Victorian charm meets contemporary styling in Dublin 4

Vavasour Square, where the houses date from 1849, is one of the city's more appreciated Victorian squares. Named after Cllr William Vavasour who, in 1785, started a massive reclamation of the "noisome and unprofitable morass" of the Dodder delta, it has villa-style artisan houses on four sides of a long, low-walled centre green with old trees. The reality of backing onto the Aviva stadium hasn't at all taken away from its air of seclusion.

Number 21 has been a family home to the vendors since 1997 and they have been more than successful in their aim to “create a home sympathetic to the era in which it was built as well as catering to modern life”.

They paid IR£155,000 in 1997, "a strong price" according to The Irish Times at the time, and have since refurbished, extended and upgraded the property, giving number 21 a 121sq m (1,302sq ft) floor space with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a drawing and dining room and kitchen/breakfast/familyroom. Agent Allen & Jacobs is sellling it for €875,000.

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Dramatic colours

Ceilings are high and picture, dado rails and cornicings all in place in the original 19th century front part of the house. Dark, dramatic colours on walls and woodwork further heighten its period feel with the deep blue-grey colours in the arched entrance hallway lit by the light from a leaded and bevelled fanlight. A darker, almost black door at the hallway’s end leads to a vivid family bathroom with sunken bath and shower.

Hallway doors lead to the interconnecting living/diningroom on one side and to the bedrooms on the other. The main, en-suite bedroom has a walk-through dressing room. There are floors of polished American walnut in the interconnecting living and dining rooms, walls of burgundy and almost identical cast-iron fireplaces, one in each room.

And then there is the contemporary drama of the soaring rear extension, heightened by a floor-to-ceiling peak window overlooking a high boundary wall in limestone.

The Dart, on the other side of the wall, purrs along showing its green top every so often but is not intrusive. The colours here are cream and white and the ceiling, 15 feet at its highest point, has six Velux windows. The kitchen fittings are extensive and there is a door to the decent-sized, wrap-around, flagged patio. This is west facing and provides glimpses of the Aviva stadium.

The slightly larger number 12 Vavasour Square recently went sale agreed for €1.05 million.