House of the week

LEAFY surrounds are a feature of the 1970s and 1980s houses in Cork’s old Mount Oval — a niche scheme of detached red-brick homes.

There’s close on two dozen houses here, in three different sizes, and not only has just about every house evolved over time, but the private planting in each garden has added further individuality, while serving to blend one boundary into another.

In early summer, this enclave near the Rochestown ring-road roundabout and church is looking its very best, proof-positive about the communal benefits of like-minded, and green-fingered, neighbours; every occupant benefits not only from their own planting, but from everyone else’s too. That pays off too for re-sales, as 30 years and more of maturing gardens lifts and holds values: houses in this scheme always sell well, and at market peak easily topped €1m.

New to market is Heaterton, in pristine order with lots of understated quality home touches and with 2,450 sq ft of space for families to move straight into.

A weeping beech tree draping its fresh growth over the entrance drive sets a horticultural tone and this carries through to the south/front facade’s entrance portico, draped in wisteria and cloaked in ivy — it’s all nicely bedded in. The main garden/sloping lawn’s to the side, and the back of Heatherton now has a paved terrace and steps down through landscaped colourful beds to select seating areas, places to take advantage of the sun’s tracking movements.

The outside will take care of itself nice and handily, there’s not too much work here and there’s lots to enjoy. Then, internally, the bar is raised several more notches. The current owners moved here about 20 years ago (they bought privately from previous owner Finbarr Hill who left to work in the US with Robin Power), and have been steadfast in their improvements and alterations, so much so that it is all pretty much bang up to date without being slavishly fashionable. The tone is set first by hardwood narrow-strip maple floors and a gas-fired cast iron stove in the wide hallway. This warm and bright spot has glazed doors off to the 36’ by 15’ kitchen dining behind, and to the restful 25’ by 14’ lounge, gentle in its formality, and given a boost by a recently-added gable bay window for a third aspect to the gardens.

Other ground floor rooms include a study with cherrywood shelving, and 15’ by 15’ family room with a second gas stove, with shower room off — so this could easily be a fifth, en suite, bedroom. There’s also a good pantry/utility off the kitchen by the back door, with further garden access by the dining table.

Heatherton originally was one of the larger of the three house types here, and the owners reduced the first floor bedrooms tally from five to four, so that now there are two en suite bedrooms (one with quirky coloured bathroom and bath) and a main family bathroom with large shower.

Well-decorated with some nice wallpapers and colours, Heatherton’s BER is being done right now, but should be good as walls have been pumped with insulation, the attic’s insulation has been enhanced, windows are all double glazed and the gas stoves are very effective. Many of the central heating’s radiators have been upgraded to highly efficient fan boosted units done by Carrigaline firm Edpac, which provide rapid heating from low water volumes. Energy bills are low, the owners say.

Seeking €675,000, selling agent for Heatherton, Dennis Guerin of Frank V Murphy & Co has had several of the recent ‘old’ Mount Oval sales, and says that — as in Dublin’s suburbs right now — there’s pent-up demand for good trading up Cork family houses, and after a couple of early viewings, he has this house under offer in the early €600,000s.

VERDICT: A pleasing blend of updated home and gardens, in a greened-in location.