Number 32 Zion Road is a fine example of Arts and Crafts architecture – the anti-industrial movement from the turn of the last century.
Designed by architect Howard Cooke for his friend, colleague and neighbour John Fairweather – Cooke lived next door in a similarly designed house. It is the antithesis to Cooke's later work – the Art Deco industrial style Post Office in Rathmines.
The property reflects the craftsmanship of the era combined with sympathetic extensions carried out by the current owners, who have lived here since 1998.
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“We spent three-and-a-half years working on the property. It was a lot smaller then so we added a garden room, billiards room and totally refurbished the interiors,” recall the owners who are selling up to spend more time in Kerry.
The extensions are seamless and required craftsmen to spend three years on site.
“Aside from all the panelling we needed 13 custom-made doors, in addition to two bespoke fireplaces from Portugal, it almost ended in divorce.”
The garden room, with old brickwork and a large stove is truly outstanding, and immediately introduces the garden because the entire room opens up via concertina doors to merge the two spaces. Bougainvillea and ornamental figs happily grow inside looking out to a pond which local ducks and frogs call home.
Adjacent lies a billiards room, with a small bar – complete with a beer tap and optics for entertaining. Inspiration for this room was taken from Standen House in Sussex, one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts workmanship in the UK.
The property has two kitchens – again the craftsmanship is evident in the bobbin sides of the solid mahogany formal kitchen and solid limestone countertops.
For prospective buyers who need a home office, the house has two options. A formal panelled office with a separate entrance and bathroom, or a cosy intimate study that is part of the original build.
In addition, there is a formal sitting room overlooking the front of the property.
While the halls and part of the formal kitchen have been painstakingly hand-painted in chequerboard style, it’s a little crazy and somewhat detracts from the property’s features, but can easily be changed with a lick of paint.
There are four bedrooms on the first floor. The main bedroom has an impressive teak bathroom leading out to a terrace overlooking the garden. A further attic bedroom is smartly furnished to a nautical theme with ships bunks and portholes.
The gardens can only be described as magical and are set out to different themes. From a walled garden laden with edible delights, a tunnel of laburnum leading to a tomato-filled hot house, and herbaceous borders flanking three different patio areas, it really is a gardener’s paradise.
The owner previously won an award from An Taisce for her restoration of the Old School House on Eglington Terrace in Dundrum. One could assume, Howard Cooke who designed this house almost a century ago would certainly approve of her assimilation of old and new in this unique house which is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €2.25m.
