Along the lattice of lanes to the rear of the redbrick roads in Ballsbridge, there’s a sense of a distinct neighbourhood; there are lots of pedestrians and cyclists, and dogs are chasing balls instead of being led on leads. For leafier perambulations, a neat shortcut zig-zags via Raglan Road into a quiet part of Herbert Park, but the buzz of Ballsbridge and the city is very close.
At the start of Elgin Road, architects Wigham McGrath and Partners are restoring, for Maurice Regan, four huge houses (numbers 4, 6, 8 and 10) as well as three of their related mews properties at 4, 6 and 8 Pembroke Lane. A short distance to the east, towards the US embassy, number 14 Pembroke Lane is now for sale through Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, with an asking price of €1.75 million.
Converted to a mews in the 1970s and refurbished by previous owners in the mid-2000s, the semi-detached house on a wide plot was given a further update by the current owners who bought it in 2017 for €1.6 million, according to the Property Price Register. It extends to 180sq m (1,937sq ft) and has a Ber of D2.
The gravelled front, with a curved, raised sandstone patio, has a simple colour scheme; the render is a fresh off-white and smart Crittal-style double doors and windows are painted, like the outer gates, in fashionable Farrow & Ball Downpipe. There is greenery in pots and raised beds, as well as a pretty wisteria and feathery tree.
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Inside, the panelled hall is floored in Portland stone and the solid oak stairs rise to the right, with a guest bathroom tucked beneath the turn. To the left, there’s a kitchen for a keen cook, with four-plate Aga and companion, and solid wood units painted grey. There’s space for a round table beside doors that open to the front patio for a sheltered breakfast or sundowner.
The main living space, with solid plank floors and built-in storage, is a large expanse with two defined areas; closer to the hall is a sunken L-shaped seating area facing a gas fire in a slate surround under a substantial mantelpiece.
At the other side, extended by previous owners, a large dining area is well lit by seven more Crittal-style panels that concertina back to open the entire wall to the south-facing garden. This is almost 10m long and mostly paved, bordered by raised beds along original granite walls, and shielded by mature ivy-clad trees.
Upstairs, the main bedroom benefits from that southerly aspect, and glass doors open out to a roof terrace above the dining area; this is suited to all seasons, with a retractable awning and wall-mounted heaters. Mirrors are used to great advantage throughout the house but here they are particularly clever, seeming to extend the green of the artificial grass beyond the boundary. This bedroom has a vibrant feature wall and a large, all-white en suite with bath, shower and quartz-topped double vanity unit.
Across the landing are a main bathroom with freestanding roll-top bath, a second bedroom with open shelving and built-in wardrobes, and a nifty laundry room with hanging space. More mirrors light the underside of a second stairwell that leads up to a well-fitted attic room, lit by three Velux windows. There is a fourth bathroom here, and storage under the eaves.
Selling agent Robert Lawson suggests the property, being low-maintenance and conveniently located, would be ideal for a couple downsizing from one of the surrounding stately roads to a place with its own front door; it might also serve as a city pad for someone based elsewhere, and for those with children it is handy for lots of well-known schools.
