Architect turns former bedsits into charming Drumcondra home

When architect James Hogan of Hogan Architects bought number 9 Millmount Avenue in 2018, it was still laid out in bedsits.

Situated within a two-minute walk of the heart of Drumcondra village, it is a pretty redbrick within a collection of similar streets that lead directly up to the village library and Griffith Park, a gorgeous green space that links this part of Dublin 9 to Glasnevin, along the Tolka River.

He paid €455,000 for it in May 2018, according to the property price register.

The house needed complete reconfiguring to work for his family. “I had a realistic notion of costs and the level of disruption,” he says.

He removed the dividing wall between the two reception rooms opening it up to create a dual-aspect space that sees a sitting area to the front, with the dining area overlooking the southfacing back garden. The front reception room has painted white floorboards while the back has a painted concrete floor.

The property, which had been G-rated, has had its walls dry-lined and its floors insulated with the two fireplaces in these spaces closed. This helped the period property, which dates back to the 1900s, achieve a C1 Ber rating.

The kitchen is in the return and has smart Ikea units with a graphic glazed porcelain floor, a design by Italian firm 41 Zero 42, which the architect ordered from Tilestyle.

A step down takes you into the utility, where 6sq m of space have been given over to keep the clutter of drying clothes out of the main part of the house. In a home that extends to 115sq m /1,237sq ft, it’s a very good use of space.

Outside there is a smart garden which is laid out with silver granite slabs and lawned. Extending to about 66sq m/710sq ft, it boasts a large shed and has pedestrian rear access that was invaluable for bringing in building materials and equipment, including a mini digger, during the refurbishment.

Up on the return is the family bathroom, which has a shower in the bath, and an L-shaped room, big enough to house a family bed but possibly even more valuable as a home office for it has plenty of light and wall space for desks and documents.

By reconfiguring the layout on the first floor there are now three bedrooms. The main overlooks the garden. To the front there is a second double and a small single, just 6.5sq m in size, but big enough for a single bed.

The layout rejig has delivered a large landing where a second parent could work from home. There is also plenty of space to install a staircase that will conform to building regulations to the attic where the ceiling height to the ridge is 2.4m.

The property is seeking €675,000 through Sherry FitzGerald.