The road to Sallywood, a turn to the right before you enter Greystones, is long and winding, a deeply green five-minute drive that takes you from an urban to deepest country landscape. Sallywood manages the best of both worlds: neatly enclosed by trees, rolling green, Balruddery Estate and sea views, it is within hailing distance of Greystones.
On six acres, the location sold the site, along with a burnt-out bungalow that was the precursor to Sallywood, to owners Peter and Jennie exactly 10 years ago. “We climbed over the gate, sat in the garden, realised that if we cut the trees down we’d have sea views and decided this was it,” Peter explains. Downsizing, with many a backward glance, they’ve never regretted that decision.
“We knocked down the existing bungalow and built a home. Every room has a view,” Jennie says. “We’d moved from an old house and needed similar heights and spaces, so that’s what the architect gave us.”
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Quite an amount of space too. On two levels, Sallywood covers 4,840sq ft (449.6sq m), has five bedrooms (four en suite, one currently a study) a TV room, sittingroom, kitchen/living/dining area extending into a sunroom and games/playroom.
The land and gardens have been cared for and are in good heart. There are five good-sized paddocks, all fenced, two stables, large barn and lovely gardens. Land and house are for sale through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €1.65 million.
The reception hall is a living space on its own. Atrium-style, with parquet flooring that covers most of the ground floor, a wall of window and double glass doors frame the gently climbing rear garden. A wide, curving stairs lead to a first floor gallery.
The house was designed to flow from the sittingroom, where two box-windows with side panels overlook the garden and which leads directly to a TV room with distracting views of sail boats and ferries on the distant sea. The study – a cool, relaxed room – three good-sized bedrooms, “working area” with utility, larder and double garage/ workshop are all on this floor.
The main bedroom, with en suite and walk-in dressingroom, is on the first floor. So is a games/playroom with pitched ceiling and another viewing balcony.
