It’s difficult to know which entrance into 26 Leeson Park is the more impressive. One option is to go up the short flight of granite steps and through the stately front door, and the other is through the gate in the stone wall at garden level and stepping into the Victorian courtyard where charming French doors take you inside.
The entrance you take also dictates the mood that meets you, with the formal rooms at hall level and the more casual living spaces down below. The magnificent period features on all levels, such as the cornicing, centre roses and fireplaces, still have pride of place, but it’s clear from the outset that modern living has been introduced in the most subtle way.
The property was stripped right back when the current owners bought it in 2007. It was remodelled and refurbished under the supervision of Hilda Cullivan of Henry J Lyons Architecture and Interiors.
All the hard work has been done to a high standard, so new owners will be able to move in to number 26 Leeson Park, which has just come on to the market with agent Colliers with an asking price of €4.95 million, and immediately enjoy the privilege.
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The main aim behind the renovation was to maximise the 389sq m (4,188sq ft) of floor space and make it work as a family home, while also carefully retaining the Victorian features that date from the 1850s.
When you enter at garden level, there is a wide hallway with the original curved staircase at the centre. To the right are two interconnecting family rooms that run into the kitchen at the back. This southwest-facing room is flooded with light and is fitted with English-style units with a warm granite worktop. There is a six-ring Aga and Gaggenau appliances that include a built-in wine cooler and an espresso coffee machine. At the back of the kitchen there is a Hamptons-style breakfastroom with a glazed roof and French doors out to the 60ft-long garden.
Upstairs, on hall level, is a cloakroom and guest powder room. To the right are the two reception rooms with cornicing so intricate it acts as a piece of art, with the eye constantly drawn back to it. While these rooms are more formal, they are not fussy or precious. They both have original marble fireplaces and traditional pitched pine floorboards.
Two of the five bedrooms are on returns. One of these is has a large en suite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, making it the ideal guest room as it is away from the other bedrooms.
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On the first floor there is a trio of arches with a neat little study under one at the back of the house. The main bedroom overlooks the rear garden and has an original fireplace and steps up to an en suite that would remind you of a luxury Roman hotel. There are two more bedrooms at this level and the family bathroom.
There are unique touches throughout such as the wall paintings in the cloakroom and bathrooms that were drawn by artist Christopher Moore. The gardens were designed by landscape architect David Koning, with the rear garden set out around a charming stone and slate roofed potting shed that now houses all the noisy equipment that keeps the Ber-exempt property running.
The mix of the setting and the tasteful interior design have resulted in a serene atmosphere in the house, which is just a 15-minute walk from St Stephen’s Green in Dublin city centre. The road is surprisingly quiet, with the mature trees to front and back shielding number 26 from the outside world.
Leeson Park is a very convenient residential street with the city on the doorstep in one direction and Ranelagh village in the other. There are several primary and secondary schools in the area including Sandford Parish and Park, Gonzaga, Loreto and CUS.
