Location, Location

Given the opportunity to buy a home in their ideal location, Derek and Cliona embarked on a renovation and lengthy extension to create their perfect family home.

Built in 1939, this semi-detached house in Ballinteer originally had three bedrooms, two upstairs and one downstairs, a living room, a small galley kitchen and a bathroom. Cliona and Derek have five children, Saorise, 13, Fiadh, 11, Donnacha, nine, Senan, seven and Séimi, five. They could see the potential the house had to create more space, in particular a functional kitchen, dining, living space. They were set on a mission to quadruple the size of this house, and have created a spacious home for their family, with four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large playroom, a TV room, a utility room and a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. ‘We have squeezed the most out of every square metre and all of the house now has a purpose, so it’s perfect for a family of seven,’ says Cliona.

Read more in the November issue…