The story on this road goes that three detached, two-storey near-identical houses were built in the 1960s by three American pilots on substantial adjacent elevated plots on Balkill Road in Howth.
That the houses had large plate-glass windows, the living room upstairs, a big utility, a vast balcony and the clincher – air conditioning – seemed to prove the point.
Whatever about that – and they’ve changed over the years, so it’s hard to tell – but Caroline McEldowney grew up in one of them, Islandbawn, and when her parents downsized in 2003, she and her husband Marc Patton took over the property.
They undertook a complete remodelling – it helps that Patton’s business is hotel and commercial fit-outs – knocking internal walls to make bedrooms and bathrooms bigger but without adding to the house’s footprint.
And they took out the air conditioning.
The latest improvement was a lockdown project, with Patton replacing the timber decking on the balcony with easy-to-maintain composite, and removing the brick balustrades and replacing them with glass panels – so instantly improving the sea view over the treetops and making the outdoor space feel more contemporary.
Also on this deck, which has room for several pieces of furniture, is a hot tub, which Caroline says they bought suspecting it might become a rarely used novelty but that in fact they use it all the time.
There are four bedrooms – two upstairs, two down, two with en suites – and a bathroom with steam room in the 239.5sq m (2, 578sq ft) house.
The living accommodation runs across the sea-view side of the house, and opens on to that deep balcony.
There is a small conservatory off the kitchen to the side.
The family have three young children and with the treehouse, trampoline, extensive lawn and a timber cabin, there’s plenty of space to play. The garden to the front is significantly larger than the southwest-facing back garden, where there is a sun-trap patio. There is parking to the front for several cars.
Improvements also included new windows and glazed doors and improved insulation, and the house has a C3 energy rating. The family are trading up in the area. Islandbawn is for sale though Sherry FitzGerald, seeking €1.29 million.
