When it was last on the market in 2018, 7 Madison Road in Kilmainham, which sold for €605,000 in 2019 according to the Property Price Register, had a Ber of E2. By insulating both attics and converting one to a room with Velux windows and shower – accessed by a proper staircase to replace a Stira – the rating has risen to a much improved C3.
The 133 sq m (1432 sq ft) house which has upsized somewhat from its 113 sq m (1,250 sq ft) since 2018 (with the new space at attic level) dates from 1904, and also originally had six open fireplaces which may have contributed to its lower Ber rating.
The couple who have lived here for the past five years gave the two reception rooms to the front a makeover with a new lick of paint.
Farrow and Ball’s shade Downpipe was used in the front room, while a muted shade of this colour was used in what would have been the formal diningroom – now used as a playroom for the couple’s two young sons.
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Interestingly enough, this is where their bicycles also hang. Purchased online from Latvia, the 3D-printed special hook/stands have a mechanism where wheels sit on a platform while the handlebars are kept firmly in place. This allows the front hallway to be clutter-free.
More storage was added in the now converted attic, where an exposed brick wall adds interest. It is currently used as a fourth bedroom and would also work as a great home office and it’s very bright thanks to Velux overhead.
Downstairs, the kitchen and dining area – with two walls of timber-framed floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a sandstone patio – remain the same as they were when the property was last purchased in 2018.
Upstairs are three bedrooms, one single and two doubles, the principal of which runs the full width of the house and has two sash windows and an open fireplace.
Its turnkey condition and location will be the real selling points and what the owners will miss most.
“I really will miss the neighbours and the whole neighbourhood really. If I could transport the house to a place with a bigger garden I would,” says the owner. But with two children they are in search of a larger garden and have placed their home on the market through DNG, seeking €745,000.
Its convenient location is less than 10 minutes’ walk to Heuston Station, while the Luas is on the doorstep and it is also a stroll to town and a plethora of local cafes and eateries.
