The sea provides a very soothing aural backdrop to Kaikoura, a discreet beachfront property sequestered off Strand Road in Killiney, Co Dublin, a country laneway that feels a million more miles from Dublin city centre than its distance of about 18km. For anyone drawn to the sea this is as at one with nature as you can get living in the capital.
The 270sq m (2,900sq ft) house is built on the site of a smaller cottage that the owners bought and lived in but decided to redevelop to create a sizeable family home with outstanding views.
The house, set out over three floors, is Californian in feel. The Malibu beach house of character Charlie Harper in Two and a Half Men springs to mind. In Killiney the beach is used by everyone from early morning dog walkers to afternoon amblers. It is on the market through Hunters Estate Agents asking €1.385 million.
A latched door opens into the front garden which has Astroturf lawns and raised flower beds. The front door opens into a surprisingly dark hall, dark when compared with the incredibly bright aspect of the beach-fronted rooms at the back of the house. A lightwell is a clever way to illuminate this central part of the house.
A box bay-windowed playroom overlooks the front garden, which gets sun in the afternoons.
Practical
Down the hall is the property's engine room, an L-shaped open-plan kitchen, dining- cum-livingroom. The white Siematic kitchen has a limestone breakfast bar that bounces light
into the large glazed-wall room. Killiney Beach’s grey shingle occupies the entire view. Time is punctuated by the roll of every wave as it draws the shingle in or out depending on the movement of the tide. Outside, a small Astroturfed area and pedestrian gate takes you directly to the beach.
Also on this floor is a large wet room that has plenty of space to power wash any number of sand-encrusted kids. The house is full of such practical details. In the utility room any number of clothes can be dried on a rail over the counter.
Views
On the first floor there are three double bedrooms. The master bedroom has its own private balcony that overlooks the beach. It's a room this writer would never leave. There's a walk-in wardrobe to the rear and a lovely, womb-like en suite bathroom with a free-standing roll-top bath. Next door is a dual aspect sitting room that has views to the south of the Sugarloaf Mountain.
The other two double bedrooms share a large balcony that overlooks the private garden. The rooms also share a bathroom with a bath incorporating a rainhead shower unit. All the property’s bathrooms feature Fired Earth fixtures, fittings and tiling.
On the second floor there are two more rooms each with patio doors leading out to the balcony with the best views in the house. One is a bedroom. The other is a home office. One wonders how anyone could get a jot of work done looking at the ever changing sky and seascape.
Picture windows throughout are spotless – something that requires constant maintenance because of the salt spray.
