At first glance, 53 Orwell Park might seem like many of its neighbours on this prestigious Rathgar road – a period pile – but on closer inspection it is anything but. Built by Walthill developments in 2006, the owners bought it in 2007 as a shell, then proceeded to fit it out to a high-end standard.
The result is a show-stopping property, with no expense spared on the lavish interior. Laid out over three floors, it has a vast area of 478sq m (5,145sq ft) and is a beautifully appointed home, with impressive two-storey double bays flanking the red double front door.
The hall is floored in crema marfil tiling, lit by chandeliers, and a discreet panel lying at the bottom of the stairs gives the first hint of this incredibly high-tech and high-spec home. The tiny touchscreen controls the temperature of every room in the house, the inbuilt stereo system and, crucially, the top-flight security system. The Ber is B3.
To the right of the hall lies the first of the four reception rooms; there are two livingrooms, one of which features an impressive fireplace and custom-built library units. There’s a dedicated communications room off the kitchen where all the security features can be monitored, behind which is the guest WC.
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To the left of the hall is a drawingroom, grand and sweeping, with a marble fireplace. The ceilings on the ground floor are 14ft high, with ceiling roses and coving adding to the period look of the property. A diningroom in a dark, moody blue opens from the drawingroom and connects both to the conservatory and the kitchen with glazed double doors.
The number of doors connecting the rooms is dizzying and created quite the challenge when fitting the custom-built Clive Christian kitchen, as it opened on to the hall, the diningroom, the conservatory and a further family room to the back of the house that overlooks the garden.
There’s double of everything in the kitchen, with twin Liebherr fridge-freezers divided by a pull-out pantry, two ovens, two dishwashers, a double sink and set into the island, topped with solid oak countertop, a cooking station with inset steamer, deep fryer and wok burner. For any Clive Christian aficionados, the Edwardian-style lights over the island and the barstools around it are included in the sale.
The garden has three seating areas, a carefully curated collection of plants and trees, and a separate garage and car port, wired, insulated and plumbed that could be converted to a home office or gym. There’s plenty of parking here for cars, and an EV charging point.
On the first floor are four opulent bedrooms, all en suite, plus a laundry room. The principal bedroom comes equipped with facial-recognition software and air-conditioning. A custom-built Clive Christian four-poster bed with integrated television at its ornate carved base forms the centrepiece of this room. A dressing suite is similarly kitted out with bespoke units; the twin windows here are frosted for privacy. A large en suite lies on the far side of the bedroom, with a Jacuzzi bath, TV and a sauna.
On the second floor is a fifth bedroom with en suite and its own steam room as well as a cinema room with a huge TV and fitted shelves. Overall, it’s an extravagant home in turnkey condition – the owners recently repainted and recarpeted the entire house – located close to Alexandra College, Muckross Park, Gonzaga and Sandford Park.
53 Orwell Park, a 15-minute walk to the Milltown Luas and a similar stroll to Ranelagh, is on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €3.975 million.
