Berystede is well located in a mature residential setting in the heart of Ranelagh village. Number 47 is one of just four whitewashed terraced houses in the secluded enclave off Leeson Park.
The two-bedroom mid-terrace 90sq m (968sq ft) town house was extended by its architect owner in 2007, with the addition of a dining space set within a vaulted ceiling and a large glazed wall to the rear that opens out to the back garden. “The original kitchen-dining area was a small room on one level,” says the owner, who designed the split-level extension. “Here you can chat away with whoever is in the kitchen, but don’t see the preparation as it’s on a different level, so it gives a greater sense of space”. The fact that this room has an angled roof also adds to the sense of space, and the strategically placed roof lights bathe this room – and the kitchen – in light when the sun is out. The fact that the same granite tiles are used in the dining area and patio beyond creates a seamless divide – especially when the doors are fully open – allowing a large entertaining area during summer months.
Storage was another consideration when the property was being redesigned, and now a 5.5m-long, floor-to-ceiling Japanese-style storage wall lies inside the hallway, allowing utility units and all the accoutrements for the couple who live here to be hidden out of sight. Additional storage was added in the dining area in the form of a glazed unit, and in the livingroom to the front, where a bespoke inbuilt unit has a retractable arm to keep the television out of sight when not in use.
The property has two bedrooms upstairs, one of which has a contemporary oriel window – as does the livingroom downstairs – that allows a remarkable amount of light into the room.
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It has two bathrooms, both of which have double shower units, and the downstairs bathroom has the option to use hot water from the immersion or an electric shower.
A real selling point of the house, besides the fact that it is a well-laid-out property bathed in light in the popular and sought-after village of Ranelagh, is the back garden. While it is paved with low-maintenance granite bordered by shrubs – which, when illuminated at night, add a special feature in the diningroom – a green door to the rear leads to an oasis in the form of a private garden solely for residents of Berystede. Only the four town houses have direct access to this sylvan setting in the heart of Dublin 6. It is part of the private development owned and maintained by Leeson Park House Management. “It’s really a hidden garden, so secluded, and the only thing overlooking the house are two lovely old trees. At the moment it’s covered in daffodils and it’s lovely to watch the squirrels in the morning while having breakfast”.
The property, which has a Ber of D1, has a covetable parking space and is close to a host of amenities, the city itself and its attractions. It is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald seeking €775,000. Annual management charges, which include bins, parking, lighting, CCTV and communal garden maintenance, are €1,450.
