From the outside, Crossleigh, at 1 Novara Terrace, doesn’t look that special. The end-of-terrace house dates from 1862, when Bray was referred to as “Ireland’s Brighton” and the properties on Novara Terrace were built as holiday villas.
Once you get past its plain rendered front and uPVC windows, it has an abundance of period features whose authenticity will appeal to many.
There are quarry tiles in the front porch and lovely stained glass panels in the front door. Attractive decorative plaster adorns the hall, off which two of the property’s three reception rooms are located. To the left is a diningroom, to the right a sittingroom with built-in bookcases and an Edwardian fireplace. Both rooms have elegant friezes above their dado rails.
0 of 6
A walk-in wine cellar and bar is also located just off the hall. To the rear is a period breakfast room, untouched by time, with terracotta quarry tiles, a Stanley range and fine high ceilings.
Glazed doors lead through to a contemporary kitchen whose Shaker-style units and polished granite countertops clash with rather than complement the old-school feel of the adjacent room. Patio doors open out to the north-west-facing back garden. A wood-panelled summer house with stained glass panels is the highlight of this private space.
A TV room to the rear has sliding doors to the garden. There are two dark bedrooms on this level. Each has a shower en-suite bathroom.
On the hall return is an Edwardian-era bathroom, complete with a shower closet set into the freestanding bath that is original to the house. The room has lovely art nouveau wall tiles, a marble sink and a towel rack from the period. Painted turquoise, the sanitaryware is rather fabulous, in a gentleman’s club sort of way. Next door is an antique toilet with overhead cistern.
On the first floor landing, a stained glass skylight diffuses colour through its amber and blue panels.
In keeping with homes of its era there is a formal drawing room on this floor. The room’s two windows overlook red tiled roofs. Between these you can snatch glimpses of the sea, although the uPVC windows don’t help. This room has a lovely white marble fireplace and cornice plasterwork that features a colourful printed fruit motif.
To the left is the house’s principal suite, comprising a small hall and two large bedrooms; one with dark built-in wardrobes, the second a sunny space that overlooks the garden. Across the landing is another fine-sized double with a small shower en suite bathroom.
The house is sizeable, comprising 235sq m (3,224 sq ft) of space and is asking €1.1 million though agents SherryFitzGerald.
A bonus is that all residents of the terrace hold a key to the private park across the road.
There is off-street parking for several cars.
