Situated on Burdett Avenue in Sandycove, a beautifully renovated two-storey, mid-terrace house sits just moments away from the ocean. Purchased in 2007, the owners have overhauled it to capitalise on its stunning sea views. They added a glass extension to the rear of the house stretching from garden to rooftop, providing vistas over Dún Laoghaire East Pier and Sandycove Point and illuminating the front hall with sunlight.
Built around the late 1830s, this Victorian dwelling possesses an airy, contemporary feel in addition to maintaining its historic elements like multi-paned sash windows with shutters predominantly throughout the house. What sets it apart from its peers is that it is not a heritage site. Presently, Seafield, 8 Burdett Avenue, Sandycove, Co Dublin, a spacious five-bedroom, 310.3 sq m (3,340 sq ft) property with a C3 BER, is on the market for €3.5 million, listed by Lisney Sotheby’s International Realty. A distinct feature of this house is an adjoint annexe with its entry from the front garden.
It was auctioned in 2007 at the end of the Celtic Tiger era, fetching over €3 million. A grand rehabilitation process was initiated by the new proprietors after a year’s time. This involved relocating the kitchen from the basement to the first floor for better lighting, constructing a transparent balustrade cantilever staircase, and transforming a second-floor bedroom into an expansive main bedroom stretching from front to back of the house.
Seafield is distinguished by its double-fronted exterior, standing out as one of the taller residences on a road predominantly developed by the 1840s. The entrance of the house is accessible via steep granite steps that lead to a light-filled entrance hall layered with broad-plank oak. To the left, an open-concept kitchen and family room with wide-plank limed oak flooring extends from front to back. The sitting quarters feature a broad sash window with functional shutters presenting a front view, while the sleek kitchen at the rear showcases minimalistic white cupboards, a compact island with a timber top in the centre, and French doors that open to steps descending into the backyard.
The front hall of the house leads directly to the dining and drawing rooms on the right, linked by a wide arch. These rooms are bathed in sunlight, courtesy of their large sash windows, providing a contrast with the original timber flooring. The front dining room features a grand white marble fireplace with inserted tiles and a large multi-pane sash window. The adjoining drawing room at the back shares a similar tall window and houses a raised timber-style gas fireplace with a glazed front.
At the end of the hallway is a cosy, small sunroom that grants access to the back garden via a full-length sliding door, offering views over adjacent gardens towards Scotsman’s Bay.
On the first floor lies a secluded reading area, or sunroom, with frosted glass on two sides but clear on the third, revealing beautiful sea views. Moreover, there are three double bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, together with a chic family bathroom. Demarcating the front and back of the house is the principal bedroom – an amalgamation of two bedrooms – boasting a sea-facing seating area that overlooks Howth and Sandycove Point, lit up by twin windows. Future occupants have the option to add an en-suite bathroom with a view.
Down at basement level, you’ll discover a spacious living room and a fourth double bedroom, a cloakroom, and a large tiled bathroom complete with a bath, shower, and a glazed door that opens to the garden. The living room includes a built-in bookshelf, a raised log-style gas fireplace, and French doors at the end that provide access to the back of the house. The downstairs hallway hosts a handy understairs storage area.
Ascending a few steep steps from the living room’s rear brings you to a utility room. Both the front garden and this room grant access to the annex. This annexe, initially a shed or storeroom, has been converted into a suitable living space for an au pair, teenager, or as a guest room or home office. It features a ground-level kitchenette and sitting room, and a bedroom up a spiral staircase equipped with a window facing the front, a Velux skylight and shower room.
The rear garden offers ample space, showcasing ocean vistas from its paved gathering spot and boasts a synthetic turf. A gateway in the end boundary provides entry to a slender footpath originating from Ballygihen Avenue, which is just one street away from Burdett. The front garden, which has been skilfully landscaped, comfortably accommodates parking for a pair of cars.