Charming three bedroom city pad for €395,000

Jennifer McManus first saw No 6 Woodfield Place during an online property search when she was living in the US. She had plans to move back to Ireland and just wanted to get a feel for what was on offer. She couldn’t believe her luck when she returned home in 2009 and saw that the house was still on the market.

“I loved the house immediately and I was delighted when it was still available when I got back to Ireland,” recalls McManus.

The house was in decent condition when she took it on but that didn’t stop her improving it wherever she could.

“I didn’t do anything with the kitchen apart from repainting it,” she says. “The roof and front door were leaking however, and the gas boiler needed to be replaced and I really wanted to put my own stamp on the house.”

The work started with a full bathroom renovation where McManus took the walls back and moved the door to make the room bigger. She then moved on to the roof, where she did more than just fix the leak.

“The old part of the roof was in its original state with just slate on the rafters,” she recalls. “The roofers were fantastic. They put a breathable membrane under the tiles and from then on the roof was insulated. It was then fully re-tiled with the original Bangor blue slates put back on the front. Finally, the chimney was repointed.”

The front door was letting all the heat out and some of the rain in, so it was replaced with a new composite door. A new gas boiler was installed which, along with the extra insulation, helped to bring the BER rating for the property up to a C2.

McManus also redecorated throughout using a combination of Colourtrend and Farrow and Ball paints. One of her favourite additions to the property is the internal shutters on all the windows at the front.

The layout of this mid-terrace redbrick makes the most of its 975 sq ft. The front door opens straight into the living room, which is designed with the engineered oak floors complemented by the walls that are painted in Farrow and Ball’s Parma Gray. There are handmade shelves in the alcove and the original Victorian cast iron fireplace.

Beyond this in the centre of the house is a utility room on one side and the staircase to the upper floor on the other. The L-shaped kitchen is at the back of the house. It is fitted with white units and oak worktops, that contrast well with the dark slate floor tiles. There is plenty of additional storage with extra floor-to-ceiling units on the other side of the room.

Double doors lead out to the east-facing back yard. It’s stone-flagged with raised railway sleepers and flowerbeds. McManus put a bit of work into the garden when she moved in and has created a lovely spot for a morning coffee.

“I replanted it all and took out some of the English ivy that was growing and hard to maintain,” she says. “I replaced it with Boston ivy which is easier to take care of and is more interesting because it changes colours throughout the year.”

Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The master bedroom is at the front of the house and measures 13ft x 10ft. It feels bigger however because the space isn’t taken up with wardrobes and storage, thanks to the walk-in wardrobe down the hall, which McManus admits is one of her favourite things in the house.

The second bedroom is large enough to fit a double bed and a wardrobe. The third is much tighter and currently being used as a home office and is a bright room at the back of the house.

This city pad has served McManus well over the last 10 years. As a young professional, being so close to everything has been a real bonus.

“I have fantastic neighbours,” she boasts. “And the city centre is so close that you really don’t need a car. There is a regular bus service and the shops are within walking distance, with War Memorial Gardens, Kilmainham Gaol and Imma, just around the corner.” The Luas meantime, is half a kilometre away. This area is a history buff’s dream. The memorial gardens are a 10-minute walk away and one of the most well-known in Europe. They are dedicated to the memory of 49,400 Irish soldiers who died in the 1914-1918 war. All of their names are contained beautifully illustrated Harry Clarke manuscripts in the granite book rooms in the gardens.

Ten minutes in the other direction is Kilmainham Gaol. Built in 1796, the former prison housed those who fought against British occupation for more than 100 years and was also the place of execution for many of them. Its tours are always at the top of Dublin’s attractions.

McManus is selling up now because she’s moving to the UK for work purposes. She’ll miss the house terribly though. “In the morning the kitchen is flooded with light and it’s a lovely room to be in. In the evening, the sun moves to the front of the house and then the living room and front bedroom are really cosy spaces.”

6 Woodfield Place Inchicore, Dublin 8

Asking price: €395,000

Agent: Brock De Lappe (01) 633 4446

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