Row with the flow

BUNGALOWS don’t normally have much in common with burial tombs!

But sometimes, the long, narrow and dark hallways common in Irish bungalows would put you in mind of Newgrange, with just a seasonal shaft of natural light to be found at the end of these domestic passage tunnels.

Getting light into dead-end, central hallways with rooms off to either side is a difficult problem, but one the owner of this once basic and traditional home tackled with relish.

Working in the visual arts, she was keenly aware of the benefits of natural light, and metaphorically moved heaven and hearth, but in reality just moved walls, to get to the light.

She put a skylight in over part of the hall, breaking up into the roof to channel light down (another option would have been to use the reflective conduit known commercially here in Ireland under the brand name Skytube.)

And, she put in glass blocks in masonic abundance, with a curved glass wall leading into the hall, another into a bathroom and another into a bedroom to literally go with the light flow.

She even put in glass blocks as a backdrop to her large shower, and these blocks form an external wall, right by the main entrance door.

For privacy, a friend working in the National Sculpture Factory sandblasted the blocks for her, a more cost-effective measure she reckons than buying them ready sand-blasted.

Will the fad for glass blocks, in vogue again since the mid-1990s, date this home in a few years time, Examiner Property wanted to know.

“They still look good in the Long Valley bar where they’ve been for decades,” came the owner’s astute reply, adding “they’re a great feature when they are used for a practical end”.

This now-stylish home Riversdale is on the market with estate agent Noelle Morrison, who gives it a price guide of €320,000, reflecting both the work done to it and the location, just six miles upriver of Cork city.

Its address is Inniscarra, overlooking the Powdermills weir, and Ballincollig Regional Park and town across the river Lee.

The bungalow, brick-built, is probably about 25-years-old, but has a much smarter appearance inside and out following its makeover, which was completed about 18 months ago.

Instead of the expected grey or pink brick these houses usually have, it has a crisp white exterior, with a smart solid wood front, and to the back there’s a new deck outside the living area, south-facing overlooking the river, with teak double doors for access, and the main bedroom also has French doors to the garden.

The number of rooms has been reduced from four bedrooms to create larger, more comfortable spaces: the accommodation now includes three decent sized bedrooms, a 23’ by 14’ living room, plus a kitchen/dining room with dark blue painted units and funky main bathroom.

It is probably not much more than 1,100 sq ft, and is on a site of one third of an acre which doesn’t stretch all the way down to the river: in any case, the land in front is lower and prone to flooding, and won’t be built on, so it forms a foreground to the view that doesn’t need upkeep by this house’s new owner.

Estate agent Noelle Morrison’s sales brochure says the house offers “the tranquility of the countryside, without a long drive from the city,” and this will give it an additional appeal to those who have to earn their crust in the city.

It is as close as Ballincollig, but without the suburban traffic hassles, and Blarney is almost as close for services such as schools, shops, etc.

The interior is finished out well, with lots of recessed lighting instead of central lights, the aforementioned hall is open, with lots of storage space and oak floors, and the main living area, with simple a open fireplace, has an oak floor.

The bathroom is individual and bright, with extra large walk-in shower area, tiled floor, and glass block back wall (sandblasted, but you’ll still feel exposed: expect your friends outside doing Hitchcock/Psycho impressions) and has a step-up, luxurious looking corner bath and tiling most of the way up the walls.

Getting home won’t have you up the walls, it’s about two minutes from the Angler’s Rest pub and Lee Road junction.

It has oil heating and was rewired, replastered and re-plumbed. The vendor also planted the gardens using a low-maintenance scheme. The drive is cobble-style pavers, fringed with wood sleepers.