Sheer luxury by the sea

Glass is used to very stylish effect, says Trish Dromey and gives the occupants vantage points to watch the sun come up and go down on Galway Bay

Give me glass, lots of glass and don’t box me in, might well have been the instructions to the architect for this very striking house near Barna in Galway.

Glass is used to very stylish effect and for letting in the light while also presenting the occupants with vantage points to watch the sun come up and go down on Galway Bay. The unconventional, unusual shaped house, designed by Galway architects Simon J Kelly & Co, is very definitely not a box.

The single storey property is actually a twin, since the owners bought the site and built two identical residences within 50 metres of the water’s edge. One was sold in 2008, while this one has been kept as a family home until now. New to the market with O’Donnellan & Joyce auctioneers, it has a guide of €675,000.

The most striking feature is probably the split-level roof, which was built to accommodate a row of small glass windows, clerestory windows, to provide light for a central hallway.

Ultra modern and stylish, the 2,500sqft house has double height ceilings in all the main living areas as well as oak and marble tiled floors and contemporary kitchen units and bathroom fittings.

The décor is neutral but colour has been added throughout the house with strategically displayed paintings and pieces of art work.

The owners can definitely be classed as optimists since they opted to fit both the kitchen and the master bedroom with air conditioning. Not often required for the Irish climate, it will definitely be useful in preventing the kitchen from getting steamed up.

Air conditioning is just one of a number of hi-tech features which can be found in this very modern home. It also has designer gas fires, underfloor heating with controls for individual rooms, a filtered water system, and a Mode Evolution system, a sophisticated control system with sensors which trigger lights to come on when a room is occupied and turn off when it’s not. Another hi-tech feature is a Beam central vacuum system, as well as an electronically-controlled gate with a video intercom. Running right throughout the house like a spine is a long marble tiled corridor with double height ceilings with a series of small south facing windows on one side close to the ceiling. Looking out to sea at the rear, is a large comfortable oak floored lounge with floor to ceiling windows. On the other side of the property at the rear is a kitchen/ breakfast room with contemporary walnut units, granite worktops , a large centre island and a wall of glass. The range of integrated appliances includes a wine cooler as well as a “bean to cup” Miele built-in coffee maker.

Rooms at the front include an extra large living room with an insert gas fire as well as a master bedroom which has a huge expanse of glass as well as built in wardrobes and a good-sized en suite with marble tiled flooring and a Jacuzzi bath.

Located on the side of the house which has a lower roof, the other three bedrooms are also spacious and oak floored with marble tiled en suites. The biggest splash of colour in the house is a strikingly pink wall in what is obviously a girl’s bedroom. Fitted out with a smart Swedish style bunk bed and red check curtains, the room manages to look girly without being fussy.

The second splash of colour is blue and it’s found in a bedroom which has a blue bed and curtains, and is obviously occupied by a boy. To the rear off the kitchen, the property has a good sized utility room with oak units and tiled flooring. Entrance is through a large glass porch.

The owners haven’t yet got the BER cert, but given how high spec this house is, it’s expected to be good.

If there were such a thing as a tranquillity rating, this house would score top marks since the vendors Laragh and David Cunningham own Yoga Shala, a yoga school in Galway where they both teach.

Enclosed by stone walls , the gardens require little maintenance since they are mostly paved with cobble stone and have some raised gravel beds with plants and shrubs. Auctioneer Colm O’Donnellan says the high class finish and the views are very strong selling points for this property.

The windows look right across over Galway Bay and offer uninterrupted views of Barna pier, Silverstrand beach, the sea and the Clare Hills. Located in a quite cul de sac at Lacklea, the house is within a few minutes walk from Barna village, which has pubs, restaurants, a shopping centre, schools and a hotel. It’s six miles from Galway city, which puts it in easy commuting distance for a buyer looking for a luxurious family home by the sea.

Verdict: Very high-glass.