Penrose Lodge, a bungalow built by the current owners in the 1980s, has everything required to make a fantastic home. Its location will be hard to beat, with seclusion and privacy thanks to its one-acre garden overlooking the sea located down a quiet lane.
The views are stupendous, with the shining sea of Brownstown Head bay visible from most of the reception rooms to the front of the house, interspersed with rolling lawns studded with oak, eucalyptus, and Scotch pine trees, colourful hydrangea and carefully maintained hedges.
“It was a wonderful place to rear our children,” says the owner, who, with her husband, is moving to be closer to be family in Dublin. “We built it ourselves, we love it.” She found the site on Lodges Lane while scouting for houses four decades ago: “I could not believe the views when I walked on to the site.”
The four-bedroom house has three bathrooms, a drawingroom, a diningroom, a livingroom and a conservatory at the end of the 216 sq m (2,325 sq ft) house. Facing southeast, the reception rooms are sunny and bright and there is wonderful scope to knock the dividing wall between the kitchen to the back of the house and the informal livingroom at the front, creating one large, light-filled kitchen and living area.
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With most dining taking place in the conservatory, the red diningroom to the rear of the house could easily be sacrificed and turned into a study or playroom. It would be easy to pass all day in the lovely conservatory, gazing out on the sea below the gardens.
The owner remembers the carpenter who built it being particularly meticulous, and decades on, his craftsmanship stands the test of time.
The formal drawingroom, with its beautiful collection of antiques, is a serene, relaxing space. Three years ago the owners replaced all the windows and the doors, using Pinkerton triple-glazed glass, which has brought the Berof the house up to a B3.
The informal livingroom is called the winter sittingroom by the owner; they spend most of the winter enjoying the wood-burning stove and the sea views.
The owner recently painted over the pine ceiling here and along with the painted woodwork in the conservatory and the new windows this is a house that feels up to date, even with its classical decor.
The bedrooms are a fine size, the bathroom is in need of an update, but the en suite of the principal bedroom was recently renovated with a cream porcelain tile.
Outside there is a barbecue area that was frequently used for parties over the years and a stand-alone garage that could be converted into a fine office. With more than an acre of gardens there is endless potential for a garden or summer house, subject to planning permission, or a deck to take advantage of the views.
Nearby is the small but stunning Boat Cove, popular with daily swimmers and along with the Blue Flag beach at Tramore, the house is within easy driving of the Guillamene swimming cove, a popular place for high-tide. Overlooking the sea, yet within easy reach of the town, Penrose Lodge has all the qualities required for a comfortable seaside home. Penrose Lodge is on the market through Griffin Auctioneers, seeking €795,000.
