Architect-designed home is as fair a house as you will find in Cahermee

Outside runs to 2.25 acres at this €699,000 property

Sun, 23 Jul, 2023 - 00:00

Catherine Shanahan

Buttevant, North Cork
€699,000
Size	442 sq m (4758 sq ft) -
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	4
BER	B3

A HELL of a lot of thought went into how this prodigious house should look and where it should sit on the landscape. The owners drafted in architects to help them achieve their dream. What emerged was a c4,760 sq ft home, concrete-built, with a mix of high and vaulted ceilings and a healthy smattering of king-size windows to take in verdant countryside views.

Moreover, the bulk of the rooms face south, so natural light levels are understandably good.

Located in Cahermee, Buttevant, the North Cork home was designed by Kevin O’Keeffe of O'Keeffe O’ Connell Architects (OCOKA) in Mallow. It’s a sturdy home, as structural beams were used in the construction, which got underway in 2009, and steel beams were also used to reinforce the concrete floors between upper and lower levels.

The owners say the house has a “unique design...like the shape of the letter T”. Looking at it from the front, you might think it was a bungalow, but actually it drops down a level to the side and rear.

The upper floor of the two storey section houses an open plan living room/kitchen/dining area.

It’s also where you will find the utility, cloakroom and WC. Stairs from the dining area lead to the basement which right now is a blank canvas. Buyers where remote working is possible might be attracted by the prospect of converting the basement area into one or more home offices.

At any rate, there’s plenty of room on the upper floor too. The “bungalow” section contains four bedrooms, of which two are ensuite. It’s also where you will find the main bathroom and an “attic room”. The middle section of the house is comprised of the entrance hallway and one of two living rooms.

This one faces south, onto the patio and extensive gardens. A vaulted ceiling and three veluxes keep things bright and airy. A stairs leads from here to the overhead attic room.

The owners say the children “like to use this living room as a recreational room”, which still leaves plenty of space for the adults in the open plan living room/kitchen/dining area, where supersize large corner windows fitted beneath double-height ceilings make the most of the views.

In fact both reception rooms have double height ceilings and there are multiple sets of double doors throughout the house, leading to patio and gardens. Gglass sliding doors lead from the main bedroom to the patio/garden.

“On a summer’s day, it’s nice to open up these doors and relax with a book in bed...with the sun streaming in and my dogs curled up on the bed,” says the owner.

She loves the high ceilings throughout the house where “the height of a Christmas tree is never an issue” in the living room, and where the cloakroom keeps the clutter from the hallway and where they have the luxury of an 80 sq ft hot press. She loves the kitchen too because of the views (it’s above the basement) and her children enjoy the great space they have to play in, indoors and outdoors, where the gardens run to 2.25 acres.

When the kids do tire of the expansive and well-planted gardens, there’s always nearby Ballyhass Lakes Outdoor Adventure centre to turn to, or lovely Doneraile Park.

The owner describes her home’s location as at “the crossroads of Munster...an ideal location for anyone commuting to Limerick City (one hour drive) or Cork City (40 minute drive)”. Schools are 10 minutes away in Mallow.

The guide price for this attractive family home, up a sweeping drive, is €699,000, and for this you will get a large home with even more accommodation options, says selling agent Mark O’Keeffe of DNG John Ryan, vis-a-vis the converted attic or the very large heated basement (home cinema or gym?) or the large underground garage.