Number 8 the Bookend Apartments, Lower Exchange Street, Dublin, a three-bed, two-bath property, is the type of place any city-based professional would love to call home. Unfortunately, due to the high price point of homes in the city, it will more likely appeal to a high-net-worth individual who will use it as a “Dublin base”, as the current owners have done. It was last bought in 2015 for €365,000, according to the Property Price Register.
The Bookend apartment building is in a prime location near Temple Bar, on the road between Lundy Foot’s pub and the Gaeity School of Acting. It has the Smock Alley Theatre on its doorstep and is adjacent to Caffé Hausbrandt coffee shop on Essex Quay.
Number 8 is on the third floor of the building, reached by stairs or lift. On entering the two-storey apartment, the stairs on the right lead up to an open-plan kitchen/dining/livingroom. Stepping into the space through the central dining area, you’re immediately met with a view over the river Liffey across to the north side of the city, with Grattan Bridge to your right. Double-glazed windows and French doors form almost the entire exterior wall, flooding the room with natural light, and the covered wood-decked balcony (measuring 8.88m/29ft across) travels the full width of the floor, from where the views can be enjoyed to maximum affect.
The interiors have been designed in more of a cosy country cottage style than you would expect given its location. The kitchen, which was renovated in 2016, lies to the left of the space, it has a shiny tiled floor, light-grey farmhouse-style wooden units with a white metro-tiled splashback and breakfast bar. There is a large double-oven cooker and hob and integrated fridge and dishwasher.
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The dining area lies in the middle of the open space; it comfortably accommodates a long six-seater dining table, offset by a hanging chandelier. From here the solid wood floor continues into the living area – currently decorated more like a ski chalet than a city pad – which has a marble fireplace with an electric fire insert. There is also decorative ceiling cornicing in this part of the room.
The three bedrooms lie downstairs, all of which have a window looking out to the quays. A decent size double sits to the rear, with a single bedroom in the middle and the principal bedroom to the front; it has an en suite bathroom decked out in marble-effect tiles – bang on trend – with a bath/shower. The family bathroom is also on this level, with dark marbled tiles and a shower. Both bathrooms were also updated in 2016. There is storage space under the stairs. The apartment is heated by storage heaters and electrical panel heaters.
This apartment, extending to 86sq m (926sq ft), has a D Ber, and is now on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €650,000. Management fees are charged at €2,700 a year.
