City to Country: Bold colour at renovated Dublin redbrick or work remotely from spacious €525k Skibbereen home 

Trish Dromey picks out four urban and rural homes across Ireland, all with their own burst of colour 

Crover, Mountshannon, Co Cavan

Grangegorman, Dublin 7
€545,000
Size	109 sq m (1,173 sq ft)
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1
BER	D1

Home improvements carried out by the owners of this redbrick Victorian two-bed property at 17 Orchard Terrace, Grangegorman, Dublin 7, have involved an extension, a significant increase in creature comforts and some bold colour choices.

Immediately after buying it in 1999 they put in gas central heating and an upstairs bathroom, extended the kitchen, upgraded the electrics, insulated, and fitted double glazed sash-style windows.

When it came to decorating they kept the period-style appearance and original features (dado rails and fireplaces) in the older part of the house but opted for a very modern look for the extended kitchen/diner — which has a rooflight, vibrant yellow and red walls, and pale blue units with a partially red breakfast island.

The 109 sq m home has two reception rooms including a maple floored one with a cast iron fireplace at the front.

The upstairs has a bathroom, with a period-style claw foot bath, as well as two bedrooms which each have a cast iron fireplace and one purple wall.

Quoting a guide of €545,000 Michelle Keeley of DNG Phibsboro says this is a charming, conveniently located home which attractively blends both old and new features.

“It’s within walking distance of the city centre and is close to amenities in Smithfield and Stoneybatter,” she adds.

VERDICT: An attractively upgraded period home located within half an hour’s walk from O’Connell Street.

Skibbereen, West Cork
€525,000
Size	177 sq m (1,900 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	3
BER	C1

The type of buyers that Dromhilly, 22 Carrigfadda, in Skibbereen can expect to attract include locals looking for a spacious family home as well as Dublin and Cork City buyers who want to return to their roots and work from home.

So says auctioneer Pat Maguire, who believes the town’s excellent broadband connectivity has helped it attract relocating buyers. “Skibbereen was Ireland’s first rural gigabit town,” he remarks proudly.

Dromhilly — on the market with an asking price of €525,000 — is an early 2000s-built, four-bed period-style house which was bought and upgraded by current owners 10 years ago.

“Completely redecorated, refloored, and fitted with a new kitchen units and bathroom fixtures, it’s now a very stylish and tastefully decorated home,” says Mr Maguire.

Period-style features on the façade include corner quoins and a porch with a fanlight.

Inside, the décor style is contemporary and the 177 sq m of accommodation includes a kitchen, with navy blue units with a long breakfast island, as well a living room and a dining room on the ground floor.

Other accommodation includes a study and a guest WC while the first floor has a bathroom and four bedrooms including one en suite.

Situated in a cul de sac of large detached properties, Dromhilly is around 1km from the town centre.

VERDICT: A modern home with fibre broadband and plenty of space to live and work.

Friarstown, Co Limerick
€585,000
Size	269 sq m (2,900 sq ft)
Bedrooms	4
Bathrooms	4
BER	B2

ALL the space, comfort and gardens that a Limerick trade-up buyer could wish for are on offer at this four-bed house at Friarstown, Grange.

New to the market with a guide of €585,000, it’s a 269 sq m property with 0.5 acre of gardens which is located 15km from the city centre.

Selling agent Bill Hanley of Hanly Donnellan Auctioneers says the house has been beautifully maintained by the owners who have had it since it was built in 2008.

“In recent years they have upgraded and put in a modern kitchen, fitted solar panels, and brought the energy rating up to a B2,” he says.

The property has a sizeable open-plan living space which is partially divided in the middle by a chimney breast housing a double-sided stove. At one side of this, there’s a timber-floored sitting room and at the other, a large kitchen/diner with contemporary grey units and an island unit.

Sliding glass doors in the dining area open into a sunroom offering scenic views of the garden. The ground floor also has a second sitting room, a guest WC, and a good-sized utility room.

The upper level has a galleried landing, a bathroom, and four bedrooms including two with en suites.

VERDICT: Space and comfort within a 20-minute drive from the city.

Mountnugent, Co Cavan
€550,000
Size	173 sq m (1,862 sq ft)
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2
BER	C1

Spectacularly set on the shores of Lough Sheelin and stylishly designed with a single-pitch roof and a fully glazed end wall — this contemporary, three-bed Cavan property is going to turn heads.

“Properties on the shores of the lake are rare — I haven’t seen one come on the market for over 10 years,” says Raymond Smith of Smith Property — who is seeking offers of €550,000 for the stylish, chalet-style property which includes a private mooring pier on the lake.

It was built by its owners in 2008 to replace an older holiday home property. “Contemporary and distinctive, it’s been architecturally designed to make the most of the views — it’s west facing and gets the evening sun,” says Mr Smith.

At the lakeside end, it has a huge open-plan kitchen/living/dining space with exposed roof beams and a modern cream kitchen with a breakfast bar. The fully glazed end wall offers comprehensive views across the 4,700-acre lake.

Other accommodation in the stylish 173 sq m property includes a sitting room, a bathroom, a small utility, and three bedrooms, one of which is en suite.

Located at Crover near Mount Nugent, it’s a 90-minute drive from Dublin.

VERDICT: A stylish and scenic lakeside residence which will appeal to anglers, boating enthusiasts, retirees, holidaymakers, and people working from home.