One such building is 154 Lansdowne Mews, one of four mews homes at the back of Northumberland Road in Dublin 4 where the modular simplicity of the exterior and the light-filled open-plan spaces of the interior work together in a wonderfully stylish way.

The 134sq m (1,438sq ft) three-bed house goes for auction through Lisney on 14 March next, with an AMV of 1.2m. The house has an amazing circular stainless steel staircase with oak treads. Not only a focal point it acts as a central spine out of which all else radiates, both vertically and horizontally.

Almost European in its three-storey design, the basement is the "works" area with storage, gas-fired central heating, utility room and sink.

The central living area is accessed through the front door and into a lobby. As you would expect from a house designed by Scott Tallon Walker, ease of living is important, so sleek storage and light are big priorities.

The open-plan oak-floored kitchen and dining area is a magnificent, bright room with a huge sliding door opening to the garden. An array of simple oak kitchen presses topped with granite is a cook's delight against the backdrop of the winding staircase. The living room is another large, bright room opening out onto the west-facing back garden.

Here again, features such as the simple granite fireplace are streamlined and unfussy.

Upstairs, the third bedroom can also be used as a study. It has a circular ceiling skylight and a picture window overlooking Lansdowne Park. The master bedroom has a good selection of oak sliding-door wardrobes and an en suite with a granite shower. The second bedroom has similar sliding wardrobes and a granite based en suite shower. A lovely feature here is the sliding doors which open onto the balcony.

A courtyard garden sets off the front nicely, while at the back there is a good-sized 9.4m long by 5m wide westfacing garden, which has also been landscaped and has space for car parking.

Price: AMV 1.2m at auction on 14 March Agent: Lisney 01 6382700