The Auctioneera Property Awards 2021
We listed almost 400 properties for sale throughout the course of 2021 in various locations around Ireland; that’s a lot of real estate. As a result, we have seen plenty of desirable interiors and enviable gardens so we thought it would be a good idea to highlight some to give them the accolades they deserve. It might also serve as some inspiration for interiors or renovation work in your own home or for your own future home.
Front Door / Hallway of the Year
Built in the 1820s, fully renovated in 2007, this 3 bed end of terrace house in the St. Luke’s area of Cork city is a treasure trove of exceptional property features. We think the front door and leafy entrance itself is one of the most inviting we have seen throughout 2021. This is before you step into the hallway and feast your eyes on the gorgeous floor tiles, high ceilings and original coving… so much to love about this entrance hall.
Bathroom of the Year
If you’ve ever done research into bathroom renovations, you will know how expensive they are once you incorporate all the materials: tiles, sanitary ware, accessories… not to mention the labour. When we saw the bathroom in this 3 bed terraced house in Cabra, North Dublin, we had to include it in our bathroom of the year segment. The whole house was refurbished in 2019 and the bathroom refurb’ is simple, sleek, stylish but also functional with discreet areas for storage.
For something at the other end of the spectrum, you would have to adore the authenticity of the bathroom at 1 The Annexe in Montenotte in Cork. This 3 bed semi’ dates back to 1882 and we think the bathroom pictured here is seriously inviting! There is something dreamy about the room colour choices, the sash windows and the pedestal bath itself is just screaming out for some bubbles… The vendor here presented the room immaculately for the listing photographs and for the viewings.
We also have to mention this wonderful main bathroom in a 4 bed semi-detached house in Ballincollig, Cork. The vendor has weaved so many elements together to deliver a beautiful and distinctive bathroom. We love the wall colour, the choice of accessories, the classic floor tiles and not to mention the classiness of the converted sewing machine-sink.
Space Saving Idea of the Year
We’re torn between this very neat solution seen at our listing at 8 Fairhaven Walk in Castleknock and a 1 bed property in Dundrum in terms of what gets top vote for space saving ideas. The property in Castleknock has tidy storage drawers under the stairs and it’s done in such a tasteful way as not to impact on the overall aesthetics of the entrance hallway; on a side note, we love the discreet wall panelling in this property too.
36 Millmount in Dundrum meanwhile was a truly interesting one bed listing that utilised its smaller space exceptionally well. As seen in these images, the “false” wall on the mezzanine section as you go up the stairs hides excellent storage space; in this instance used by our vendor as book storage.
Garden of the Year
2022 really threw up a slew of gardens that we loved, for different reasons. As a result, we have broken our garden section out to showcase a number of beautiful gardens in our vendors’ properties.
Sitting on approximately .69 of an acre of land, viewing attendees to this 4 bed detached house in Drumree, Co. Meath all commented on the beautiful grounds. We love the privacy and shelter afforded by the mature trees surrounding the house and the 155 square metre Indian Sandstone courtyard to the rear of the property provides excellent options for entertaining and relaxing. Stunning!
We also felt it important to give a mention for the back garden at this 2 bed semi-detached house in Churchtown, South Dublin - it’s a big garden for a property like this one. It provides a lot of potential (for landscaping or to extend out the house itself) and we feel that it also gives a lot of privacy in a built up area… and the bench at the end of the garden looks inviting.
The Best Small Gardens
In terms of smaller gardens, we like the simplicity of the back garden at this 3 bed mid-terrace house in Marino, Dublin. It provides a lovely and crucially, a largely maintenance-free space to relax and entertain in the back garden of a house located close to Dublin’s city centre. An oasis of calm among the noise of the city.
This 3 bed mid-terrace house below in Kilmore, Dublin 5 was hugely popular from the moment we listed it on our website. The front garden is immaculate but when people got to a viewing to see the back garden, it really helped to ignite interest. It was presented beautifully by the vendor and the sunshine certainly helped but the landscaping and layout of the area is wonderful; you can also see that it really utilises every bit of space.
An honourable mention definitely has to go to the 1 bed mid-terrace house in Windy Arbour, Dundrum once again for its quirky “garden”. We compliment the fact that even in a smaller space such as this property, the vendor has created an absolutely beautiful spot populated to the maximum with greenery. It just goes to show what can be achieved even in the smallest of spaces.
Garden With a Difference
It’s so refreshing to see something a little bit different and you can certainly see the artistry come through in the garden (above) of this 2 bed duplex apartment that we listed in the latter part of 2021 in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Not only is the garden south-facing thereby enjoying long periods of natural light and sunshine but it also provides excellent privacy in a garden setting that is quite rare for apartments. Of course the eye is also really drawn to the tasteful and colourful wall art in this quirky garden.
The garden below gets a mention in our garden of the year segment as it’s not a garden you would usually associate with a 3 bed mid-terrace house. Professionally designed and landscaped in 2020, you can see how the vendor utilised the space throughout their time there. Every corner is used and showcased in order to be enjoyed…10/10!
Sometimes simplicity wins and we had to applaud the vendor here for the finish on the back garden at their listing (a 4 bed detached house) in Grange in the suburbs of Cork. The lush grass, the mature shrubs and the pristine paving slabs are just perfect and are waiting for its new owner to enjoy.
Kitchen of the Year
Choosing the “best” kitchen of 2021 out of all of our listings is pretty difficult because with almost 400 properties for sale, there were so many beauties! However, we really find it difficult to go beyond this stunning (and simple) kitchen at a 2 bed mid-terrace listed in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. From any angle it is perfect and we feel it is a lesson in maximising the space given in the room. It’s difficult not to love the dual tones used with the all-white cabinets surrounding the room giving excellent storage and paired with the eye-catching blue island with sleek hardware handles. Casual dining is available at the island itself with discreet seats stored under the unit. We applaud the clever use of, firstly the mirrored splashback and secondly the landscape mirror on the opposite wall; it gives an illusion of space in what is actually quite a small room.
This 4 bed semi-detached house in the Passage West area of Cork definitely deserves a mention owing to the amazing style and interior decór tastes of this particular vendor. Sometimes it can be a challenge to make a “semi-d” stand out from the rest but the current owners of this house showcased their property perfectly in the latter part of 2021 when we had it listed for sale. Going more than €60,000 over the guide price, 33 The Crescent has a wonderful style throughout but it’s the kitchen that we truly adore. With scatterings of IKEA and H&M Home gems (among others), our vendor has managed to create a welcoming and inviting space that includes a cosy built-in dining area utilising the space in the room perfectly. The rest of the house also is a credit to the vendor for its unimposing and cohesive style.
It is very difficult to resist an Aga range cooker and nowhere more so than in this country-style kitchen in this 6 bed detached house that we sold in Malahide in the later stages of 2021. The red Aga is a focal point in the kitchen and we love the way the kitchen also features lots of high-spec’ appliances too. The granite worktops throughout also make a fantastic finish to this kitchen that is certainly up there as one of the kitchens of 2021 in our listings.
The kitchen in this 6 bed mid-terrace house above in Blackrock, South Dublin has to be included as a contender for the best kitchen of 2021. Solid beech wood is painted in a shade of grey to add interest but it’s the beautiful granite worktop and splashback that really transforms the area. The large porcelain tiles too enrich the expanse as it flows perfectly to the dining area showcased with minimalistic pendant lights; we also compliment the vendor on the wall paint colours that match the doors and the light fittings - all these elements make the room appear even larger.
We also have to include 5 Mount Bellew Crescent in our post specifically for its sleek finish with not only porcelain floor tiles but the eye-catching granite splashback, worktop and dining table. Granite is ultra durable but also sets a very modern and sophisticated finish to this kitchen; we love how the vendor kept the cabinets in this room more minimalistic.
Utility Room of the Year
It might seem a little odd to assign a utility room an accolade but we truly believe that this 4 bed end of terrace house - 69 Grianan Fidh in Sandyford deserves to be mentioned. The vendors call it the “laundry room” and it must be so nice to close the door on all your laundry in this self-contained unit just to the side of the house.
Wardrobe of the Year
There is so much to talk about when it comes to 1 Cambridge Villas in Rathmines. A period property with 4 bedrooms dating back to 1830 (approximately) it has many beautiful and original features. One more modern addition that we really loved was the wardrobe; this walk-in situation includes glass cabinets to prevent the dreaded dust associated with many other walk-in wardrobes and we love the extra detail of the split-level stairs. We urge you to check out all the photos of this property below to wonder at its beauty!
Property of the Year with “Most Potential”
The 3 bed mid-terrace house at 12 Whitton Road in Terenure dates back to approximately 1920. The word “potential” is at times over used in the real estate industry but we feel that it is most deserving of this title. Located in a prime spot in Terenure, it also has a large back garden that includes rear laneway access; inside the house definitely needs to be upgraded but the potential is most certainly there. Many original features exist including coving and fireplaces, split-level stairs, high ceilings, to name but a few highlights. Be sure to check out the full listing under the image below.
Best Use of Natural Light
The 4 bed semi-detached house at 15 Priory Walk in Terenure was exceptionally popular for us and our vendor in 2021. The house went sale agreed late in 2021 almost €110,000 over the guide price. There is of course so much to admire about this house but this area on the ground floor really stood out for us and we feel that the vendor really chose the perfect seating area to utilise the natural light flowing in from the back garden. Can’t you just imagine yourself relaxing with your favourite book in this spot?
Best Balcony of 2021
Who wouldn’t like to be relaxing on this super sized balcony terrace (7.0 metres x 4.5 metres) overlooking Dublin City and mountains? We definitely would like to be there. This is a real asset to this 1 bed apartment that we listed in 2021; it’s located centrally in Dublin city centre and it achieved a fantastic sale price for the vendor too, going significantly over the guide price.
Best Use of Open Plan Living in 2021
Measuring at just over 70 square metres, this 2 bed end of terrace house on Cathedral Walk in Cork city is a fantastic showcase of optimal open plan living. The vendor has made their design stamp on the 1930s property with splashes of colour throughout while also integrating original features such as the fireplaces. It’s no surprise to hear then that this property went “sale agreed” almost €90,000 over the guide price.
So we’ve awarded what we believe to be the “best” in the various categories but we’d like to hear what property you think should be our property of the year for 2021. Get involved over on our social media: we’re on Instagram, Facebook so have your say.
