A-rated home in showhouse condition in Blackrock for €1.395m

From the moment the front door of 38 Belmont Lawn opens, it becomes clear the property is in showhouse condition. It’s not just the impeccable presentation of every inch of its 160sq m (1,722sq ft), but what really catches you here in this detached four-bedroom redbrick is the finish. Your eye is immediately drawn to an 80-year-old olive tree taking centre stage in an elevated bed in the back garden. Great design from A1 Architects mean this knobbly old fruit tree is now framed like a picture in the kitchen, offering a quiet space for contemplation in the south-facing rear garden.

The owners engaged A1 Architects to design their home, which added a large eat-in kitchen and living area to the rear in 2019. “The design essentially cut the house in half and opened up the entire hallway, so now when you’re standing in the kitchen you can see the garden, the kids in the playroom – or television room – while also being able to see who is at the front entrance,” says the owner. Ventura Design was on hand to create bespoke furniture, shelving, hidden wardrobes and a lovely system in the hallway that allows belongings to be stored neatly away out of sight.

The family who live here also share the house with four friendly dachshunds: Cookie, Muffin, Brownie and Waffles, though only two would pose while the house was being photographed.

Despite the family renovating number 38 “as the final house”, the fact that both parents work from home means they would like a bigger place, so have their eye on a larger home with more room for the kids and indeed the canines to run about.

Live like a lord: Wicklow estate that featured in The Tudors and Matt Damon film for €8m

---

Substantial Bray home formerly home to writers and poets for €1.175m

---

Renovated Edwardian three-bed on Rathfarnham Road for €950,000

---

Newly renovated Ranelagh two-bed for €695,000

---

A large eat-in kitchen by O’Connor’s of Drumleck was designed by the owner, who loves to cook: “I didn’t want to be bending down, so I designed every drawer, even the pantry, right down to the wine rack.” She also had the island placed further afield from the line of countertops and presses than it normally would be to allow for little ones to pass through if the dishwasher or presses were open.

Details like a mirrored splashback and Silestone countertops add to the space, which is bathed in light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. A Velux Active Smarthome app checks the temperature, humidity and air quality, and automatically opens the windows if necessary. There’s also a canopy in the rear garden to shelter from rain.

[ Bond-style house with indoor pool and views to live and let die for in Howth for €3m ]

A livingroom with bold cobalt blue and yellow accents sits to the front of the house and is warmed by a wood-burning stove while a loo, study and utility also lie at this level.

Upstairs are four bedrooms; the principal of which is dual aspect with a luxurious en suite, while a second bedroom also has the benefit of an en suite.

[ New homes: apartments from €620,000 in Carrickmines and houses from €650,000 in Leopardstown ]

Designed by the owners, the back garden is laid out with lawn and 13 specially imported Italian evergreen oak trees which provide year-round privacy negating the need for a higher wall. There’s a bespoke cedar shed at the end of a lawn for extra storage.

One of the biggest selling points of the property, besides the fact that it is detached and in turnkey condition, is that the energy rating is now an A3. “Given current energy costs, it’s rare we get the opportunity to market a second-hand property that has an A energy rating,” according to Stephen Day of Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, who is handling the sale of number 38 Belmont Lawn – now on the market seeking €1.395 million.