Set in the seclusion of Cenacle Grove off Killiney Hill Road lies the Laurels, a spacious five-bedroom home among seven other detached properties, hidden away from sight. Said to take its name from the Cenacle sisters, a French order of nuns who once occupied the stately Kilmarnock House which occupies the site behind, the property was last on the market in 2020 and appears on the Property Price Register as having sold that year for the sum of €1.5 million.
Though having had new wiring and new windows fitted back then, the current owners have given the home a makeover, while also adding insulation and 22 solar panels, so it now has an improved Ber of B1. They also re-rendered the exterior to give the property a more polished finish, and you would never think that this now turnkey property was once a 1980s redbrick bungalow.
The owners say they fell for its location – just a five-minute walk for a swim at Killiney’s blue-flag beach and a five-minute drive to the N11 and the M50 – the space inside, as it extends to a considerable 302sq m (3,250sq ft), and the grounds, as they occupy 0.6 of an acre.
Having links with the United States, the owners wanted an American feel to their home and to take advantage of having a southerly aspect. To do this, they widened doorways, so rooms now flow into one another, and added skylights to bounce light through the interiors. “We partnered with Abbington Design [who updated the kitchen, all joinery and stripped and refinished the solid oak flooring throughout] and they gave the house a ‘heavy facelift’ as we knew it had the potential to become an outstanding home with plenty of space and light,” says the owner.
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Now, the home is designed to accommodate a large family where both children and parents have plenty of space to live and entertain. When the house was being remodelled, they also converted the garage to accommodate an en suite bedroom, though they say this space “has been taken over by the kids, who use is for darts, Xboxes and as a hybrid gym”.
A large hallway sets the scene of what lies inside, leading to an open-plan contemporary kitchen, dining and family space. Describing this space as “greedy for light,” the owners say its energy changes through the day from being brightly lit in the mornings to “a soft rosy light during the evenings”. With hand-painted units, the kitchen has Miele and Fisher & Paykel appliances, with further storage in a utility room, which itself has a high-end fitout with quartz countertops.
To the rear of the house lies a family room – also used as a home cinema as it has a projector screen – with a walnut fitted bar and entertainment unit. It has two large picture windows and large sliding doors giving both light and access to the gardens.
A more intimate formal drawingroom lies to the left of the hallway, and here Abbington Design created fitted units with interesting bronze inlay and handles.
It has five bedrooms, all of which are good sized doubles. Two have en suites, while the principal has a walk-in wardrobe.
The gardens here certainly add to the house. Along with their size on over half an acre, they have been meticulously laid out by Vyvian White of Lotus Landscape Design in conjunction with Evergreen Landscapes. They were designed in pockets to accommodate family needs. For dining, there’s a barbecue area to the side with a large pergola for cover. This leads to a large patio with seating for 12, while a raised patio – adjacent to a basketball hoop – has a sunken firepit and large lawn, and was constructed with teenagers in mind.
Besides the design for specific uses, the brief to landscapers was to have year-round interest and colour: “It is really only in December that it feels it’s at rest.” There is also a garden room hidden away at the end of the lawn, which works well as a home office.
Owners love the light, bright welcoming spaces of their home, describing it as “a phenomenal space to entertain but also restful and calm”. Having spent the past five years in Ireland – where they had planned to live long term at the Laurels – they are returning to the US for work reasons and have placed their turnkey home on the market through Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €2.35 million. The furniture, much of which was designed for the house and imported from the US, is available by further negotiation.
