In the space of a year, the owners of number 12 Auburn Street in Dublin 7 took a rather run-down cottage and transformed it into an uber-stylish and energy-efficient city pad. The renovation was so dramatic and detailed that what is on the market today is unrecognisable from its previous incarnation.
The work brought the house from a cramped three-bed to a more functional two-bed. With a floor area of 101sq m (1,087sq ft), the new layout makes clever use of the space available thanks to architects Kavanagh and Associates of Newbridge. This was taken to another level with the owner’s background in interior design. A rich colour palette has been used throughout, with the property magnificently staged for the sale.
The period charm has been reinstated, from the fanlight over the front door to the panelled walls and ceiling coving. The colour-drenching technique has been used to great effect, with the ceilings and walls painted the same colour in the hallway and livingroom. This gives a sense of extra height to the already high ceilings.


The hall has a herringbone floor and panelled walls, with the livingroom to the left. This room has an open fire, hardwood floors and a large sash window looking out to the street.
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The panelling continues into the inner hall where there is built-in storage under the stairs. There is a bedroom and bathroom behind the staircase, in what would have been the sittingroom in the original layout.
Double doors lead into the kitchen extension, with an inner courtyard to the left, allowing light flow back into the downstairs bedroom. The well-designed utility room to the right when you enter the kitchen makes the most of the small space on offer.

The kitchen has a mix of wall and floor units and an island that incorporates a lower seating area, which is more appealing than the usual high stool option at a breakfast bar.
Double sliding doors open out to the newly laid patio. It won’t be long before the young plants and trees begin to get taller and add to the privacy of the west-facing garden. At the front, the small garden has been tidied up and gravelled. The path up to the front door has been retiled and new railings have been fitted.
Upstairs, is like walking into a hotel suite, with the two original bedrooms now one large room. It has been designed with two separate, sleek dressingrooms at either side of the bedroom area, as well as an en suite bathroom with double sinks.



The house has not been lived in since its renovation so whoever buys it will effectively be moving into a new home. The finishes at number 12 are high-end and the design, while sometimes daring, is quite understated overall.
It comes to the market with a guide price of €695,000 through DNG. The upgrades throughout the house, such as the windows, slate roof, insulation, new doors, underfloor heating and new boiler, have brought the Ber rating up to a B2.
Auburn Street is one of six streets that were built in the 1890s south of the Blessington Street Basin. It is a 10-minute walk to Phibsborough village and the Luas at Broadstone is just across the road.