There is something beguiling about beautiful homes in need of some TLC. The website Former Glory made its name by highlighting the intricacies of crumbling country period piles, and the Instagram handle, Romantic Irish Rescue, has garnered an impressive following for its devotion to the detailing of the homes it features.
Constructed in 1928, the double-fronted Kilcoran House will likely get a mention on one or other forum at some point. Built for entertaining, its recessed tiled-porch opens into a hall that still boasts its original tiles. Big square bay windows and simple cornices set the tone in the reception rooms on either side.
The drawing room to the left is carpeted, but underneath this is a floating timber floor, put in place especially for dancing parties. You can almost hear the chatter of guests from years long gone by and imagine a fire burning in its elegant white marble fireplace.
There is plenty of floorspace at entrance level but all of it needs complete refurbishment, including rewiring, replumbing and insulating with a material suitable for use in a period house.
Kilcoran House sits proudly on a 0.6 acre triangular-shaped site, the potential of which is illustrated by the planning permission granted in 2011 for two detached three-storey houses of 160sq m (1,722sq ft) facing on to Knapton Road. While the approval has since lapsed, this positive planning history certainly contributes to the €2.25 million asking price set by agents Lisney.
Looking at the existing property with a BER of F, it’s at the back of the stairs where the next owner will need do the most reconfiguring. While several rooms are already connected, the layout elsewhere needs reworking.
It all starts with a refro-fabulous tiled room fitted with a cream four-door Aga and side-door access outside. This leads through to a galley-style kitchen set out in avocado-green units that were very fashionable in the 1970s. From here, a hatch opens through to a games room within a single-storey extension.
Floored in parquet, this room is in poor condition and will need to be taken down and rebuilt. This room is also accessed from the hall via a study and steps down a level. It is here that someone with very deep pockets could look at replacing it with a contemporary construction to take better advantage of its sunny aspect.
Six bedrooms
All told, the six-bedroom house extends to 296sq m (3,195sq ft). On the return of the wide staircase is a bathroom, separate toilet and a single bedroom or study.
The first-floor landing is lit by a rectangular skylight and has five more bedrooms opening off it. Two of these are very large rooms with the box room between them crying out to become an en suite or Jack-and-Jill bathroom.
There is further potential in the attic, which is set out in two rooms.
A family with young children and and plenty of money might take a longer-term view and buy and renovate the house as it is. This is a process that would take at least a year, but it would allow them to enjoy the grounds, for this scale of mature and private gardens is rare, even in this high-end pocket of south county Dublin.
Should the new owners look to follow through on the plan to develop two new houses to the side of the existing property, they could either sell these, move into one themselves, or bring the in-laws along to live next door.
Kilcoran House last came to market in September 2006, when it had an advised minimum value of €6.5 million but was withdrawn.
