“People say ‘Tardis’ a lot when they walk in here,” says the owner of 21 Corrig Park, which – from the front at least – looks like a typical 1920s semi. “It was run down, not very well laid out, damp and cold, poorly insulated . . .” So what attracted him to it? “I liked the location, the façade, and the potential. And from the pitch of the roof, I saw I could get another room in upstairs.”
Since then, both the house, and the owner’s life have changed radically. He got married, and now, with three children in the family, they’re looking for something larger.
Designed with Tony Reddy Architects, the extension and refit of the house achieved one of the highest airtight ratings (A3) in the country when it was completed in 2010. "It's always T-shirt weather inside," says the owner. A heat-recovery ventilation system prevents it getting stuffy.
Other positives include an integrated communications system and gated off-street parking at the front. All that remains of the original house is the façade, with its distinctive Art Deco portico. Once inside, you get a generous hall, with a good-sized double bedroom on either side, and an open-plan kitchen, flowing through to the livingroom and out to the deck area at the rear.
Despite the extension, it remains spacious outside, and it’s a secluded sun trap in summer. The kitchen is by Kube and has a large island unit, which doubles up as a breakfast bar and cooking area with its integrated five-burner gas hob.
Up the stairs, which are deliberately wide to keep the feeling of space, the master bedroom is ensuite with plenty of storage. The clever design means no space is wasted – a Narnia-style door in the back of one of the built-in wardrobes, for example, leads to wrap-around extra storage under the eaves.
The location of this 139sq m (1,500sq ft) house is great for a young family, Corrig Park is a quiet cul de sac, within walking distance of Monkstown, Sandycove and Dún Laoghaire. The house is for sale through Hunters, guiding at €745,000, with an open view this Saturday from 11am to noon.
