Former Gunne family home in Stillorgan for €2m

That old saying about the cobbler’s children and their lack of shoes never applies to senior estate agents: they always have terrific homes.

In 1989 Fintan Gunne’s Dublin estate agency business, which he had established at the start of the decade, was going so well it was time for his wife Maureen and their young family to move down from Dundalk.

They wanted a new house, that was well located with good access to the city centre and with plenty of space both inside and out – the couple would go on to have six children. Another estate agent recommended to Fintan a new, exclusive gated development called Stone House on Stillorgan Road just beyond the Montrose Hotel.

Just in time they purchased number 6, Wavetree, the last of the seven houses to sell in the small, very private scheme. As the five-bed redbrick with 280sq m (3,000sq ft) of space was a new build they could make some changes before moving in.

In the large formal living room that runs from the front to the rear of the house, they installed an elaborate timber chimneypiece from Fintan’s family home in Dundalk and sourced another fine period chimneypiece from a bank for the other living room. The elaborate period-style staircase in the roomy entrance hall, was designed to their specifications while a large bay window was added at the rear.

Upstairs, the Gunnes commissioned colourful stained-glass panels to go over each of the bedroom doors. They went on to commission ceramic artist Laura O’Hagan to create a striking tile splashback for the Aga in the kitchen. They also got the builder to build a garage to the side – although there is private parking for several cars on the cobblelock outside the front door.

Fintan died tragically young, aged 50 in 1997, but Maureen and the family stayed on in the house – and she is now downsizing from Wavetree which sits on a substantial quarter acre site.

With four reception rooms, a large kitchen and sunroom, there is plenty of space and the layout seems particularly suitable for large-scale entraining.

The main rooms have clearly been redecorated and updated many times over the years to bring them decoratively up to date and the timber fitted kitchen is a relatively new addition. The large sunroom originally had a glazed roof but that has been replaced with a slate one to make it more comfortable year-round.

Upstairs, the main bedroom has an en suite and dressing room. The other bedrooms are three doubles and a single and there are two family bathrooms on this level . Downstairs, there are two guest toilets and a large utility.

The gardens – with a southwest aspect to the rear – are now mature and professionally maintained and as well as an extensive lawned area there’s a large timber deck. The evidence that the family are dog lovers is that a section of the garden has been sectioned off and paved as a dog-friendly play area.

The Ber is C2 – a fair rating for a very large 1980s house and probably a reflection of the updating and maintenance that has clearly gone on here.

Only two of the houses in the Stone House scheme have come on the open market since they were built in 1989 – a sign that families when move in they tend to like living there.

Wavetree, 6 Stone House is for sale through Quillsen – formerly Gunne – seeking €2 million.