At the end of the terrace on Mountpleasant Avenue Upper in Ranelagh, number 26 came with something the current owners immediately recognised as an opportunity. The house itself was completely uninhabitable when they first viewed it, but the corner position and larger plot suggested there was far more that could be done with it than with its terraced neighbours.
It was that potential that convinced them to take it on. The extra width and the space to the side meant there was scope to rethink the layout and extend without sacrificing the garden. The couple began planning a full renovation which got under way in 2018.
Before any work started, the owners had already mapped out what they wanted from the redesign. At the top of the list was an open-plan kitchen that would act as the centre of daily life. Equally important was a playroom located close enough that young children could be supervised without the need to hover constantly.
The owners were also keen to keep the entire ground floor on one level, including the garden. The idea was that younger children could move easily between house and garden and play independently, while still remaining within view.
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Upstairs, the brief was for four “decent-sized” bedrooms, two en suite, and energy efficiency was high on the agenda throughout the project.
Eight years on from the completion of the renovation, the owners say the finished result has lived up to the plan as they now describe it as “the most perfect house to live in”.
Achieving the layout they wanted required some fairly fundamental changes to the original structure. One of the most significant was relocating the staircase. Previously positioned in the centre of the hallway, it was moved to the left-hand side, creating a more seamless run from the front door to the back garden.
At the front of the house, in the original part of the property, is the livingroom with chevron wood flooring and a large window fitted with bespoke shutters. In many double-fronted houses of this period, the two front rooms mirror each other in size and layout. During the renovation of number 26, however, the second room was partially retained as a study positioned to benefit from the light coming through the sash window. The remainder of the space was repurposed to accommodate a utility room and shower room.
To the rear is the wraparound extension that now forms the main living area. Crittall doors open from the hallway into a bright open-plan space where floor-to-ceiling concertina doors line the entire back wall and open on to the garden.
[ Charming Victorian redbrick nestled between Ranelagh and DonnybrookOpens in new window ]
The kitchen sits at the centre of the room, arranged around an island with a sink fitted with Quooker taps and a double larder providing additional storage. The dining area is directly in front of the garden doors, while the living area is to the right with a custom-built media wall and electric fire.
Just off the living area is the playroom. It has a full glass front, allowing it to be seen from both the kitchen and the garden, while still giving the option to close the door and contain the clutter.
Upstairs, the extension has allowed for a reconfigured bedroom layout. The main bedroom now forms part of a suite that includes a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite bathroom. Three further bedrooms are located on this level (one also en suite), along with the main family bathroom.
Outside, the landscaped back garden wraps around the corner site. It has been laid with artificial grass for year-round use and is enclosed by the original stone boundary wall, which has been restored with bricks replaced where necessary. A side passage provides access for bikes and bins, while a shed offers additional storage.
The extended property now has a floor area of 270sq m (2,906sq ft) and an A3 energy rating, and is on the market guiding €1.95 million with Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty.
Having completed a project that delivered exactly what they set out to achieve, the owners now find themselves feeling the itch to take on another renovation. While they plan to remain in Dublin 6 as they love being “a walk away from everything”, they are ready to get their hands dirty once again.
