A small mid-terrace house close to Bray town centre has been cleverly revamped and extended since its owners bought it in 2004.

Built in 1929, 12 Rathmore Terrace has a very smart modern kitchen, a three-tier garden at the back and from the front, views of Bray Head and the Sugar Loaf. Now the 80sq m (861sq ft) three-bed is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €395,000.

Steps (and ramps) at each end lead up to the ivy-clad railed terrace of houses on the Upper Dargle Road, each with its own flowerbed in front.

Inside, décor is simple and neutral, maximising a sense of space: most walls are painted pale grey. The long living room has a polished walnut floor, a large open fireplace with a stone mantelpiece and fitted bookshelves. One of the house’s original doors in the living room opens into understairs storage.

Two sliding doors open into the kitchen, which is floored with pale porcelain tiles and fitted with pale grey units in which pretty much everything, including extra counter space, is concealed.

Made by Hafele in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, it's minimal chic: the countertops are pale quartz and integrated units include the fridge, oven, dishwasher and pantry. There's a large glazed atrium over the dining space at the end of the kitchen, and a striking yellow canvas that looks like a piece of art but is actually an acoustic panel to minimise sound.

The second sliding door from the living room opens into a short, bright corridor off which is the partly-tiled family bathroom, which has a walk-in shower.

The steeply-tiered back garden is a surprise: steps from a patio and small lawn lead up to another lawn area with built-in seating and a glass balcony and more steps lead up to a children’s play area. At the very top is a raised flowerbed.

Storage units on two levels are made from upcycled wood, and there’s even a built-in understairs doghouse. There’s lots of greenery at the very rear of the garden, which backs onto a school.

Upstairs are three bedrooms, a single, a small double and a larger double, the main bedroom. All have wooden floors painted white. The main bedroom at the front of the house has good views over houses between the terrace and the Dargle River, towards Bray Head.

There is no parking with Rathmore Terrace: the owner says she has no problems parking on the surprisingly quiet Upper Dargle Road.

Two other houses are currently for sale on Rathmore Terrace, one for €345,000, and an end-of-terrace for €450,000.