When art lecturer Catherine Lynch and architect Bob Stembridge moved to live here four years ago, the house had already undergone a preliminary redesign by the previous owner. With the layout differing radically from what originally had been a small artisan cottage, that demonstrated just how versatile these houses are in the way space can be manipulated and allow for the individual 'stamp' of those who live in them.

"Deceptively spacious" is a term much bandied about in property speak, but the open-plan layout, high ceilings and converted attic make for a city centre home with room to breathe.

In what is essentially a onebed property, the attic doubles up as second bedroom-cum-home office. A priority for the couple on moving in was to enhance natural light, so Bob installed a glass block "window" in one wall in the wider than average hall.

In addition, the entrance from there into the main reception rooms is actually one entire line of folding glass doors, which open up to make a bigger area when needed.

The big hallway is an extra, storage space, with a bike and baby buggy kept there with ease at the moment. "It's a great house for a party, " says Catherine. "You can easily have about 20 people in here.

While it's not a huge house, it's very functional and not an inch of space is wasted."

Speaking of parties, a big attraction is the digital entertainment centre created and built by Bob, which includes a projector that directs cinema-sized images along one entire wall in the living area.

The house has broadband connection, but Bob and Catherine can play DVDs and MPs through a laptop and the entertainment system comes with a 5.1 surround sound system through tall, slim speakers in the room.

The projector folds neatly away, angle-poise style, high up on the wall when not in use . . . safely out of reach of the couple's 15-month-old daughter, Annie, who shows her quickly developing dancing skills to the Chemical Brothers video that Bob plays by way of demonstration.

While cute baby Annie doesn't come with the house, the laptop and retractable projector do, along with other individual features such as the cast-iron stove in the living area, Bob's hand-made iron washing rack suspended above, and the spiral staircase up to the converted attic.

Original timber floorboards have been sanded and polished throughout, giving the living spaces a sense of flow.

The original period features include the cast-iron fireplace in the first living room, which has tall bookcases built in to the alcoves.

The kitchen opens directly off through an archway. This is a very functional space, with ample storage in the form of maple presses with stainless steel worktops and welcoming light streaming down from one whole glazed section of the roof.

Towards the rear of the property, the main bedroom leads off to the right. To the left is the bathroom, which is certainly functional but also an exercise in Bob's current artistic obsession with copper. The taps over the original cast-iron bath are set into what was originally the top of a copper water tank, while the copper pipes are left exposed, giving off additional warmth. Bob has also put in a decked floor here.

Even this, the smallest room in the house, has space to display some examples of the couple's art work. Catherine lectures in the NCAD, while Bob creates multimedia works and currently has an exhibition running in the nearby Loving Spoon cafe, which, he says, "serves the best breakfast in town".

To the very back of the house is a small, covered courtyard, where the couple's pedigree Siamese and Devon Rex cats rule the roost.

The house is five minutes walk from the city centre . . .

not that you would know it, as this is a very quiet and settled old residential street. Less than five minutes walk in the other direction is the public park at Royal Canal Bank and Blessington Basin.

Dublin 7 is very much the up-and-coming place that Catherine says, with the redevelopment of Phibsboro shopping centre, among other big projects, about to start.

The couple will miss their quirky city centre pad, as it's back home to her native Cork for Catherine and Bob, who hails from Georgia in the US, looking forward to making a new home down south. For baby Annie, life with creative Mum and Dad will be anything but dull.

Price: 395,000 Agent: HOK, 01 - 8302 960