Willow Brook nestles in Saval Park, one of the premium roads in Dalkey, writes
BERNICE HARRISON
THE RANGE of houses on Dalkey’s long and winding Saval Park Road are many and varied in terms of style but one thing that’s common to them all is that they tend to be large, detached and those that look as though they changed hands during the boom were extended and upgraded.
It’s a road that now features a sizable number of keypad controlled electric gates – a sure sign that the boom swept through.
It’s one of Dalkey’s premium roads even though it is a fair walk to the village and sea views tend to be snatched vistas up at attic level.
Willow Brook, 2 Saval Park, was built as part of a small development which came on the market at the height of the boom. The houses mostly front on to the road, and are very large and undeniably at the luxury end of the scale.
They are unusual though for this part of the world in that they are mock Tudor, a style favoured in upmarket new builds in the UK and affluent pockets of suburban US.
Willow Brook is different from the others in the development – they front onto the main road – while it is behind tall gates in an enclave of just one other house. It is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald for €2.45 million – a strong price for a suburban house these days. Although a selling point here has to be that it is in perfect walk-in condition – new owners won’t have to lift a paintbrush. The six bedroom, 4,600sq ft house was built around six years ago, it took a couple of years to sell and the family that now own it moved in just four years ago.
They changed the layout to suit themselves – moving the kitchen, which unusually was at the front of the house, to the back and added a glazed extension to the kitchen for light, space for a large dining table and to give better access to the garden for their children. They also commissioned a new kitchen for the larger space and it features smart painted units – in a soft grey – as well as top of the range integrated appliances. There are three reception rooms – currently used as a living room, a playroom and a family room, though new owners could easily use one of these as a formal dining room if required.
There is a very large, fully kitted out utility room at the back of the house, at the other side of the hall, as well as a large cloakroom and a guest toilet.
The impressive entrance hall was what first attracted the owners to the house – it is double height (allowing for a gallery on the landing), bright and with a feature staircase.
Upstairs the bedrooms are on two levels – up at attic level is the enormous master bedroom with fitted wardrobes, walk-in dressing room, ensuite bathroom and sea views through the tall rooflights.
The five other bedrooms are on the level below and are all doubles with ensuites and built-in wardrobes – one is currently used as a home office, another as a teenage den – the family don’t really need a six bedroom house and are downsizing.
In keeping with recently built houses, the size of the back garden seems disproportionate to the house – and this south east facing one at 18.3m x 11.5m isn’t enormous though it has been well done with a cute children’s playhouse, lawn, a patio area and nice landscaping.
As there are only two houses in the enclave, parking isn’t a problem, although there is off-street parking for two cars allocated for Willow Brook.
Address: Willow Brook, 2 Saval Park, Dalkey
Description: six-bedrooms, three reception rooms, one large utility room, in walk-in condition
Agent: Sherry FitzGerald
