De Blacam and Meagher-designed three-bed is a bright oasis in Ballsbridge for €1.2m

One of the things the owner of 21 Herbert Road loves about her home of the past 40 years is the nature surrounding the 140sq m (1,500sq ft) house. “I do t’ai chi classes in Ringsend and walk along the Dodder, which always has swans and herons,” they say.

Nature and wildlife are not things that immediately spring to mind when it comes to houses in Ballsbridge but this home is a little oasis in the affluent Dublin 4 suburb.

This property was designed by the architectural firm de Blacam and Meagher – winners of the Europa Nostra Medal of Honour in 1987 and the RIBA European Award in 2007 – more than four decades ago, when the firm was in its nascence. The owner says a few curious architectural students have come to have a look at the property over the years.

Furthermore, the garden at 21 Herbert Road, which was designed by Ciaran Beattie – who subsequently established Leitrim Flowers – won an award for the best small garden in Ireland: “It was funny as the first year we entered we came second and the following year we took first prize,” says the owner. Back then the garden had two doves and a pair of ducks that happily splashed about in a since covered pond.

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Off the main road and surrounded by trees, you would not know the secluded property was there. When the owner purchased the site, it already had permission for the de Blacam and Meagher design as the firm had also designed the six mews properties adjacent to the house. “A few years ago we added roof lights, and the architect suggested we could go up another storey as there are houses around the area that have done the same,” says the owner. Indeed, while living on one level has its advantages, extending upwards could be an attractive option for new owners – subject to planning permission.

In its current layout, the property has an L-shaped plan, whereby an entrance hall leads into a large livingroom (at the base of the L) warmed by an open fire. Perpendicular is a long corridor off which lies the kitchen and three bedrooms with a utility, shower room and main bathroom lying opposite. A small conservatory, where the owner loves to sit and read a book, is bathed in light – as is the house itself thanks to lots of glazing and roof lights.

It’s the location in a private setting on Herbert Road (that connects Lansdowne Road to Serpentine Avenue) along with its well-lit interiors that will spark interest in this well-designed home. It’s a five-minute walk to Sandymount, and a short distance from Herbert Park, where on Sundays you can buy everything from fresh flowers to fresh fish. Its setting so close to the Dodder river with its swans, herons, fox and an elusive little hummingbird just add to its allure. With a Ber of C2, the property is on the market through Turley Property Advisors, seeking €1.2 million.