Charming hideaway with slick touch

Tree House is a modern two-bed home that retains its rustic appeal. Tommy Barker

It’s all pretty much misleading at this Lisseygriffin, Goleen home on 2.5 acres — it’s called Tree House, though it couldn’t be more grounded in stone construction if it tried. And, then, when you think you have its measure — it’s playing tricks again, with no less than 1,400 sq ft of space, and all of it is pretty much slick and contemporary in style.

Modern, and overseen by an architect too for European owners, it’s a modern two-bed home inside with open plan layout, bright thanks to a lean-to conservatory/sun room with Veluxes, and it’s got underfloor heating too. The T-shaped stone home faces over a stone courtyard and feature pond by an out-of-place looking cordyline palm tree to a lofted stone outbuilding, making for a sheltering cluster or enclosure, in a private setting three miles west of Goleen and just a mile from Barleycove.

Selling agent Pat Maguire in Skibbereen has reduced the price now on Tree House to €250,000, as another summer season slowly comes around (or thaws out) and there’s not doubt but this hideaway has got charm: the presence of a few donkeys grazing the grounds adds to the rustic appeal.

He describes it as ‘near coastal’, with panoramic country views above the Coast Road in a chic part of West Cork with some very comfy second homes dotted about the place — Peter Sutherland has about the finest, built between the road and the sea.

While Tree House doesn’t have sea views or proximity, it’s a bit of an island oasis nonetheless, with largely open plan main living/kitchen/dining space with smooth plastered walls, and the main overhead room also is airy and fresh looking — the old pine and stone look is conspicuously absent in the pared down modernity. Think more penthouse apartment than West Cork farmhouse conversion (another selling agent, Martin Swanton in Ballydehob has a simpler, boiled-down pine and stone one-bed version called the Gunpowder House in Foilnamuck, Ballydehob for €155k for those who just want a stone country equivalent of a pied-a terre.)

VERDICT: Tree House might be a bit aloft from sea level, but beaches are only a mile or two away.