Co Donegal/€975,000: A spacious house close to the shores of Lough Swilly has a strong hint of the Orient, writes Kate McMorrow.
Probably the most unusual house on the Fanad Peninsula goes on the market today through Donegal agency Sherry FitzGerald Rainey, quoting €975,000.
Balladaheen House and ravishing three-acre Japanese gardens are in Portsalon, up the hill from Ballymastocker Beach on Lough Swilly.
The house was designed by Mary and David Hurley in classic Eastern-style following their return from Japan, where they lived for eight years at Kobe on Honshu Island. A steel frame reinforces the structure, cedar shingles are greying nicely on the exterior walls and the high roof line curves pagoda-style.
The 497sq m (5,350sq ft) interior has lofted ceilings, sliding screen doors, a yengawa sunroom on two sides of the sittingroom and acres of glass overlooking the sea.
The story of the house's creation began with a 30-acre farm bought from the then owner of Carrablagh House. The Hurley family were holidaying in a converted railway carriage on the beach at the time. Mary had been diagnosed with breast cancer and planning the garden helped her on the road to recovery, she believes.
"It's got lots of memories for us of great parties - a wonderful family home. We can't bear to let the garden go, but have decided to retire and just can't keep it up. And this is a big house for two people to rattle around in."
New owners will inherit a garden filled with rare Rhododendrons and plant species from Japan and China which thrive in the Gulf Stream climate. Inside the front door, a tranquil air predominates, with rooms sliding into each other via wide hallways and, everywhere, picture windows taking in the garden.
There is a drawingroom / diningroom with vaulted redwood ceiling, off which is the yengawa which works as a sun room opening to the lawn.
A study and huge Poggenpohl kitchen with an Aga and pantry, wonderful Zen bedroom with dressingroom and full en suite bathroom completes the downstairs accommodation. The en suite includes a wet room shower and Japanese-style plunge bath.
On the lower ground floor are another sittingroom with marble fireplace, three further bedrooms, one with an en suite wetroom, wine cellar and a number of ancillary rooms for storage and laundry. Viewers will ignore the cluster of sheds and workshops and proceed to the gardens, which are a delight to the senses. These open to the public in summer for local charities - a voluntary thing which need not be carried on by a new owner.
Plants from Chile, Japan, New Zealand and China thrive surprisingly well in the soft Lough Swilly air.
There is a natural helicopter landing area, deciduous and evergreen boundary and views over Lough Swilly.
