Always popular for its long gardens and family-sized homes, Glenageary is achieving top prices for some of its best roads. €7m Aylesbury in Glenageary has an acre of garden with a three-hole putting green and a coach-house for the boat writes Kate McMorrow.
New to the market on Adelaide Road is Aylesbury, a large Victorian house with a splendid interior and just over an acre of garden, including a large recently-built coach-house. Sherry FitzGerald is quoting an AMV of €7 million prior to auction on June 1st.
The owners poured money into the refurbishment, commissioning renowned gardener Anthony Shackleton to re-plan the grounds, while designers explored the potential of the 390 sq m (4,200 sq ft) interior. Underfloor heating, working shutters, glamorous fittings- you name it and this house has it.
While delightful from an aesthetic point of view, Victorian houses tend not to be practical for modern living. Hence, the formal rooms retain their period character, while a comfortable extension has become the most interesting part of the house. A visiting celebrity chef was bowled over by the ultra-chic steel and limestone kitchen and magazine editors are queuing up to arrange photo-shoots.
Aylesbury was built for the head of the Masonic order in the late Victorian era. Nowadays, electronic gates admit visitors to a gravelled drive which curves to granite steps and the front entrance. Inside, the timber-panelled ceiling and walls and sittingrooms have been painted in subtle period colours, with Farrow & Ball predominating.
The exception is a sunny yellow drawingroom with a fine marble and brass mantelpiece. A bay window looks out on a sheen of white tulips, beyond which is a three-hole putting green which cost €10,000 to install. A side window opens in two sections to a westerly terrace .
Another sittingroom has a Georgian marble fireplace and French Grey walls which are a perfect foil for the owners' art collection. Across the hall, a bay-windowed study is painted in the soft greeny hues of F&B Old White.
A contemporary kitchen/family/breakfastroom blends surprisingly well with the rest of the house. Soft cream and greys are carried through in limestone floors and extra-high ceilings. The family sittingroom leads through to a Miele kitchen with four-door Aga, electric cooker and gas wok hob.
A sink embedded in a Corian island unit has a striking high-curved tap with power delivery. Two steel Fisher & Paykel fridges are at different temperatures for vegetables and more perishable foods.
Steps lead down to a glass-walled dining area with walnut floor, fireplace and vaulted ceiling. Beyond the kitchen is a wing with en suite guest bedroom, games room and a wine cellar.
An ornate staircase bears a carved emblem of the Masonic order and date of the house's construction. The double bedroom on the return has an open staircase connecting to a mezzanine en suite, while a back staircase leads to the house-keeper's bedroom.
Further up is a front-facing bedroom with a full en suite bathroom, check curtains and a gingham-swathed four-poster that any little girl would envy.
The main bedroom suite has a chaise longue by the window and a bathroom and dressingroom divided by a dramatic curved glass wall.
The gardens are divided into hedged areas, with potential for further horticultural adventures.
A terrace outside the kitchen - each flag a different pattern - is a fine example of the craftsman landscaper at his best. The Victorian style coach- house at 104sq m (1,120sq ft) is big enough to convert to a separate residence.
