Running between Raglan Road and Wellington Road in Dublin’s so-called embassy belt, this narrow lane of mews houses is superbly located for convenient city living with amenities such as Herbert Park and eating and entertainment spots such as Roly’s Bistro, the RDS and the Aviva Stadium close by.
The owners of number 30 Raglan Lane have extended the house to create an extra family space and converted the attic into a third bedroom with en suite, bringing the dimensions up to 188sq m (2,023sq ft). Instead of building the family room straight on to the back of the house, they put it at the end of the garden making it feel more like a private haven away from the main mews. To link it to the rest of the house, they put in a lobby and turned the space in between into a courtyard garden with outdoor furniture for alfresco dining. The house has a C1 Ber and is for sale through Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty, seeking €1.75 million.
Raglan Lane is narrow and parking is restricted but you can get two cars into the front drive behind electronic gates, says the selling agent, and there is permit parking available just around the corner on Elgin Road. As the city centre is within walking distance and bus routes and the Lansdowne Dart station are a short stroll away, you could even ditch the car and use the front courtyard with its high granite walls as another outdoor living space.
The front porch has a tiled floor and two double electric sockets and opens into a reception hall with understair storage cupboards and a guest WC with tiled floor. The kitchen/diningroom is at the front of the house with a picture window looking out to the front courtyard and is fitted with white-gloss presses, cupboards, drawers and worktops. Appliances include a four-ring Belling hob with extractor hood, Bosch double ovens and an integrated fridge-freezer.
Sliding doors open into the livingroom, which has a marble fireplace on a raised marble hearth with a coal-effect gas fire. On either side of the fireplace is an attractive arched alcove and on the opposite wall is a range of built-in shelving units. Windows look out on to the rear courtyard garden, and a glazed door opens into the inner lobby, which has a varnished timber floor and a mirrored wall to make the space feel less narrow. French doors open into the internal courtyard, which faces west and is laid with artificial grass for easy maintenance.
The family room extension has a vaulted ceiling with two Velux roof lights and is painted in deep, warm cobalt blue. There’s a feature raised fireplace on a marble plinth with a log-effect gas fire and built-in shelving on either side of the chimney breast. As a cosy breakaway area from the rest of the house, this room certainly does the job.
There are two large double bedrooms on the first floor, each with mirrored slide robes and en suite. Both en suites would benefit from an upgrade. The attic bedroom is also a good size and has a lot more headroom than you would expect from a mews conversion. It has slide robes, Velux windows, a fully tiled en suite and access to eaves storage.
