Árd Trasna a glittering prize

Attention to detail, design and American feel ensures this property has luxury, quality and plenty of space, writes Tommy Barker

ONE of the biggest, one of the best — and hard to beat — that’s the high-end home called Árd Trasna.

Set up at the top of the Glen Richmond scheme of one-off homes and Brideview Developments, Árd Trasna’s a new-to-market arrival, in the full of its health and with everything rightly glistening.

Built by a family with a keen interest in detail, the plan was to give it a sort of American ’open-house‘ feel, an aim achieved with some aplomb, and immediately evident from the double-height feature hall onwards, and upwards.

Detached, with 3,300 sq ft, it’s got four bedrooms, one per corner, and generosity with space, especially in the hall, feature oak stairs, and capacious landing too. There’s not a small room anywhere, and finishes are flawless, notes impressed agent Michael O’Donovan of Sherry FitzGerald. “If you want the best, look no further,” he notes of this private Upper Glen Richmond find. Guide price is €625,000,and for that buyers are getting luxury and quality, and space, in a family-friendly setting a 10-15 minute commute from Cork City and near major employment bases too.

The couple behind the build and delivery were very committed and hands-on, drafting in architect Paul Hudson to work on the design and their own goals, and timber frame specialists Cygnum took over its construction, delivering a house with a very high, impressive air-tightness reading — though, funnily enough, that quality of build and insulation doesn’t really get reflected in the still-solid C1 BER energy efficiency rating.

Cygnum started building in the month of January, about ten years ago, and the woman who oversaw every design and finish detail recalls “we moved in in October of the same year. The rest of the family had gone away for the weekend, and when they came back, I had it all ready, down to the plants by the front door.”

Now, that same front door, with broad fanlight and stained glass detail, is framed by a rapidly advancing, lush wisteria, and the entire one-third acre site has also had a lavish hand with planting, rich in shrubs, trees, flower beds, hard landscaping and water feature too, all behind wide electric access gates for security — and for keeping the family pet in. (Just a small sign of the thought that went into site: apart from the electric gate for controlling car access, there’s a side pedestrian gate, which means children and their friends can roam freely without the sternness so often implied by zapper-controlled electric gates.)

Árd Trasna’s faced in Ballydesmond stone, under a slate roof, with symmetrical front bays and a central feature arched landing window which floods the interior with light. The owners say they wanted a blend of old/classical, with modern and comfortable, and that’s exactly what they got.

So, once past the royal-hued purple front door (the door is painted the same colour as the feature stairs carpet, which is secured with hand-made brass rods), there’s immediate evidence of high ceilings, lots of cornice and coving plasterwork, top-quality joinery, good fireplaces, bay windows and floor finishes ranging from walnut and porcelain at ground level to solid oak upstairs.

Left and right of the hall and its central staircase are equally sized reception rooms, with fireplaces and bay windows, and behind is a study, plus the main scene-setting space, the kitchen/dining family room and with single storey sun room extension opening to a large sandstone patio.

The kitchen’s hand-painted solid timber, modelled on a Clive Christian design, with turned newels, corbels and other details, along with black granite tops, a range cooker, and larder presses plus dresser.

There’s dining space, a family living area off, utility, and large sun room with south east aspect, and, enticingly, two access points to the pristine back gardens. While the sloping front garden is full of colour and dense planting, the back is more adaptable, with patios, lawn, and screened by a beech hedging is a productive herb and vegetable garden. Looking out from the side there’s a variety of greenery, near and far and across the Glanmire valley hills to savour.

Selling agent Michael O’Donovan says “the attention to detail throughout this property is simply faultless.” There’s some seriously impressive lighting, such as the contemporary chandelier dropping from the landing’s vaulted ceiling, and much of it was sourced from Belfast, as was some of the high-end sanitary ware — ahead of its day, for the days that were in it a decade or so ago.

Decor and furnishings include items from Caseys and lots of Laura Ashley wallpapers and windows are as well dressed as a Brown Thomas model.

The two well-proportioned front bedrooms have wide bay windows with window seats and storage, the master bed’s got a walk-in wardrobe with wall of closet storage, and a five-star hotel standard bathroom suite, all in white grained marble and with a raised Jacuzzi bath. Two other bedrooms share a ‘Jack and Jill’ en suite, and the main bathroom’s refreshingly done with all blue tiles, and features glass sink and pedestal. Deft.

LOCATION: Glanmire, Cork

PRICE: €645,000

SIZE: Sq m 300 (3,300 sq ft)

BEDROOMS: 4

BATHROOMS: 4

BER RATING: C1

BEST FEATURE: Unstinting quality

VERDICT: Luxury oasis.