Humble cottage gets a makeover

Rose Martin finds an imaginative high cottage extension, one sure to become a design staple.

The new build is fresh and clean and links to the old house at an oblique angle, which also makes the most of the aspect

THE country is littered with cottages — big small and in-between and there is great visual amusement to be had in logging the various personal approaches to restyling originals.

In the case of the high cottage, (one of the older forms and built in the late 19th century in semi-detached and detached types), the two-up/ two-down layout rarely prevails.

There’s usually an extension or two tacked on to the side or back, but in the boom, and in particular in coastal locations, the extensions of high cottages became elaborate makeovers. And, in a lot of cases, quite beautiful.

This humble staple of the agricultural workers, (now long gone), presents all over the country in a number of garbs; there’s the glittering dash variety, the Upvc-skinned type, the seaside home with Mediterranean paint job and the rundown and/or unreconstructed original.

And it’s the latter that attracted a young couple in Co Cork when they were house-hunting in the height of the boom.

The Aghabullogue property was an unreconstructed cottage on a good site, in the rural hinterland west of Cork city. It was attractive, but also affordable and offered one half of the couple the chance to hone his architectural skills.

Just returned from abroad and newly married, (the couple met in New Zealand), they turned their attention to re-energising the old cottage — and set about plans for an extension. The also managed to get married and put down permanent roots in this quiet area of mid-Cork.

The economy was in a fever of activity at the time and the signs were good for an architect and an international flight attendant. Now, however, with the project completed and the downturn in both their industries, they are about to emigrate to South American, from whence one half of the couple hails.

However, they’re leaving behind one of the more imaginative interpretations of a high cottage extension — and one that’s so simple, so modern that it’s sure to become a design staple.

Initially, the couple moved into the old house and began tipping away at the renovations, while getting the feel of the place before building.

And to an extent, they thought inside the box for the new build — the major feature is a connecting ‘tower’ that’s an original way to create a connect between old and new — and it creates an impressive, double-height entrance hallway.

The designer says his period in New Zealand helped to turn his thinking when it came to vernacular Irish buildings. And so it would appear. In terms of the accepted approach, the new build is fresh and clean and links to the old house at an oblique angle, which also makes the most of the aspect.

Two-storey and timber-framed, the double-height space is finished externally and internally with dark stained pine wood.

In the exterior, it’s used in a ship-lap cladding and inside, great chunks of pine beams sit on concrete form work to create a distinctive stairs ending in a gallery bridge overhead.

This links old and new again, but on the upper floor, while allowing light from the roof all the way down. And roof levels have been tweaked to give greater height in the new wing with the result that floor levels change backwards and forwards, but it adds dynamism to the design.

The ground floor of the tower is a large circulation space with a guest bathroom tucked away in one corner and access to the old cottage and new extension at either side.

The old house is now drylined and opened up with only the old stone fireplace standing in what would have been two small rooms. An older extension has been retained and provides a ground-floor guest bedroom with adjoining bathroom.

This is not only ideal for guests, but could revert to a self-contained apartment, if needed.

Across the foyer is the main kitchen/living/dining room — a big, south-facing space with only a rise in floor level delineating the work from rest areas.

The kitchen is a modern standard: cream high-gloss units with dark wood worktop while underfloor heating warms the tiled floor.

In the upper level, where the dining and living areas are defined more by furniture, flooring is dark walnut and it runs to join the level of the square, walled deck outside.

Light comes through wide, almost floor to ceiling windows and at the south-western end, a large bay window has doors opening outwards.

Trimmed by a low level wall in rendered block, the deck has a simple but effective finish that creates a sense of enclosure and makes the outdoor area feel part of the house.

The windows, in black externally to blend with the new roof on both parts of the house, are complemented here by the dark wood box bay which extends upwards to form a balcony off the master bedroom.

There’s quite a bit of space in this house and it’s a fine, family home that won’t need the kid glove treatment.

The upper level has three bedrooms — the smaller bedrooms of the old house have been knocked into one big space, with the original beams showing and bisected by the old fireplace, which could have any number of uses.

The new wing has a smaller child’s room, with adjoining main bathroom, in crisp white and black finish, and a huge master bedroom with en suite bathroom.

The Clonmoyle West property is on the market with John O’Mahony of Property Partners O’Mahony Walsh for offers in excess €300,000.

Verdict: This is a rural house, but one which is 20 minutes’ drive to Ballincollig, so will suit those looking for fresh air and accessibility.