Let there be light: A glamorous extension adds pizzazz to Douglas home

A stylish family buy on Maryborough Ridge

9 Edgewood Maryborough Ridge

Douglas, Cork city
€435,000
Size	176 sq m (1900 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	4
BER	B3

FULL-frontal, there’s nothing much to distinguish No 9 Edgewood from its neighbours, except perhaps a more eye-catching pistachio-green front door.

Indoors is a different ballgame. The design and orientation of a rear extension in 2015 not only added pizzazz, it created a constant stream of natural light in the most utilised room in the house.

From a value-add point of a view, it’s a winner, while design-wise, it combines practicality and style. All family living can, and probably does, take place here, in this 9.35m X 6.26m kitchen/dining/living room, where extensive glazing adds an extra dimension, making dining feel more outdoorsy, and bringing the garden in.

Even with the extensive glazing, the property has an impressive B3 energy rating.

With so much going for it, why put No 9 Edgewood on the market, especially given its expensive facelift?

“The owners are looking to move closer to family,” says selling agent Cearbhall Behan of Behan, Irwin and Gosling.

He’s expecting plenty of interest in this two-storey semi-detached 1,900 sq ft home, which he is guiding at €435,000, €15,000 less than what a nearby comparable property sold for last May.

That house, 17 Edgewood, also had a kitchen extension and sold for €450,000 with ERA Downey McCarthy. Unlike No 9, it did not have an attic conversion.

The No 9 conversion, done in 2013, involved the installation of two Velux windows and plenty of power points and a phone line for any buyer interested in the attic’s potential as a home office. There’s even a shower room, after that long commute up the stairs to work!

Aside from the alterations/extensions/conversions which most definitely distinguish No 9 from its neighbours, there’s the more familiar run of rooms, including a family room to the front of the property and a guest WC.

On the first floor, there are four bedrooms, of which the main bedroom is ensuite, while the smallest bedroom is currently functioning as a home office.

The main bathroom is also on the first floor. A stairs leads up to the attic on the second floor.

Outside, the front drive is cobble lock and a double-height window is the standout feature in this view of the house.

To the rear, the garden has an east/west aspect, enjoying sunshine at various times of the day.

There’s a tidy paved area/mini patio reached via French doors from the kitchen, and beyond it, a well-kept lawn with some attractive planting along the back wall, including a Japanese Maple. The garden also has ample room for a trampoline.

For storage, there’s a Steeltech shed.

“Even with the extension, there’s a decent back garden and it’s west-facing in the evening,” says Mr Behan.

Set within Maryborough Ridge, at the top of Maryborough Hill, Edgewood is a 2005 O’Brien O’Flynn development populated, in the main, by young families who appreciate its proximity to a host of amenities and services, such as Foxwood Primary School, Douglas Golf Club, Maryborough House Hotel, Douglas Hall Soccer Club, Douglas Court Shopping Centre and of the course the soon-to-reopen Douglas Village Shopping Centre.

Mr Behan believes No 9 will appeal to a young family who are looking to trade up.

There are plenty of green areas and a playground within Maryborough Ridge, he says.

“It’s a very popular area, close to Douglas and Mount Oval. It’s a popular spot with young families,” says Mr Behan.

He’s already seeing strong interest, even though the property is barely two weeks on the market.

VERDICT: Classy extension marks it out from the crowd.