The owners of number 67 James’s Walk in Rialto transformed their two-bedroom, single-storey cottage into a one-bedroom home set out over two floors. The floor space went from 40sq m (430sq ft) to 61sq m (656sq ft), resulting in a contemporary city property directly across the road for the new children’s hospital in Dublin 8.
With the help of an architect, the owners reconfigured the layout of number 67, coming up with an open plan that was more conducive to entertaining. The floor in the livingroom was dropped so when you come in through the front door, there are steps down to the more defined living space. This lowering of the main room allows for more privacy from the street outside as the windows sit higher than the furniture. The floor is a polished concrete and there are bespoke units and built-in storage areas around the room as well as a dedicated workspace.
At the end of the room is a door into a guest bathroom and steps up to the kitchen/diningroom. The kitchen is fitted with wall and floor units with a quartz worktop and a custom-made bench for seating and storage. The bench and all the carpentry throughout the house was completed by one of the owners, who runs Billings and Brew Joinery.
Back in the hall this craftsmanship is evident again with the handmade timber staircase leading up to the landing.
It was a big decision for the owners to only go with one bedroom upstairs, but they wanted a room that felt generous in size and liked the idea of having an en suite beside it rather than having to go downstairs to the bathroom. The bedroom has built-in wardrobes and a wall-mounted column radiator. The en suite has an opaque floor-to-ceiling window and a fitted shower unit.
At the back of the house is a south-facing courtyard that is big enough for a table and chairs, and comes with an outside socket and tap. There is parking at the front of the property, with wiring for an electric car charging point.
The stylish home, with a C1 Ber, is on the market with Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €375,000.
The proximity to the new hospital would make the house an ideal option for staff who need to be close to work when construction is complete. The village of Rialto hasn’t escaped from the overall gentrification of Dublin 8, but retains its charm. The run of shops includes Ennis Butchers, two bakeries (aptly named the Bakery and La Boulangerie), a Centra shop and Amber Grill takeaway. Across the road is the Circular pub, which also hosts the Rialto Market.
The Luas red line stop is on your doorstep, but the owners usually walk into the city centre, which takes about 20 minutes.
Having bought number 67 in 2023, the owners didn’t expect to leave so quickly, but they have found another house in the area that may be more suitable for them: “We don’t really want to leave but we have family living abroad so need a bit more space for them to stay. We hope whoever buys the house will love it as much as we do.”
