The air is rarified on St John’s Road. Discreet blocks of apartments share the tree-lined space with Edwardian terraces, and even a trade office for the embassy of Poland is located at number 4 The Vicarage.
The Church of St John the Evangelist, built in 1850 in the form of a replica 13th-century Norman church, is the biggest landmark on the street which once formed part of the estate of the Earl of Pembroke. A pew is still reserved in the church for the earl.
Number 19 is on the north side of the street and backs onto a vehicular lane and the gym and swimming pool of West Wood Club.
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This bay-windowed property has handsome period features, starting with the leaded glass panels in its front door. The hall is painted a soft yellow called Brimblecombe by Irish paintmaker Colortrend, and matte stained floorboards cover the entire ground floor.
In the two reception rooms the owner has successfully mixed good brown furniture with mid-century modern leather seats and lighting. The walls are filled with artworks. The walls here are washed in another Colortrend shade, Nude Bisque.
The colour and furnishings combination is far more nuanced than it appears in the pictures, and their combination creates a comfortable club feel.
Cast-iron insets
The livingroom to the front interconnects via a panel of fold-back doors to what would have been the diningroom but is now arranged as a second sittingroom. The rooms have matching fire surrounds with cast-iron insets and what look to be the original inset tiles.
Double doors lead through to the kitchen, which can also be accessed from the hall. Pocket doors could be a consideration here to minimise the amount of floor space taken up by the various access options.
The kitchen spans the width of the house and, while charming, doesn’t offer the open-plan living space that many family buyers in this market want. It does have a pretty cornflower-blue electric Aga, an exposed brick wall with electric fire and space for a dining table, making it immediately liveable if an extension had to be held off on for a few years.
The garden, while north-facing, is sizeable and extends to 100ft. It isn’t overlooked and will get evening sun.
Rear access
There is vehicular rear access, and the neighbours on both sides have built a garden room which could function as a home office, yoga studio or possibly – subject to planning – a small two-storey space for a family member.
There are two bathrooms on the return; the family bathroom has a rainwater shower head in its blue clawfoot bath, and a second wet room will prove valuable when there are several bodies to get out the door in the morning.
The property has three bedrooms: two good-sized doubles, each with a charming art nouveau cast-iron fireplace, and a large single, big enough for a small double, currently used as a small office.
The property came to market in 2017 then seeking €1.15million. Measuring 124sq m (1,340sq ft), it is now asking €1.09million through Bennetts Auctioneers.
