So much so that when his Dublin home at No 5 York Avenue, Upper Rathmines is sold, he will head for France to convert an old convent north of Bergerac into a family home for his wife Sarah Donaldson and himself. The couple married in Las Vegas two years ago.

As a result, No 5 is for sale by auction on 18 May through Sherry FitzGerald - AMV 1.35m.

The 126sq m (1,360sq ft) house, has been transformed, modernised and extended with panache. Of course it wasn't like that when Armstrong bought it.

From Hollywood in Co Down, he has been living in Dublin for the past 12 years. Sarah Donaldson is an award-winning designer whose work includes the Millennium Candle. "Her background is in art and ceramics, not interior design, but she has helped me greatly with her great sense of colour and texture, " says Stewart.

All the original features, including fireplaces, detailed moulding and banisters have been retained.

The gracious box-windowed drawingroom to the front has a beautiful period marble fireplace, polished floorboards and a castiron fireplace. Folding doors lead to the diningroom which overlooks the garden.

To the rear is a superb kitchen/dining area with a Chinese slate-tiled floor which was newly fitted last year. It has two windows, sliding doors and fulllength window allowing natural light to flow through. The kitchen is fitted with contemporary floorand eye-level units incorporating all the necessary appliances.

"This was the area we flattened and rebuilt. It was a series of tiny rooms in dreadful condition. It couldn't work, it had one of those beautiful' '70s lean-to style extensions. The rest of the house was structurally sound. It was easier to knock the extension down and this gave us the chance to build up a storey, put in a pitched roof, and build an extra bedroom above the kitchen section."

Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms and a luxuriously appointed bathroom. The main feature of the bathroom is the beautiful, oval, free-standing bath and the Italian mosaic tiled wall.

Outside to the front is a neat railed garden, The L-shaped rear garden is designed to be an extension of the living space with the same high standards of design Price: AMV 1.35m at auction 18 May Agent: Sherry FitzGerald 01 4907433