A grand stretch: Immaculate home with attic conversion on offer in Ballincollig

This Ballincollig home is immaculately finished, and includes a large attic conversion, says Tommy Barker

Sat, 17 Mar, 2018 - 00:00

PRESENTATION - the key to a swift house sale? No 56 Leslies Arch is likely to prove that selling mantra in the case of this three, no, sorry, four-storey house resale in one of the early section of Ballincollig’s Old Quarter development — it’s already proven very attractive and engaging on its initial open viewings in the past week.

Even the quality of the interior decor, and matching excellent sales photography, has proven enticing for estate agent Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald, who simply observes that this end-terrace townhouse “is a little different to most other houses in the Old Quarter.”

Design of this house type at Leslies Arch, day-one was distinctive, with accommodation spread out over three floors in this streetscape layout.

However, astute architectural tweaks at number 56 have enabled the creation of a fourth, attic-level floor, accessible by yet another flight of stairs, where there’s the equivalent of a master suite with bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, music area, and study, yielding an extra 375 sq ft up top, albeit minus the convenience of a WC.

Estate agent Norma Healy say it’s a bit like a penthouse, with a coffee maker and mini-fridge set up here, presumably to save the early morning or late evening trek down three flights of stairs to the kitchen for a caffeine kick, or an Ovaltine.

No 56’s first floor houses yet another bedroom, the master with en-suite, to the back, concealed behind flush doors in a wall of built-ins, it’s about 18’ by 10’, whilst similary sized and to the front is the formal lounge, with two windows — one a bay, the other has a Juliette balcony — and this comfortable drawing room also has a resin surround fireplace ope.

At ground and entry level is a welcoming hall with wood-panelled walls, with guest WC and cloakroom.

To the right is a kitchen facing the front of the home, and stretching out through the rest of the ground floor, in a link from front to back, is a dining area, also with an effective wood-panel effect, with a few steps down to a family room with open fireplace, and there’s patio access via a door, with glazed panels and an opening windows.

A good match for the quality of the assured and confident interior decor is the walled and fenced-in back garden, with painted side and end walls, gravel patio area, small curving lawn, painted garden shed, and a garden corner with slightly raised decking and a feature pergola with trellising, plus there’s an adjacent brick-built BBQ... It’s all very much ‘the room outside’ in style.

VERDICT: Unusually tall for its age, it’s sort of a four-five bed modern take on a period Victorian or even Georgian townhouse style, done by family owners who love their interior design.