Quality first in family home

Tommy Barker reports on a prime property in city’s western suburbs.

THE hand and the eye of a couple into simple, sleek modern design and easy living is evident at this family home up for sale at Ardrostig, on the edge of Cork city at Bishopstown’s western extremity.

A hard house to get a grip on from the outside (and not only because it is so private, and with electronic access gates), it is a place where attention has been paid to the smallest detail and quality of materials - hence its €675,000 price guide with Peter Skuse of Cahalane Skuse.

But, once even a few viewers get past the new limestone steps and cedar front doors and sample the interior finishes and feel, bidding is likely to push comfortably past this level in any case.

There’s not too many trading-up options so close to colleges and hospitals in Cork’s western suburbs, and even fewer for those keen for a crisp contemporary home that doesn’t need another penny spent on it.

Location is just past Bishopstown, across the road from Maher’s Lane, and this bungalow with quiet attitude is on a former section of the old Bandon Road, which puts it parallel to the main road to West Cork just before the Viaduct.

A 2,000 sq ft home, on a mature site of less than a quarter of an acre, it has four bedrooms, with two large en suite bedrooms at opposing ends of the house, and very good and bright living space in between.

There’s almost a touch of the quality hotel suite or penthouse apartment about the house, with oak doors, oak skirting and architraves throughout, with quality tall built-ins (the ceiling heights have a few extra inches on the norm,) good bathrooms and brushed steel light switches and sockets.

The original house here was 20-plus years of age, and the vendors knocked considerable portions and extensively re-built back in 1999/2000, under the guidance of architect and designer Odette Kearney. Windows are contemporary, large and deep shapes in grey coloured aluminium from Classic Windows, with fascias painted battleship grey to match.

There’s access to a sun-trap back garden and deck from the 23’ by 13’ living room, which has an oak fire surround and black marble inset, and the 18’ by 12’ master bedroom also has patio/garden access, a walk-in closet and large shower in the en suite.

The even-larger stepped kitchen/dining room has a pitched ceiling, granite-topped island, units made by cabinet maker Hans Leptien and no less than 30 snugly fitted ceiling spotlights. Worktops are beech with inset steel trivets for pans.

In fact, there’s hardly a central pendant light in the house, spots abound throughout, and glazing sections cleverly inserted into roof pitches and ridges channel and flood light into the core areas.

The family room off the dining space has a cast iron stove, and the rest of the heating is zoned, oil-fired and under-floor for continuity of clean, uncluttered lines.

Outside, the garden is deliberately low-maintenance and easy to keep, with simple eye-catching features like circular opes in a curved wall and tall timber rectangles made up to frame view of the green-belted fields behind.

“It is going to appeal to someone looking for something a bit different,” says Peter Skuse: he may well be pleasantly surprised at just how many buyers now fit into that category.