Knocking at the front door of 16 Heytesbury Place one is greeted by the resonance of Duke – a Leonberger and family pet to the Mullan–McGuinness household.

Having the stature of a small pony and weighing 70kg, Duke is one of the reasons the family are in search of a larger property.

The couple have lived here for six years and over that time, extended and refurbished their home, which stands at 65sq m (700sq ft). Although not large, the addition of four overhead Velux windows and a vaulted ceiling in the living area adds lots of light and the impression of extra space.

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The renovations opened up what were a series of dark pokey rooms into an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area allowing for a better flow through the property.

Fresh feel

To the front of the house lie the two bedrooms, the master of which peeks out on Long Lane through plantation shutters. Light filled with a fresh feel, the addition of mirrored wardrobes cleverly gives a more spacious feel to the room.

The living area, thanks to the vaulted ceiling is bright, and features a large open fireplace as a centrepiece. This in turn leads to a high-gloss gunmetal grey kitchen by Ikea which opens out to the decked city garden through French doors.

To the rear of the garden is a substantial garage which serves as the utility and extra storage. The garden, which has herb beds and a water feature, has views to the elegant facade of Iveagh Buildings. The family are in search of a larger space in Dublin 8, and have placed their home on the market through estate agent Young's with an asking price of €475,000.