House of the week

THERE’S great tranquillity in the gardens of Ainrush, a bungalow built 25 years ago in the grounds of a faux-Tudor home called Kedges on Cork’s Douglas Rd.

The family that built this 1,800 sq ft immaculate home Ainrush (to a design by architect Brian Wain,) were previous owners of Kedges. They built here in a portion of that older house’s long gardens which stretched down a length of the Rosebank estate when their own family were reared. Kedges, with 3,300 sq ft and up to seven bedrooms, hit the market last year guiding e720,000 with Savills, and is under current offer, while Ainrush arrives on its heels with auctioneer Timothy Sullivan, guiding e525,000.

Ainrush is on a billiard table-flat one-third of an acre site, generously landscaped and shrubbed at its peri-meter, and full right now of imminent buds, blossom, and birdsong. It will have a cross-generational appeal.

The fact all its rooms are on the one level will make it attractive to older buyers, perhaps trading down or in from farther flung locations. It’s more than big enough for couples, while it’s eminently extendable, too, whether upwards or outwards, for family buyers. Or, it’s fine for most gangs as is, with four bedrooms.

The location’s spot on for access to the city centre, to Douglas, schools, the amenity park and public swimming pool, and a host more — they’re all right outside Ainrush’s high walls and solid timber electric gates. Positioning on the one-third acre site is smart, tucked to one corner section leaving a big sweep of terraced patio in front with a southerly aspect, and with lawns beyond, while bamboo and cut-bamboo fencing now screen Ainrush off from an architecturally distinguished 2000s-built new home on the next site to the south.

While the single storey Ainrush has a few taller neighbouring houses, they’re all set well, well back, beyond mature planting, and all nicely deferentially respectful of one another.

Internally, it’s all spick and span, with a thoughtful layout that sees the best and most used dayrooms to the front, and with a kink in the house’s design to catch extra southerly light for the kitchen in particular.

The biggest room is the bright 20’ by 14’ sitting room with patio doors to the terrace. The kitchen’s extra bit of shaping gives it a max measurement of 17’ by 17’, and units are simple and unflashy. There are two utility rooms, a formal dining room to the rear of the house that’s 14’ by 12, and the western section of the house has four bedrooms, three doubles to the back and the decent-sized 16’ by 12’ master bedroom to the front, with en suite. There’s also a family bathroom and separate shower.

Ainrush has been very well maintained inside and out, internal joinery is in hardwood, it’s got double glazing and gas central heating, and the back is extensively graveled for ease of care, with lots of storage, seating, and play spaces.

VERDICT: One of the better bungalow floorplans, and on a simply great site. It’s quite perfect as it is, or it can be made even more special with add-ons if family buyers come to the fore. Estate agent Tim Sullivan is going to be busy with this one-off, especially given the dearth of ready-to-go, decent trading-up family homes currently on the Cork market.