Enter Colm and Beth O'Connell, who restored their home at 3 Clonmore Terrace in Dublin 3 with a keen eye for the original character of this terraced property . . . which they didn't want to change drastically. The couple moved in seven years ago, and rather than extend . . . which tends to be the norm these days . . . they actually got rid of an unwanted kitchen lean-to. In the process, they reclaimed the original sunny garden.

They also decided against the idea of knocking down interior walls to create that much vaunted "open-plan" style. A separate diningroom has its advantages after all, doubling up as a music room, a quiet spot in which to read away from the telly, or a space in which to entertain friends.

"The house was already in pretty good order when we moved in, " says Colm. "But the old lean-to kitchen extension and bathroom wasn't doing very much for the house, so we had it pulled down and reverted the kitchen back to its original room. "This had the effect of brightening up the ground floor, but also gave us a back garden again. We have a friend who is very into garden design, so we dragged her here with the instruction to turn our yard into a garden."

It's not just in the pretty paved garden that flowers and shrubs prosper, but also inside, where a number of house plants bloom happily in what is a bright interior.

Number 3 has a floor area of about 101 sq m (1,087 sq ft). Period features, such as the sash windows and polished floorboards signal the vintage (circa l904) of the house and combine with an easy-on-the-eye, modern decor and pale colours.

Accommodation briefly comprises the entrance hall, livingroom, dining room, kitchen/breakfastroom, half -floor return, family bathroom and two double bedrooms on the first floor.

Outside, the courtyard garden has pedestrian rear access. To the front is a small railed garden.

The larger than average bathroom, which includes a period, enamelled cast-iron bath, is in what was formerly the third bedroom, a relocation decision that involved a lot of soul-searching.

"What we had originally was a small box bedroom and a tiny bathroom, so we decided that the luxury of a bigger, nicely designed bathroom was more important for us.

"An architect friend gave us good advice on how to make the new space look like a bathroom proper, as opposed to a bedroom with a bath in it.

So we installed one long shelving panel that has the w. c. and washandbasin integrated neatly, and there is plenty of surface storage space. Behind that is a full mirror which also enhances the space."

The bathroom has an art deco, tiled fireplace, as do all the rooms in the house, including the dining room.

"We had thought about creating one large kitchen-cumdiningroom, which is what some of the neighbours on the terrace have done. But we like the separate, quiet space, and we wanted to keep the house true to the original character . . . which is what appealed to us in the first place."

Set in a quiet cul-de-sac between the North Strand Road and Ballybough Road, overlooking the Royal Canal, the house has all the convenience of near city centre living, while the promenade at Clontarf is just minutes away in the opposite direction.

The couple will miss their sea walks in Clontarf . . . not to mention the established community, with great neighbours who have been there for generations.

"Some of them recall all the families who lived in our house before, " says Colm. "It's nice to get that sense of history that goes with a house over a century old."

Price: 475,000 Agent: Gunne, 01 - 833 5844