L-shaped rooms are last word in style

Tommy Barker says the use of Italian craftsmen reflects the care with which this West Cork farmhouse has been renovated.

Homes like this large L-shaped dwelling don’t get built every day - and locations like this don’t get planning permissions granted any more.

Built practically on a skyline ridge 400’ above sea level, there’s an unparalleled sweep of sea, beach and rugged coastline views from this West Cork farmhouse - massively extended and cleverly updated. Bought as a derelict ruin and cluster of small dwelling and cow sheds five years ago by a family returned to these shores from Italy, it has been given a remarkably confident and costly make-over.

Case in point? The huge roof beams of Douglas Fir in the cathedral-like living room ceiling are a spectacle, miraculously cut and fitted by hand by six Italian craftsmen flown over specially to do the work. They left a job in northern Italy as a favour to the client, breaking their project at the time which was recreating an exact facsimile of St Francis of Assisi’s private chapel for a mega-wealthy Italian businessman. (They worked through the wettest November/December in years, and are unlikely to ever come back to do an Irish job!)

This house was probably unusual from day one, for the mid-1800s period, by being built in a hill-top setting, and though it has a southerly aspect the original dwelling was built in the lee of its old stone sheds for shelter. To get the precious views which were so tantalisingly close, the new owners cleverly devised a way of extending the house through the original yard’s existing courtyard layout: the result is a linked L-building complex that respects its roots, doesn’t impose on the skyline and which opens up the views for occupants.

That vista includes the sweep of prosperous farmland running a mile and more to the Red Strand, to Ardfield village to the east, out to the Galley Head lighthouse, and westerly towards Long Strand, Kilkern Lake and on towards Rosscarbery to the rear of the property and over the other side of the hill.

The original stone from the sheds was re-integrated into the new house when it was being built, and building materials throughout are natural: they include stone, slate roof, lime renders and colour washes, wood windows, copper guttering and drain pipes, tiled and timber floors, and underfloor heating is a real feature of the finished property which runs to about 2,500 sq ft of space.

Selling agent is Henry O’Leary Property Partners in Clonakilty, who sold the original three-quarter acre site to the owners five years ago - and who admits there’s no comparison between what was there then and what’s on offer now. Only the opened-up view is the same, and it will be one of the big selling points at this property once more.

He confidently guides the unique property at €630,000-plus, and says the demand for quality houses and locations in West Cork is very strong at the moment. He sold the late rock musician Noel Redding’s period Dunowen House three miles away recently for about €1 million, and a Glengarriff property Villa Astrid went at just under €1 million within four weeks of hitting the market and these pages.

“The UK-based buying market seems very strong right now, but having said that, if an Irish buyer wants something, nobody will stand in their way,” he says of this spot about five miles from Clonakilty. The main living areas here are all in the new portion, with a large lounge with open fireplace integrating an Italian hearth with overhead beam salvaged from the original inglenook fireplace.

There’s an overhead gallery/mezzanine, with bedroom off it, and the other wing of the house has three more bedrooms, one of which is a superb master suite.

This master bedroom suite takes up virtually all of the original farm house, with double height ceiling and overhead balcony with study off it. It has a large bathroom with raised Jacuzzi bath, there’s a lobby, plus walk-in wardrobe.

Each of the two other high ceilinged bedroom have the same high quality joinery and steep ladders to small loft eyeries, used as children’s den areas. The kitchen is in a modern country style, with slate floor, oil fired Rayburn, brick-faced unit with ash worktops made by highly-regarded woodwork Nick Smith who lives nearby.

Off the kitchen, by the entrance porch, is a very practical and large utility, and the house extension at this end finishes just beyond the kitchen with a sun-trap sun-room which has the very best views of all and shows the wisdom of the comprehensive extension route.

This house has its back to the road and the complex of new and old buildings gives it a wholly-private courtyard, with extra screening thank to a recently completed double garage.

The original mature boundaries have been planted with a ‘stock-proof’ blackthorn and whitethorn hedge/fence, which provides spectacular blooms in May and is decidedly in keeping with the natural and organic theme of the entire property.