Trading up: Tivoli, Cork City €295,000

There’s a feeling of living amid the forests at The Coach House, off the beaten track in the heart of Cork’s suburban Montenotte.

This is a top-class coachhouse rebuild, done in 2008 by locally-living architect Declan Tyner, one of just three houses down along the high-walled Beale’s Hill, off Lover’s Walk, and just by the coach house, the road gets restricted to a pedestrian path, which leads to the Lower Glanmire Road, making for a swift alternative walk to the city centre.

Very secure, and featuring as a deft design touch, hefty cedarwood shutters which can seal up the c 800 sq ft house as a ‘lock up and leave’ option.

Internally, it’s very much open plan downstairs, where a contemporary Kjell wood-burning stove heats the main 23’ by 14’ living space.

Then, a glazed balcony by an 8 metres-high, west-facing window in the gable, funnels heat upstairs to a study,while warming an adjoining first floor and en suite master bedroom, currently the house’s sole bedroom, with feature Velux windows for tree canopy views.

There’s also a galley kitchen, entrance lobby with guest WC and utility, enclosed west facing garden patio, and off-street parking with electric gates.

Selling agent is Andrew Moore & Co, and he guides the high-end one-bed at €295,000.

VERDICT: A niche product and setting, superbly finished