, apart from that, little more needs to be done except perhaps a little redecorating. The house, which is Ber exempt, stands at 340sq m (3,660sq ft) and is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €3.995 million.
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Over the last four decades the house has comfortably cocooned the family through all the stages of growing up, maintaining its traditional style while allowing its occupants’ lives to evolve.
“An old house wraps itself around you,” say the owners, and Windsor Lodge feels safe and reassuring as you enter through its recessed porch with impressive Doric columns and lead glass-panelled front door framed by leaded side lights and a fanlight.
The hallway has original timber parquet flooring, and you can immediately appreciate the detailed cornicing work that runs along the high ceilings and across the feature archway, as well as the ceiling rose, picture rails and dado rails.
The detailed cornicing and high ceilings continue through the two large reception rooms on either side of the hallway. The drawingroom to the left comes into its own at Christmas, say the owners, and you can picture a Christmas tree standing tall in the large box bay window overlooking the front garden.
Period-style furniture gives the room a classic look, and the large feature white marble fireplace with cast-iron inset and slate hearth completes the picture. This room is used a lot for entertaining, say the owners.
To the right is the sittingroom, which is decorated in a more contemporary style for everyday family use as a TV room/lounge. Here, a picture sash window overlooks the front garden, and there’s a fireplace with timber overmantel and an inset mirror.
To the back of the house on the left is a dual-aspect diningroom overlooking the side and back gardens, which the owners converted from two small rooms. It has a lower ceiling, making it a more intimate space for family meals.
A second door in the diningroom allows easy access to the kitchen/breakfastroom, which is so charming you’d be reluctant to change it one little bit. It’s more like a country kitchen, and the view out the back door to the lush, landscaped back garden simply enhances the rural vibe.
The kitchen is fitted with cream-coloured wall and floor cabinets, stone countertops, country chic tiled floor and a raised coal-effect gas stove with exposed brick surround. De Dietrich twin electric ovens and a five-ring gas hob sit beneath a large feature timber canopy with extractor fan, with lots of display shelving on either side with recessed lighting to show the crockery in its best light. If, like the owner, you enjoy baking, this kitchen is the perfect place for your skills to blossom.
Off the kitchen is a spacious pantry/utility room with a Belfast sink; this leads out to a coal bunker and further storage space. It is, admittedly, a bit higgledy-piggledy, but this wide area on the north side of the house is ripe for creating a new extension, subject to planning permission.
The inner hallway has understairs storage, a cloakroom and a storeroom, plus a fully tiled guest WC/shower room which the owners added in recent years. From here, a back door leads out to that lovely back garden.
The first floor return is a lovely space unto itself, with a view down the hallway and room for seating, bookshelves and even a desk. An arched window overlooking the back garden floods the landing with natural light. There’s a shower room beside this landing; when the owners were refurbishing the house, they uncovered a charming hidden porthole window in this room, which of course they kept.
There are four large double bedrooms on the first floor, but your eye is immediately drawn to front and centre where there’s a small study with tall glass-panelled doors bringing natural light in through the sash windows. There’s built-in shelving and a desk here.
The main bedroom has dual aspect, with sash windows giving views over quiet Seafield Avenue and a sea glimpse over Dublin Bay to Howth Head. Again, the cornicing and centre rose are in superb condition.
There’s a wash-hand basin in the room, a vestige of bygone days; if you’re not a fan of sinks in bedrooms, you’ll probably want to replace it with a dressing table or with more storage space. Bedroom four has a feature fireplace as does bedroom five, which is on the second-floor return. Bedroom five also has a wash-hand basin.
The family bathroom is also on the second-floor return, and has a cast-iron roll-top bath, built-in storage, a fitted mirror and a tiled floor.
The back garden is a magical feature of Windsor Lodge, lovingly cultivated by the owners over the years, with mature plants including agapanthus, white spiraea, box hedges, silver birch and some very old, gnarly apple and pear trees which only add to the old-world charm.
The garden is west-facing, so is perfect for relaxing in on sunny summer evenings. To the front is parking for several cars and the gravelled driveway is bordered by mature beds stocked with roses, hydrangeas, palm trees, box hedges and Boston ivy.
It’s a two-minute walk down to the sea at Seapoint, and a five-minute walk to the restaurants, cafes and boutiques of Monkstown. The Seapoint and Salthill Dart stations are also a short walk away, and bus routes on Monkstown Road bring you into the city centre, while the Aircoach to Dublin Airport stops in Monkstown.
