Trading up: Kilcoe, Ballydehob €525,000

Size: Sq m 174 (1,850 sq ft)

OLD building materials salvaged from a nearby church were used in the building of this special Kilcoe, Roaringwater Bay home — and they’ve given it a new life and atmospheric feel above and beyond other builds of the early 2000s vintage.

The architect-designed contemporary take on the West Cork stone house vernacular makes for a quite different 1,850 sq ft home, where it’s as much about the water views as it is about the thoughtful build. The main aspect is south and west toward the sea and inlet, with a lofty 15’ by 14’ conservatory to the front, with extensive roof glazing, and further glazing links it at the upper level back into the main house’s core also. Selling agent Ray O’Neill in Clonakilty (and just this spring reopening his second, SherryFitzGerald Skibbereen office s the market improves) guides at €525,000 and describes it as an exceptional property.

Right now, it’s used as two-bed, with one bedroom on each of its levels, but it’s adaptable, he says, with a gallery lounge/study currently also bedroom 2. The ground floor’s main en suite bedroom is 18’ by 15’.

But, for guests, there’s a one-bed guest cottage with bathroom, helping out on the accommodation front, plus there’s a small, stone-built workshop/store, and all buildings are roofed in natural slate.

The Kilcoe property has integrated salvage materials and finishes, such as church railings used as gallery balusters, has lots of stone features inside and out, pitch pine floors, traditional style kitchen in timber, exposed feature beams, and steep roof pitches, and has central heating and pressurised water system.

It’s all on a gently landscaped site of 1.4 acres, two miles from Ballydehob, six miles west of Skibbereen and about an hour and a half ’s drive from Cork City and airport.

VERDICT: Special ambience.