Something old, something new at spacious Monaville

THE famous Ford boxes were the subject of much interest at the Des/Ire conference in Cork last week.

Dutch artists, Bik Van de Pol showed slides of these familiar summer shacks and immediately elevated the south coast dachas to peasant art status.

Not in time, however, to save a 400 square foot version on Crosshaven’s Point Road.

The new 2,700 square foot dwelling that has replaced the Ford box bungalow pays homage in name only — it’s called Monaville. And it sits its quite significant frame neatly into the rock-faced niche of this cul-de-sac road.

A favourite of strollers, it dead ends at Camden Fort and has some great and small homes along it’s waterside way.

And there are a couple of cool, mono-pitch newcomers in the bunch, but Monaville blends the old with the new. The stone facade and slate roof being a case in point, and while it uses a traditional finish inside, (pine spindles and stairs, plus fireplace), it has a modern approach in layout.

So you get upside-down accommodation with three bedrooms on the shadier, ground floor and a big, open living space overhead. This is semi-partitioned with the kitchen at one end and a dining room or smaller living room at the other. In between is the main living room with floor-to-ceiling windows and balcony. This entire space is 38’ by 20’ and includes a cherry wood kitchen and rough pine and cast iron fireplace. There are windows to the back and front, combining French and patio doors and two corner windows giving superb views over Crosshaven harbour.

Overhead, there’s a master suite with bathroom and a landing space that could double as a home office.

That being said, there is one other feature: an own-door space to one side of the facade that could function as an office or perhaps, surgery.

Then, there’s the site — a precipitous half acre, according to Suzanne Tyrell of Cohalan Downing and Associates.

It climbs from the rock at the back of the house and there are steps in the process of completion to an intermediary level.

Monaville is a couple of minutes walk to Crosshaven. The guide is in excess of €750,000.