A fine pair of period properties on a pleasant square

19 Kenilworth Square: €1.2m: If an atmosphere could sell a house then 19 Kenilworth Square in Rathgar won't be long on the market. Not that this two-storey over basement redbrick will be hanging around for long anyway given its size, location and obvious potential.

The four-bedroom house will be auctioned on May 20th by Sherry FitzGerald which is guiding €1.2 million. The guide is on the low side as, while the house at the end of a short terrace could do with some general updating, it does have a 123 ft back garden and backs onto an established mews lane.

The owners have created an inviting home. They are obviously keen gardeners and the tall shrubs in the 41 ft long front garden provide a densely green pathway up to the front door.

The front door is up a flight of granite steps and, inside, two interconnecting reception rooms open off the hall. Both have their original matching white marble fireplaces and the back from has been used as a book lined study. The return on this level has been opened up and left as an open-plan study at the top of the stairs leading down to the garden level.

The basement area is the usual configuration of a large eat-in kitchen lined with cupboards and an Aga to the front opening into an informal oak-floored livingroom to the back. The kitchen opens via double doors to a patio area in the front garden and there is another door under the granite steps. This garden area has a good-sized hallway and generally feels very spacious.

There are four bedrooms, though two are made by dividing what must have been a particularly large room to the front of the house. The third bedroom, the most attractive one, is at the back of the house and the forth is in the top floor return. The family bathroom is in the first floor return and there is also a small shower room on this level. The long back garden is beautifully old fashioned and mature. There is off-street parking at the bottom of the garden. In all the house has 232 sq m (2,500 sq ft).