The houses in Ardilea, when built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were considered to be the finest address in Dublin 14.

A little bit of Wisteria Lane meets Stepford Wives, it is a quiet enclave of spacious A Line houses all tucked into private sylvan settings and named after prestigious universities.

The builder, Dermot O’Callaghan, had returned from the former Rhodesia, and this, according to the owners of number 13, explains the vast amount of light in all the houses.

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No two houses in Ardilea are the same, according to the owners, who have been here since 1971. Sketch plans were shown, and the foreman worked with all new buyers to create their ideal home.

13 Princeton, is accessed by dual entrances, and benefits from a carport which leads directly into a family livingroom. There is scope to create a further room here as the carport is covered, but with recent deluges new owners may just appreciate the opportunity to keep dry while unloading the car.

Even though the family have been here for 43 years the house is immaculate. The polished maple flooring in the halls is pristine and the only room requiring any attention is the en suite of the downstairs bedroom, which needs new tiling and a lick of paint.

Shaker-style units
A large formal living-cum-dining room, partitioned by an alcove, is bright and airy thanks to near full-height windows and patio doors leading to the private garden. It has a marble fireplace and solid oak floors.

The kitchen, despite being a few years old, seems brand new and has speckled granite countertops, cream Shaker-style units and integrated Neff appliances. The utility is the size of many kitchens in the capital with lots of storage.

A family livingroom, two separate WCs and a bedroom with en suite complete downstairs.

Upstairs are three fine bedrooms, the master of which has a spacious dressing area. As with downstairs, there is minimal wear and tear and new owners will have little to do besides move their belongings.

Next door, number 11, a three bedroom 169sq m (1,820sq ft) house was sale agreed for €950,000 in recent weeks, after being put on the market with an asking price of €1 million.

As for the current residents; they are moving just down the road to a smaller home, and have placed their 205sq m (2,207sq ft) home on the market through estate agent Savills with an asking price of €1.175 million.