Wanted, a couple of swells to walk up The Avenue

ALREADY extended, and with a kitchen smartly upgraded, 14 The Avenue off Church Road, Cork is a great Blackrock trader-upper.

The four-bedroom semi in the Rockfield development by Lyonshall has been owned from day one by the same couple for the past 15 years.

Eight years ago, they extended out the back, for a bigger kitchen/dining space, and they added on a utility room as well at the time.

Then, last year, they redid the kitchen, and thought of moving up into the attic for a conversion next. Now, though, with good value second hand houses in the area for sale, and not being afraid of work and tackling renovations, they have put No 14 up for sale .

Estate agent Timothy Sullivan guides it at €555,000, and says there’s an exceptionally high standard of finish.

The taller kitchen units are in oak, with others, and the free-standing island, hand-painted in a cream hue. The mix and contrasts work well, with stainless steel oven and other appliances adding further to the mixed palette. Worktops are subtle grey granite, and the sink is a double Belfast-style ceramic fixture. Flooring is unglazed Italian ceramic tiles, with a mosaic border.

The hallway is also tiled, in terracotta, and the main reception rooms, one front, the other to the back, are interlinked, with wooden floors. A 16’ by 14’ rear lounge, opens onto the kitchen/breakfast room.

The ground level also has a utility and guest WC, while overhead are four bedrooms, one with en suite shower room, plus a main bathroom. No 14 has a small south-facing back garden with shed, patio and graveled areas and colourful planting (even the shed is painted a vibrant indigo blue) and there’s off-street parking in front, with a small lawn.