Country home feel

Location: Ennis Road, Limerick

THE Limerick city family home at 7 Waterville might have antique touches, but, really, it’s bang up to date. Only a decade or two old, there’s a strong country home feel and flair to this four-bed detached home, right down to feature walls in old brick, an Aga in the kitchen, plus a Belfast sink, as well as a roll-top and claw-foot bath in the main family bathroom next to a brass heated towel rad — with wainscoting on the lower walls, naturally.

No 7 Waterville is off the Ennis Road, near Roses Avenue in a small cul-de-sac setting, and it’s handily tucked away in a back corner too, next to a tall estate-like limestone wall with mature trees beyond, again adding to the older-world feel of this property.

The woman owner is clearly house proud and into her decor and art, and in fact the walls feature some of her own paintings too, so it’s not just an abstract interest; she’s hands on, inside and out, as the gardens equally show signs of some devotion.

Estate agent Gillian Dunne of DNG Cusack Dunne guides at €375,000, and says at that it is very keenly priced, adding “it’s in superb decorative condition throughout with a tasteful interior with a sense of flair and style.”

There’s a front drawing room off to the left of the wood-floored hall, with bay window and French doors to the rear kitchen, with a second reception room across the hall, and both are home to several sofas where even the upholstery sets a certain upmarket tone: add in things like coved ceilings, many decorative rad covers, brass over-picture lights, over-sized mirrors and compact chandeliers, and a bigger picture emerges.

Drop back to the kitchen — which is sort of in two sections — and there’s quality units, with polished hardwood tops and worksurfaces, with an under-counter ceramic sink in the broad island, plus Belfast sink across in the longer run of worktop by the back windows, unusually trimmed in front by more hardwood.

A separate kitchen section, thru’ a dividing feature brick wall and arch, is home to fridge, cream Aga, etc, and there’s also a utility room and guest WC rounding out the ground floor accommodation.

Overhead, there’s a huge wall mirror on the broad landing, with four bedrooms off, all with built-ins, and the master bedroom is en suite, and between this and the main bathroom there’s a power shower, a steam shower and a cast iron roll-top bath.

The attention to detail isn’t just confined to the interior: outside, there are several cast iron mini street lights for garden lighting, and lots and lots of shrubbery front and back, but no grass or lawn. Instead, lots of hard surface landscaping, paving and patios, decking — and a hot tub tucked away in a garden corner.

There’s also good parking on a cobble-block drive thanks to the corner setting, with side access to the back garden, two sheds, and CCTV.

VERDICT: Easy period home style, in a modern city home and convenient setting.