Following in the US style of living

NOBODY builds small houses any more in west Cork —big is now the new standard, very much the US super-size me sort of way.

And there’s an Americas link with Shawmut Lodge, a modern home near Baltimore.

It was built by a family living in the US who had local land-owning roots.

Shawmut Lodge is a 2,500 sq ft timber-frame home at Ardagh, between Baltimore and the marine lake and preserved habitat Lough Hyne. Built in 2000, it is on a half-acre of smartly-kept grounds in a quiet rural setting, within a 10-minute drive of Baltimore or Skibbereen.

The property carries a €750,000 price guide with Caroline Maslin of Sherry FitzGerald O’Neill in Skibbereen, who raves about its finishes and says additional land is available.

It is a four-bed detached home, done to a Georgian design template and with a nice sense of balance and proportion.

In a rural setting, with hill rather than sea views, it has four bedrooms, three of which are en suite, but the attic was constructed to take two more bedrooms for those that want to go even larger.

This level has been floored, with space allowed in the roof for skylight windows.

Main ground floor accommodation includes a living room with bay window, formal dining room with double doors to a decked patio, a kitchen/dining space with island, maple units, granite worktops and bay window, utility, study and sun room with southerly aspect.

When the sun doesn’t shine, warmth comes courtesy of oil central heating, and there’s a detached double garage.

Floors in the house are either American oak or carpeted, the kitchen is tiled and decor levels are extremely good, while the overall feel is one of brightness. Caroline Maslin says it more than fits the clichéd phrase ‘turnkey’ condition or the other hackeneyed ‘just move in and hang up your hat’.

If any house hunters still wear hats, they might doff them to Shawmut Lodge.