GIVEN recent trends in style, a period townhouse in the hands of an architect is likely to result in a truly contemporary, streamlined interior. Visitors entering this elegant home in Ranelagh will get a pleasant surprise, whatever their taste in design.
Owner Michelle Sweeney, who moved here over a decade ago, has created a home where the imposing architectural details of the early 19th-century vie for attention with modern comforts in an assured but welcoming manner.
This property exemplifies the classic Dublin brick townhouse, yet without the gloomy and fusty rooms so often associated with the early 19th-century.
"It was a real stroke of luck that many of the original 1830s features were still intact when we moved here . . . unlike so many other houses on the terrace where fireplaces and plaster cornices are long gone.
"The house sits on the widest plot on the avenue so from the entrance hall to the rear garden, this is a slightly bigger residence than its neighbours. People are surpised when they walk in, knowing I'm an architect, and perhaps expecting a strictly streamlined, minimal look.
"With so much natural light, and generously proportioned rooms with very high ceilings, I decided against attacking the interior in a wholly contemporary manner but set about a more sympathetic restoration. At the same time, I've kept the interior very unfussy, with soft white walls throughout and leaving the authentic details to speak for themselves."
Black and white porcelain floor tiles enhance the bright, spacious entrance hall which is also defined by the classic fanlight, cornice, dado rail, picture rail and decorative archway.
To the right are two formal reception rooms with interconnecting double doors. Both rooms have original fireplaces, decorative plaster detail, and tall sash windows. At the end of the hall is the kitchen, the largest room in the house, cheerfully sunny and welcoming.
Here in the kitchen modern and period merge: an extensive range of free-standing units and the stainless steel oven will satisfy the cook, while the open fireplace in the brick chimney breast gives the room a relaxed mood, a welcome change from so many modern kitchens where superefficient functionality can be intimidating.
Three sets of double doors open to the terraced and private rear garden, which extends the dining space on sunny days via the timber deck and patio. At the bottom of the garden is a neat lawn, surrounded by high walls, mature shrubs and container plants.
Back inside, there are three bedrooms off the bright upstairs landing. The two largest rooms retain their original ceiling cornices and one also has a pretty cast-iron fireplace. Adjacent is the main bathroom with both bath and shower. There is also a downstairs guest cloakroom.
The location is a huge plus: the house is within shouting distance of the Grand Canal and close to the city centre and Ranelagh village.
For the next owners of No 5 awaits the perfect backdrop to modern city life . . . a period gem restored with an assured hand.
The lowdown
Address: No 5 Lower Mount Pleasant Avenue, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Details: 1835 terraced house of about 151sq m (1,620sq ft): entrance hall, guest cloakroom, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, landing, three bedrooms, bathroom, gardens front and rear, disc parking
Highlights: Fully restored, original features intact; formal interconnecting reception rooms; extended kitchen opening to delightful town garden
Price: 1.45m
Agent: Savills HOK 01-496 7017
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