When the owners of 18 Kenilworth Square, Rathgar bought the 427.4sq m (4,600sq ft) early Victorian house they were downsizing from an even bigger house and wanted large rooms for their furniture, period features, including high ceilings, and grand proportions, and the scope to make alterations to suit their needs at the time. That was in 2002 and after buying 18 Kenilworth Square they set about a major programme of renovation of the protected structure, repairing cornice work and replacing an ugly fire escape at the back with an attractive reclaimed cast-iron terrace and exterior staircase. Their needs required the installation of a lift to provide access from the garden level up to the hall level and it is neatly tucked away at hall level in what was a butler’s cloakroom.

They also changed the layout. The previous owners had the kitchen at hall level in a large room at the back of the house. The kitchen has now been relocated downstairs where it would originally have been and the hall-level room is now what it would have been – a formal diningroom.

Double bedrooms

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Upstairs the layout was changed so that there are now four large double bedrooms, two with en suites, as well as a shower room and a full bathroom. There is another room at garden level which was also used for a time as a bedroom and it also has an en suite.

The owners are downsizing again and 18 Kenilworth Square is for sale by Sherry FitzGerald for €2,595,000.

Kenilworth Square was built in stages by different builders and the developer of this terrace in the 1860s built number 18 for himself so it is grander in terms of scale and detailing than its neighbours. At one time it would have had stables at the rear, hence the double entrance gates to the side of the house – the stables were sold long ago for a mews.

Gracious drawingrooms

Up a flight of granite steps, the entrance hall to the side still has its original encaustic floor tiles and its front door with ornate wrought iron ventilation grilles. This outer hall opens into an inner hall off which are three, grand principal reception rooms – the two gracious drawingrooms on the right which interconnect, and one room on the left which is the formal diningroom. The idea behind the design of the newly relocated kitchen downstairs was that it should look as though it was always there so the bespoke units include freestanding painted timber cupboards while the original iron range has been left in place .

Also at garden level – where the ceilings are a good height – is a large family room to the front, a room to the back now used as a home office but previously as an en-suite bedroom and several other smaller rooms, including a shower room, a walk-in pantry and a wine cellar.

In terms of outdoor space there is the first-floor terrace with room for a table and chairs and which is accessed from the first-floor hall as well as the diningroom. The northfacing back garden is well planted and mature with paved patio areas as well as lawn. To the front, which is gravelled, there is off-street parking for several cars.