House of the week

REPLACING a former cottage on its site, this Ballyorban, Monkstown Cork home is a bit of a surprise — it’s bigger and better than you’d ever imagine from passing by.

Although keeping modest, cottage-like front facade proportions, it’s got a wide and welcoming entrance porch and new sash windows in price of place indicating money has been spent on the makeover. But, the place grows all the more on visiting once through the accommodation hall door. It’s pretty huge, and you can see straight the way through 60’ of internal space, to the rear sun room’s back west-facing windows.

The original cottage here on the Raffeen/Rochestown road two miles from the Rochestown Inn was demolished to make way for this 3,200 sq ft replacement, and it is probable that planning conditions dictated its understated first impression and low-pitch dormer tile roof.