House of the week
Radharc, pictured here in blue-sky finery, is just one of the latter breed, an antidote to the brashness that looking big and being ‘outstanding in a field’ is the business: in fact, this seaside home practically goes out of its way to look more modest than its 2,500 sq ft.
For those who like to look at well-conceived, smartly-sited houses, the Cork coastline is as good a place as any to start. It seems that Cork Council planners have been amenable to allowing a number of houses (or replacement houses) to be built in quite special and scenic settings — once the design was right. A well-designed house doesn’t have to be a blot on the landscape, or the seascape, and in latter years the Crosshaven and bays’ shorelines are dotted with delights.
Crosshaven’s lanes, the Point Road and Camden Road, and several byways have clearly given work and some good years to architects and builders since the early 2000s; now, its bays, beaches and coves like Myrtleville, Fountainstown and Fennell’s Bay all have some cracking family houses, for a community that is now resident all-year around for the most part, not just summer and fair-weather blow-ins.
Reporting a pick up in the market locally, as well as a slight rise in prices in the last six months, Carrigaline-based auctioneer Roy Dennehy is gearing up now for spring viewings at this modern build called Radharc, on the hill rising up above Fountainstown beach, with full-on sea and strand views, as well as Ringabella’s headland, giving shelter from the west.
Its site was the basis of a bidding war back in the late 1990s, and architects Hogan Associates did the design work for this bright, low-slung house on a hill, with the master bedroom suite taking up the sole first floor space, plus ship’s bridge-like balcony.
It’s a quality job, inside and out, with gardens done in an easy-keep, beach style, suitably planted among the light, bright beach stones and pebbles.
Its owners built it effectively as a retirement home, and are into sailing and the sea in a big way, and that’s reflected in the design and decor — along with lots of photos of grandchildren enjoying the beach.
The main living space is quite open plan, oriented for the views, with sun room to the front, contemporary kitchen in rich-hued wood units with granite tops alongside and a family lounge with gas fire, bright hall, pantry, shower room and study.
The ground floor has three bedrooms in all, served by a guest WC and shower room, with zoned heating and pumped showers. Upstairs, the master bedroom is 23’ by 12’, is flooded with light and views, with a balcony off to the front via sliding doors, plus an en suite bathroom, and dressing room wrapping up the accommodation.
Roy Dennehy is seeking offers close to the asking price of €680,000 for this well-kept, bright, 2,500 sq ft home, on about a quarter of an acre and he has another quarter acre site alongside (part of the original purchase) with FPP for a 1,800 sq ft house, guiding €250,000.
VERDICT: At one time, top sites here made up to €500,000, and more than a few homes were developed at a cost of €1-2 million - the days of the humble ‘Ford Box’ have disappeared over the horizon.
