A home set to blossom

No 30 Kilbrody, Cork has a classical look and feel inside, writes Tommy Barker

GETTING in at ground level — literally and metaphorically — stands to the quality of the house at 30 Kilbrody, inside and out. Its owner since it was built back in 2003 is now its vendor, and she’s selling to move back to her native New Zealand and a new job opportunity: her extra input to No 30 will significantly benefit its next occupants.

This time of year you mightn’t see too much of a difference from its neighbours up here in this Mount Oval Village cul de sac setting in Cork, but come a few more weeks of spring, and then summer and the gardens will put on their best performances (these exterior pics are from last summer.)

They’ve been planted up, fed, weeded and watered since, and are of enough quality to have been used as a setting for a charity fundraiser, impressing even hardened plantspersons. They’ve been sourced from gardens, and garden centres all over Munster, as well as being brought on from cuttings. Roll on spring, and hidden good surprises.

No 30 is new to market with Claire O’Sullivan of Savills, who loves the look and the feel of the house, eager to start viewings and knowing it’s a box-ticker for a wide buying demographic. Just as the gardens have an assured feel of having been done by someone who knows their business, the interior similarly is accomplished — done by the same hand.

Colours are from the Farrow and Ball palette, in full and half tones, nicely calming, and with architraves and skirtings done in a darker shade. Maybe it’s an illusion, but the house certainly feels bigger than its quoted 1,200 sq ft, with the mood set straight away from the hall and side stairs on.

There’s proper stair access to a quality attic conversion, a room about 22’ by 12’, with three Veluxes to the south-facing rear, and giving easy access too to eaves storage: this is a house that will accommodate lot of stuff, possessions or even people. Teenagers will love the remoteness of this top level eyerie, and it makes for a great hobby room too.

Back at ground level, this house’s two main reception rooms are interlinked, with glazed double doors on sturdy, protruding brass hinges, ceilings are coved, and extra high, about 10’, adding to the sense of space.

The kitchen also to the back was extended out a bit more than standard as the house was being bought off-plans, so there’s a nice, restful seating area in the kitchen, which has quality maple units and lots of capacity. There’s a useful large cupboard behind a sliding shutter for appliances, all plugged in, ready to do service and then be screened back out of sight.

The kitchen and bathroom floors are done in a Marmoleum-like lino, warmer underfoot than tiles and less likely to break anything dropped on it, the owner sensibly advises.

Elsewhere, floor coverings are neutral shades of wool carpet, and again tiles in the fully-tiled bathroom are white, never going to date.

The overall look and feel inside is quite classical, not easy to achieve within the confines of an otherwise standard built product, and its look is enhanced by art on the walls (not for sale) and the very high quality curtains and drapes, which are included in the sale.

This comfortable Kilbrody home signals its differences even in tiny details like the house number 30 in colourful tiles, all the way from New Zealand, and the gardens are ready to bring vibrant colour to the front and back within weeks.

VERDICT: Already looking good, 30 Kilbrody is set to blossom further as spring gets sprung.