Co Wicklow/€2.5m: Anne Dempsey views a large period house with many extras in a pretty woodland setting.
Built in the 1840s as the Dower House of the Bellevue Estate, "Fair View", Kindlestown Hill, Delgany, Co Wicklow is one of the few large period homes remaining in this woodland setting above Delgany village.
Standing on 3.25 acres of garden - including a railed paddock - successive families have added their distinct stamp over the years to this handsome Georgian property. Fair View is for auction on September 22nd with Lisney guiding €2.5 million.
An extension in the 1980s incorporated some original stables into the house. When the present owners moved in nine years ago, they completely refitted the kitchen and breakfastroom, remodelled the bathrooms, added more windows and internal glazed panel doors, giving lovely pools of light throughout; built a front porch, improved the gardens, and constructed a summer house/office at the end of the garden. Today its 299 sq m (3,218 sq ft) of space comprises three reception rooms, five bedrooms and two bathrooms.
A main and side hall on the ground floor, and two first floor wings give a lovely flow to the rooms, complemented by a decorative palette of earthy colours with pale lemon, cream, blonde and beige predominating, plus splashes of soft warm reds.
The pine-ceilinged porch leads into a large bright hall with original Portland stone floor and period double doors with fanlight. The drawingroom with marble and brass Adam mantelpiece and front-facing window is decorated in mid blue and cream.
Across the hall, the diningroom has front and side views.
A family room, which was the kitchen in earlier times, retains a rustic feel. A fitted dresser in antique pine has become a stylish book case, there is alcove shelving, two windows, one with a windowseat and underneath storage, and a wood-burning stove with redbrick surround.
A side hall leads to a recessed patio garden area and there is a wc off the main hall. A warm, bright kitchen is accessed both from the family room and side hall. An oil-fired Aga fits well with the maple Shaker-style units by John Ryan of Gorey.
An arch leads to the breakfastroom where a large table overlooks the sunny front patio. There is an extensive range of Bosch integrated equipment, and the floor in both rooms is of red quarry tile. Off the kitchen is a shelved pantry, and a good sized utility room has stairs leading up to a storage area which has a door to the rear garden.
Upstairs the floor divides. The main wing has four bedrooms. The main bedroom has a wall of fitted storage. Its en suite bathroom has an antique rolltop-style bath, pedestal basin, toilet, and bidet. Next is a bedroom currently used as a study, while a large bedroom with two windows is connected to a dressingroom. A fourth bedroom has a fireplace with slate mantel.
The opposite wing has a lovely bedroom decorated in pale lilac with a polished pine floor, sloping ceiling and Velux window. The second bathroom is smart and modern, with a power shower and porthole window.
Electronically controlled wrought iron gates open to a gravel drive with ample car-parking. The house overlooks a large railed paddock with a garage, house, pony stable and log shed nearby. Steps lead to an upper front lawn. More steps via a Victorian greenhouse climb to the original kitchen gardens bound by box hedging, with extensive fruit trees alongside.
A path continues upward to an extensive decking area and timber house with verandah which has been used as an office. Here you look down on the angles and planes of the house, surrounded by greenery, with the sea in the distance.
