Check out the revamped Dublin 7 cottage on the market for €325k

Built in the 1890s, the total floor area was around 400 sq ft, about the size of a modern studio apartment where one person or, at a push, two people might live in relative comfort today.

In stark contrast, the National Archives show that in 1911, no fewer than nine people occupied No 18 Myrtle Street – porter Patrick Leir, his wife Mary, their five children and two brothers-in-law, both cobblers. How did they all fit? Where did they cook/wash/eat/sleep? The mind boggles.

In the 1990s, a rear extension increased the floor area to 495sq ft, while a recent revamp has brought the artisan cottage into the 21st century in style.

If it now looks as though it could be a contender for RTÉ’s ‘Home of the Year,’ that’s because it’s been spruced up by Wesley O’Brien, an interior designer who knows how to make the most of every inch of space.

The house is bright and airy, with lots of open-plan living areas, light décor, laminate flooring and storage to keep the rooms clutter-free.

The front door opens into a living/dining room to the front of the house. This in turn leads to a fitted kitchen with integrated appliances and a double bedroom next to that. The rear extension accommodates a bathroom, lobby and an office.

There’s a small courtyard at the back and on-street permit parking to the front, not that you’d need a car when you live so close to the city.

It’s a 10-minute walk to the Mater Hospital and a Dublin bikes station on nearby Blessington Street will have you into town in jig time. No 18 Myrtle Street is for sale at €325,000 with Felicity Fox Estate Agents.