Killiney village, perched on the brow of the narrow, winding Killiney Hill Road, has been changed utterly by the appearance of a small and exclusive modern housing block on the site of the former Jade's restaurant
There are four units in the completed part, and an unspecified number in the adjoining section, still under construction. Of the four finished modules, one is not for sale at the moment, while the penthouse is being reserved as a rental property.
The two remaining units at Killiney Hill Plaza are being auctioned by Sherry FitzGerald on June 28th. The first, a three-bedroom "townhouse" (which has the penthouse apartment on top of it) has a guide price of £400,000, while the second, a two-bedroom apartment, carries a guide of £340,000. Both estimates seem rather modest for these well-finished, spacious units. The building, which has been designed by NBK Designs Ltd, makes some concessions to the Victorian character of the adjacent houses with a moulded parapet near the roof.
Inside, however, all is clean lines, creamy wall colours and natural woods, garnished with steel. Floors in the roomy communal areas are hardwood or limestone, while those in the apartments are mostly of smooth concrete, and will require carpets or other floor-coverings. Internal doors are finished with a cherrywood veneer; the external ones are made of solid teak.
Kitchens - which are open-plan annexes off the main living area - feature integrated fridge-freezers, beech counter tops, brushed-steel splashbacks and stainless-steel sinks and cookers.
The bathrooms and shower-rooms are sleek, pale spaces, with limestone flooring and elegant, white porcelain sanitary ware. Overall, there is a simple, uncluttered contemporary feel to the interiors, but not so modern that it is challenging. A car-parking area at the rear of the complex accommodates one car per unit.
The 1,850 sq ft, two-storey townhouse has two entrances, one at the rear on the upper level, and one off the side courtyard on the ground floor. The three bedrooms (one with an en suite shower room) are on this lower level, along with a wide entrance hall, a family bathroom and a utility room. The main bedroom has a door leading to a small terrace which runs into the common area. None of these rooms is particularly bright, and all have unprepossessing views of the courtyard.
Upstairs, the massive L-shaped, living-cum-dining room looks out on to Killiney Hill and the village, and has a small balcony. The kitchen area is large enough to accommodate a table. A guest lavatory and a small storage space make up the rest of this floor.
The 1,160 sq ft, two-bedroom apartment is on the first floor of the building. Again, there is a sizeable open-plan livingroom with an adjoining kitchen. One of the bedrooms has an en suite shower. There are also a utility room and a bathroom. The view from the livingroom is rather good, of Killiney Bay, and Bray and Wicklow Heads.
