Spencer Villas is a fine, wide, tree-lined street of Victorian houses just off Adelaide Road in Dún Laoghaire, close to Glasthule village. Number 19 is an end-of-terrace redbrick family home with five bedrooms, which was extensively renovated in 2014. The renovations included the addition of a new roof and sash windows, bringing the Ber up to C3. The cornices and ceiling roses have all been lovingly restored, and the bathrooms were renovated in 2021 and 2022, so there’s nothing for new owners to do except get settled into some elegant living.
The Georgian front door, entrance hall and formal reception room to the front of the property have high ceilings, coving and cornicing and original wide-plank timber flooring. The drawingroom has a large bay window and a marble fireplace, and is connected to the formal diningroom to the rear by folding doors.
When the current owners bought number 19, a modern rear extension had already been built, but the owners added another superb contemporary touch: a glass ceiling linking the old house to the new extension. The result is an eye-catching open-plan kitchen/dining/living area with lots of light pouring in from above.
The kitchen is all clean, white lines, with a terrazzo floor, large island, built-in storage and all the modern appliances you need.
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A feature timber-panelled wall sits under the glass ceiling with bench seating, and there are quirky touches such as a narrow archway that lets you squeeze from the kitchen cooking area into the sittingroom.
The sittingroom has floor-to-ceiling windows and a solid fuel stove with slate hearth for cosy winters, and from here you can access the landscaped back garden via a Portapivot door and a striking patio with a feature open roof light.
There’s also a utility room downstairs, with tiled floor, sink and wall storage units, plumbed for a washing machine and a tumble dryer, and a guest WC with a tiled floor.
On the return is a landing with a bedroom and a bathroom, with three bedrooms plus bathroom on the first floor and a fifth bedroom with landing and shower room on the first floor return. The main bedroom has the benefit of big bay windows looking out on to Spencer Villas, and the large doubles to the back have sea views out to Howth Head. A smaller front bedroom is currently being used as a home office, and it’s clearly a quiet, peaceful working space.
The main bathroom is nicely tiled and the shower room is also contemporary, with a sliding glass-door and cabinet. There’s a nice original stained glass skylight above the landing.
Though the back garden has a northerly aspect, it gets ample sunlight throughout the day, and the extension has been designed to fully maximise available sunlight. There’s vehicular access to the back garden via a lane running behind Hudson Park, with a paved parking area, but number 19 is one of the few houses on the street with off-street parking to the front, so you may not need this rear space. It’s currently being used as a basketball court, but since the house is close to the sea, the selling agent reckons this could be the perfect spot for a boat owner to store their craft. There’s also a small garage for bikes and scooters.
Nearby is Hudson Park, which has been turned into a public amenity in the past few years, and it’s a quick stroll to Glasthule and Sandycove villages to enjoy the foodie delights of Cavistons, the Greedy Eagle gastropub or the convivial atmosphere of Fitzgerald’s pub. Sandycove beach and the Forty Foot are also a short stroll away. Both the Glenageary and Sandycove/Glasthule Dart station are within easy reach, and local schools include the Harold national school, Castlepark and Loreto Dalkey.
Number 19 Spencer Villas, extending to 258 sq m (2,778 sq ft), is now on the market through DNG, seeking €2 million.
