Property 29-10-2011 by Evening Echo

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Property 29.10.2011

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& Interiors

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PROPERTY

HOUSE WEEK OF THE

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Pristine Halldene Way offering

by Tommy Barker

E A CAD image of a house at Rosewood Manor, Innishannon; left and below, interior pictures.

HERE seems to be an appetite for relaunched national market in 2008 in Innishannon, guiding just new homes, at reasonable, post-boom prices, over and above the €1 million mark for the bigger and Innishannon’s Rosewood Manor, built to a stock — which is now reduced by approximately 50%. very high standard by Killarney’s Brian Overall density on the attractive site now has been Gallivan, is hoping for a slice of that action in the marginally reduced also from the planned 16, Savills village, just a 20 minute commute from Cork city. indicate. Case in point for new quality stock was last The site’s original vendor has one of the completed weekend’s showhouse new Victorian-styled opening of the significantly houses in lieu of the Location: Innishannon, Co Cork reduced new stock at older home that was Price: €490,000 to €360,000 Rochestown’s ‘Ashley’ houses. here, one other big ‘A’ The Edwardian-styled houses type was sold and Size: 240 sq m to 209 sq m featured over a full page here occupied, and they all Bedrooms: 4-3 on Saturday morning last, share the same high and resulted in over 100 open energy efficiency and BER rating: B2 viewings for joint agents comfort levels and B2 Broadband: Yes Savills and Sherry energy BER ratings, FitzGerald. with excellent airBest asset: Superior build quality And, at the start of this tightness. month, Savills also clocked up Windows are painted over 100 viewers on an open day at The Vicarage, Rationel low-e glazing, floors at first floor level are Carrs Hill in Douglas, another relaunched and priceconcrete, there’s a central vacuum and there are slashed up-market house development and got bidding painted kitchens, and quality bathrooms, plus alarm going on several properties during October. and wiring for sound and IT systems. Now, it is the turn of Innishannon’s Rosewood The floor plan is slightly unusual in that the fourManor, with three detached house types on offer via beds have one ground floor bedroom, with a bay Savills, at drastically reduced prices, ranging from window, and then each of the three house types on €360,000 for a well-specified 2,244 sq ft three bed to a offer (simple as A,B and C) have three en suite first 2,585 sq ft four-bed for €490,000. floor bedrooms. The setting by the Spires is mature There’s five houses built so far, and 15 were planned and wooded, with an old castle remnants on part of by the Kerry developer Brian Gallivan whose previous the site, and the city’s western suburbs are about a 20 Kenmare homes (Oakwood Manor) were among the minute daily commute, with the River Bandon flowing best finished on the Munster market during the boom: through Innishannon and on down to Kinsale. Brian Gallivan Developments came to a declining Selling agents Catherine McAuliffe and Sam Daunt

CONTENTS 5

TRADING UP Cork harbour views are captured from ‘upside-down’ Camden Road home

STARTERS A house for €25,000, or a pair for €50k? Take a visit to Waterford city duo

FEATURE Ballydehob’s The Well is an architectowned farmhouse upgrade

COVER STORY Go east for a case of classic, coastal contemporary house siting

12 14 16 18 20

of Savills says they expect good viewing interest at the just re-adjusted prices. “There are a lot of people who have sold their own homes in the past few years and have been sitting it out, renting and waiting for prices to come back to this sort of level,” Ms McAuliffe observes. There are open viewings at Rosewood Manor this coming Wednesday, from 2 to 4pm.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

No 20 Halldene Way has been extended.

XTENDED, spotless, and wellpriced, the four-bed home at 20 Halldene Way should be a highly sellable property for its trading-down owners. And, ironically, at its €325,000 asking price, it could even be bought by a first-time buyer couple with bankable prospects. Set deep into the late 1960s/early 1970s Bishopstown estate built by Michael O’Halloran off the Curraheen road, it was extended and upgraded about 15 years ago, and has remained

pristine without obviously dating. Its back garden was landscaped then too by Dominick Cullinane, and while it has matured, the hard landscaping (lots of Liscannor stone) looks as good as day one, while the front garden has been paved. Bright inside, and newly listed with agent Catherine McAuliffe of Savills, it’s got a lot going for it, with quality but non-flashy touches: they include a cardinal red Aga oven in the kitchen/ dining room, and two of its four

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Best feature:

bedrooms are en suite, with Hans Grohe pumped showers. It’s upgraded and twostorey side extension (with additional space behind also over two levels) was overseen by architect Tony Dennehy and designer Geraldine Dennehy was involved in the interiors, so it all flows and looks well, while the front facade is a well-integrated match for the original brick and tile. There are two main reception rooms, plus an original retained serving hatch from the kitchen/dining room to the

Highly prized Waterford address

by Tommy Barker

Bishopstown, Cork €325,000 155 sq m (1,674 sq ft) 4 Pending Spotless, and spacious

rear family room. This level has a front office/music room, guest WC and a decent-sized utility/back kitchen, complete with electric back-up oven to supplement the Aga in summer months. The house feels large overhead too, with a good master bedroom to the back with walk-in wardrobe, plus a spacious en suite, and the added-on side bedroom is also en suite, with a double shower. VERDICT: One of the better packages in the western suburbs, and affordable.

DNG WH Giles “Celloville”, Aughacasla, Castlegregory, Co. Kerry • Detached 4 bedroomed bungalow on a large elevated site with exceptional sea views. • Walking distance to the beach and the popular tourist village of Castlegregory.

VERDICT: Innishannon has always been popular, traditionally with limited stock, and the new prices here will put the houses back on buyers’ radar as affordable trade-ups.

Price: €158,000

Garfinny, Dingle, Co. Kerry

No 27 Newtown Road, Waterford, has €395,000 guide price.

INTERIORS DIY WISH LIST DESIGNER GARDENING

PROPERTY EDITOR Tommy Barker, 021 4802221 property@examiner.ie INTERIORS EDITOR Esther McCarthy, 021 4802386 interiors@examiner.ie INTERIORS ADVERTISING Ger Duggan, 021 4802192 interiorads@examiner.ie PROPERTY ADVERTISING Marguerite Stafford, 021 4802100 marguerite.stafford@examiner.ie

PROPERTY

EPT simply, and simply well-kept, is the period red-brick Waterford city home at 27 Newtown Road, one of the city’s best addresses. There’s been no new house building here for years, so existing homes are highly prized and well looked after, trading well all the time, says agent Deirdre Phelan of Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan. She’s smitten by the retained integrity of No 27, which is close to

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

the 1798-founded Newtown School as well as the De La Salle boys’ school, plus the amenity public park is minutes away. Semi-detached No 27 has lots of side gable windows, making for a very bright interior, and the house has been sensitively upgraded by its owners down the years. There’s a bright dining room, a front drawing room with black slate fireplace and shallow bay window with double sashes, and a characterful kitchen/dining room

Newtown, Waterford €395,000 184 Sq m (2,000 sq ft) 4 Exempt Yes

with beamed ceiling and twin sash windows either side of the glazed garden door. There are views down the long, immaculate walled-in back garden, which has a paved patio, water feature, plus seating and storage areas. Overhead in this attractive twostorey home are four bedrooms, shower room and a main family bathroom. VERDICT: A classic Waterford city trading up family home.

• Well maintained detached 3 bedroomed fully furnished bungalow with sea views. • Close to Dingle town, marina, restaurants, shops and Slea Head Drive.

Price: €158,000

Burnham, Dingle, Co. Kerry • Superb detached 4/5 bedroomed home with detached garage • This property has been finished to an exceptional standard and commands views of Dingle Bay and town, Mount Brandon and sister mountains. • Exceptional value

Price: Reduced from €480,000 to €260,000

23 Denny St., Tralee, Co. Kerry. Tel. 066 7121073 Fax. 066 7121261 E.mail: info@whgiles.ie IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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PROPERTY

HOUSE WEEK OF THE

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Pristine Halldene Way offering

by Tommy Barker

E A CAD image of a house at Rosewood Manor, Innishannon; left and below, interior pictures.

CONTENTS 5

TRADING UP Cork harbour views are captured from ‘upside-down’ Camden Road home

STARTERS A house for €25,000, or a pair for €50k? Take a visit to Waterford city duo

FEATURE Ballydehob’s The Well is an architectowned farmhouse upgrade

COVER STORY Go east for a case of classic, coastal contemporary house siting

12 14 16 18 20

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

No 20 Halldene Way has been extended.

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Best feature:

Highly prized Waterford address

by Tommy Barker

Bishopstown, Cork €325,000 155 sq m (1,674 sq ft) 4 Pending Spotless, and spacious

VERDICT: Innishannon has always been popular, traditionally with limited stock, and the new prices here will put the houses back on buyers’ radar as affordable trade-ups.

Price: €158,000

Garfinny, Dingle, Co. Kerry

No 27 Newtown Road, Waterford, has €395,000 guide price.

INTERIORS DIY WISH LIST DESIGNER GARDENING

PROPERTY

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Newtown, Waterford €395,000 184 Sq m (2,000 sq ft) 4 Exempt Yes

• Well maintained detached 3 bedroomed fully furnished bungalow with sea views. • Close to Dingle town, marina, restaurants, shops and Slea Head Drive.

Price: €158,000

Price: Reduced from €480,000 to €260,000

23 Denny St., Tralee, Co. Kerry. Tel. 066 7121073 Fax. 066 7121261 E.mail: info@whgiles.ie IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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PROPERTY

TRADING UP

WATERFALL, CORK €350,000 Sq m: 186 (2,000 sq ft) BER rating: C2

Bedrooms: 4/5 Broadband: Yes

THIS house at Windsor, Waterfall, is the typical, rural one-off. Standing on a site of a third of an acre, close to Ballincollig and Bishopstown, the property is a new market listing with Michael Downey of ERA Downey McCarthy. A four to five bed house, it was built in 1999 and is in good condition, he says, but new owners will more than likely tweak it a little. Two and a half miles from Waterfall village, the house has mature gardens, says Downey and extensive living space, but the size of the site would allow an extension, if needed. A simple dormer, it comes with a central entrance hallway with a living room of 12’ by 10’ to one side and a lounge of similar proportions. The open plan kitchen dining room is 18’ by 11’ and comes fully fitted, with separate utility room and the ground floor also includes a formal dining room. According to Downey, this could serve as a gym or home office and it’s joined by another, en suite bedroom of 12’ by 14’. Overhead, the master bedroom of 20’ by 10’ comes with a walk-in wardrobe and the second bedroom is en suite while bedrooms three and four share a main bathroom. VERDICT: A good solid house for trader-uppers.

FEATURE

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

WATERFORD CITY €150,000 Sq m: 289 (3,100 sq ft) BER rating: na

Bedrooms: 5 Broadband: Yes

WITH the drop in house values, it can be cheaper to buy an existing home at your desired level than to try to build it — but that’s assuming the location of built stock suits you in the first place. However, it would be hard to trump a location like Waterford city’s King’s Channel, and the chance to buy a quarter acre site at No 34 with direct water access is definitely gong to get upmarket home hunters twitching. The opportunity to build a dream trading-up home in one of Waterford’s best residential locations is on offer with Deirdre Phelan, of Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan, for€150,00. The site, in amongst completed large detached homes looking over the Suir, to wooded hills beyond, and with glimpses of the island-set Waterford Castle as well, has full planing for a c. 3,000 sq ft new-build, with basement storage rooms and large attic level rooms as well. Building and finishing a house of this size to a reasonably good standard will probably cost a further €400,000 to €500,000, on top of the site acquisition cost, but at least buyers get to determine (and budget for) every last internal specification. VERDICT: It’s a lifestyle choice - on the waterfront in Waterford - for those who can’t find what they want already-built.

CORK CITY €540,000 DESPITE getting the selling agent’s company name wrong in these pages last week, house hunters seem to have managed to track down the essentials on Villa Nova, a muscular Edwardian home on Cork city’s College Road. It’s listed with Brian Olden of Cohalan Downing, who also sold a similar-sized house two doors away in one of the city’s strongest residential sales of 2010 for over €800,000, but on far larger gardens.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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BALLYFEARD, CORK €395,000 Sq m:280 (3,000 sq ft) BER rating: C2

Bedrooms:6 Broadband:Yes

THE price drop down to €395,000 is bringing a fresh wave of viewers to this big, well-built family home on a half acre site near Ballyfeard, in coastal south Cork. So says agent Dan Howard of Dooley and Howard, who is surprisingly upbeat about the current market, and who reports competitive bidding on welllocated and well-priced homes. “There’s lots of people who sold a few years ago and are buying now because of the value. I see banks like AIB and Bank of Ireland giving mortgages, and I had a buyer approved with one bank, who switched to another because he got a better mortgage deal,” he said. Now, he hopes the same positivity will attach to this Farrenbrien east dormer home; Earlier this year, another agent had it priced at €525k, in late summer Mr Howard reduced it to €465k, and now it is pared back to a sub-€400k level, to €395,000, and that’s for a very well specified, comfortable and warm timber-framed home. “It has underfloor heating, central vacuum, high ceilings and a good level of finish,” says the agent. The house is near Minane Bridge, Ballyfeard, by the coastline and both Kinsale and Carrigaline are an easy drive away. VERDICT: Lots of space, in open rural setting.

Sq m: 232 (2,500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

FEATURE

This upside-down house is ideal for design fans, writes Tommy Barker

Penthouse life in the harbour

ROCHESTOWN, CORK €345,000 Sq m: Sq m 137 BER rating:Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

THE three-bed bungalow at 26, Foxwood Drive in Cork’s upper Rochestown seems to get bigger the further back you go inside — and it’s no illusion, the biggest space is in the rear extension. Dating to the mid-1990s, and extended in 2004 with a 21’ by 14’ open and highceilinged space grafted on, the characterful home is now for sale for €345,000 via agents Jeremy Murphy Associates. One of its three beds is en suite, another has a gas fire, and overall condition is very good, with a densely planted rear garden, plus decking and sitting our space. Other rooms include a kitchen/diner, and a family/music/entertainment room. Selling agent Mr Murphy says it is going to suit a range of buyers looking for something just that bit different, yet entirely practical, and the mix includes singles, couples, and retirees/traders down. VERDICT: Foxwood is popular with young families, as there’s a new national school nearby, as well as shops and services in the large Mount Oval development, so No 26, with a recent price adjustment could see a spread of viewing interest, from start-up families to those hoping to live all on the one level in a quiet and mature estate.

Bedrooms: 5-6 Broadband: Yes

Villa Nova has already attracted calls and viewing interest, and the location opposite the Bon Secours hospital near UCC makes it easy to find, as does the For Sale sign with the Cohalan Downing, name on it. Key attributes, apart from the location and proximity to city centre, are size, period detailing, south-facing back garden, off-street parking and solidity. VERDICT: Price looks good when compared to last year’s similar house sale.

HINK of Lioscairn as a sort of penthouse apartment, and this house makes a lot of sense for home-hunters in search of something a bit different. The four-bed home up on the Camden Road in Cork harbour’s Crosshaven is, quite sensibly, an “upside down” house, with its best views captured from the upper deck with its big sweep of open plan living, dining and cooking space, all flooded with light, and begging for a telescope to hone in on the world passing by outside. While the full sweep of Cork’s harbour and islands glory is in full display to the north, Crosshaven’s marina and boat-strewn estuary is to the west, and directly south, Lioscairn has a stand-like command of Crosshaven AFC’s soccer pitch just over its boundary. This 1,800 sq ft four-bed (two en suite) home replaced an earlier dwelling on the site, and was built about five years ago, being quite sensibly laid out for the vista to hand. Right next door, another new-build currently under construction shows how consistently sought-after Camden Road is for house renewal: this, after all, was one the hinterland’s noted spots for “Ford Box” homes, and one house here for decades was even a converted double-decker bus. Like the bays

over the headland, much of that quirky old stock is being replaced by better quality homes with some serious architecture and enviable pads in spots. Designed by Sean Lyons, Liscairn comes up for sale with Jean O’Donovan and Eileen Bergin of Trading Places in Cork city, who guide it at €550,000, and who suggest it is open to realistic offers. It needs just a bit of tidying up and changing around to maximise its value and site’s worth, and its target market is most likely traders-down and couples. It’s currently a family home, with space maximised for coping with young children, but it’s just not the best layout for that demographic. The basics are good: a warm, timber frame home, flooded with light, and with balcony/decking front and back giving external access from the main living (all too often, upside down layouts mean no relationship to the great outdoors. Here, the two sets of French doors almost demand to be left open, tempting with al fresco dining, especially with sunsets up the estuary over the crowded forests of yacht masts. Decor-wise, the look is a bit at variance with the modernity of the layout, it really is more suited to crisp, clean uncluttered lines and sparse designer furniture. Essentials are all good, though, lots of glass,

including five glazed panels up on the roof ’s southern slopes, plus a feature gable window in glass blocks. There’s also airy high ceilings in the scene-stealing main room, three well-finished bathrooms in neutral tiling, and quality oak internal joinery, and the kitchen’s bright, to the rear in a long galley shape, probably more apartment sized and scaled than in a sizeable four-bed home, but it does seem to work ergonomically, with a curved high bar/serving counter by the main living room. Externally, there’s a sloping front garden and drive for off-street parking just up from the Camden Road, and the approach is probably the best place to start with a bit of aesthetic upgrades, some landscaping, a re-done or stone-faced front wall. Lioscairn has oil heating, a gas insert in the tall white marble fireplace in the feature gable, and loads of solar gain. A BER isn’t done yet, but with timber framing and other attributes, it should be a place that can be achingly cool, yet warm at the same time. VERDICT: Well worth a look, if only initially for the seagull’s vista, and design-savvy viewers will probably find ideas for a more finished, cohesive look coming rapidly to mind.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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PROPERTY

TRADING UP

WATERFALL, CORK €350,000 Sq m: 186 (2,000 sq ft) BER rating: C2

Bedrooms: 4/5 Broadband: Yes

FEATURE

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

WATERFORD CITY €150,000 Sq m: 289 (3,100 sq ft) BER rating: na

Bedrooms: 5 Broadband: Yes

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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BALLYFEARD, CORK €395,000 Sq m:280 (3,000 sq ft) BER rating: C2

Bedrooms:6 Broadband:Yes

Sq m: 232 (2,500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

FEATURE

This upside-down house is ideal for design fans, writes Tommy Barker

Penthouse life in the harbour

ROCHESTOWN, CORK €345,000 Sq m: Sq m 137 BER rating:Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Bedrooms: 5-6 Broadband: Yes

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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STARTER HOMES

Back garden bonus in Glanmire

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FEATURE

The Well is charming Restored west Cork farmhouse is a bit of a gem, Tommy Barker reports

WATERFORD CITY €25,000 Sq m: 45 (500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 2 Broadband: Yes

IT is like a zero has dropped off the end of the asking price for each of these two do-er upper cottages — they’re just €25,000 each, or €50k for the attached duo in need of full make-over. The semi-detached cottages at Waterford city’s Summerhill Terrace have a just-lapsed planning grant for rebuilding as three-bed, three en suite dormers. They’re near Government Buildings, WIT, an Aldi and SuperValu, and are highly rentable, or could suit an enterprising DIY-er, suggest agents Sherry FitzGerald John Rohan. VERDICT Prices are on the floor, but you’ll be digging up the floors as part of the upgrade.

WILTON, CORK €79,500 Sq m: 60 (650 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Above, 19 Oakfield Close, in Glanmire, Co Cork; right, No 4 Barrymore Estate is also in the Glanmire area, near Sallybrook.

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

Glanmire (both houses) €195,000 950 sq ft and 850 sq ft 3 Pending Yes

A GOOD south-western orientation is a back garden bonus with the three bed detached bungalow, 19 Oakfield Close, in Glanmire, just a few miles east of the city. The home is in good overall condition, in a cul de sac in the well-regarded Oakfield scheme, says selling agent Michael O’Donovan of Sherry FitzGerald who guides it at €195,000 and aiming it equally at first-time buyers and traders-down. The single storey dwelling has a maple-floored front living room with bay window and gas fire, a kitchen/dining room with garden access, main

Compact Winter’s Hill home at a bargain price

VERDICT: It’s been re-insulated, has gas central heating, living room with fireplace, kitchen, two double bedrooms — what’s not to like at €79k?

BUILT originally for workers’ families at the nearby distillery on Cork city’s North Mall, the compact home 27 Winter’s Hill is for sale after recently rearing a family of six. The original ‘two-up, two-down’ end-of-terrace house in a cul de sac just up from the North Gate Bridge, was rebuilt after being damaged by fire in the 1950s, and now has been marginally extended at the rear with extra kitchen space added on. Selling agent Michael Burns says it is being offered at “a bargain price”, and says a purchaser may build a new bathroom over the kitchen as the current loo is only an outdoor one: “The house itself is cosy and in good condition.” Rooms past the small porch include two small reception rooms, kitchen, and two overhead bedrooms. The location, between Sunday’s Well Road and Blarney Street, is close to essential amenities, such as the primary school Scoil Colmcille, the city centre’s a five minute walk, UCC is easily reached via the Distillery Fields and the new pedestrian Mardyke Bridge while the “the area is a quiet and mature location and would be most suitable for a first time buyer or investor,” adds the auctioneer.

COBH, CO CORK €110,000 Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

ALTHOUGH needing doing up, No 14 Lake Road in Cobh is a terraced home with potential, for owneroccupiers and investors. Dating to the 1800s, it has rear access and scope for parking behind, says selling agent Johanna Murphy. No 14 has a single storey kitchen extension, ground floor bathroom and two reception rooms, with three bedrooms. VERDICT: Auctioneer says there’s potential for a DIY enthusiast as essentials sound.

VERDICT: With no price difference, buyers will probably choose on the basis of location.

Bedrooms: 2 Broadband: Yes

PROBABLY the cheapest property in Wilton in Cork right now is 5 Westbury Court, one of four two-bed apartments in a block in the western suburbs near the shopping centre and CUH. Renovated about three years ago, the ground floor unit is currently rented at a competitive €625 a month, showing a 9% return. A new owner can chose to occupy it themselves, or continue to rent, says agent Shane Finn of DNG Creedon, guiding for keen vendors (it’s part of an executor sale) at €79,500.

Sq m: 82 (900 sq ft) BER rating: pending

bathroom and three bedrooms, one of them en suite, and the hall runs up the middle of the house ending in the kitchen. MEANWHILE, also with the same selling agent in the Glanmire area is Fenwick, or No 4 Barrymore Estate near Sallybrook. A semi-detached three-bed bungalow of 850 sq ft, and with very well kept gardens with decking, it also carries a €195,000 asking price via Sherry FitzGerald.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

VERDICT: Unless you’re very hardy, you’ll need to bring the plumbing and sanitary facilities indoors.

The Well at Gurteenulla in west Cork steeped in its locales.

HE stone to build The Well at Gurteenulla in west Cork has little or no ‘air-miles’ — it was quarried at a rock-face a few yards west of where this 19th century restored farmhouse now stands. Called after a drinking trough by a small boundary stream of this 1.5 acre holding, The Well is very much steeped in its locale: its townland name translates as the “small field of the altar” and, it is said, that it was named after an altar in a field nearby. This cluster of buildings, within distant sight of the Fastnet lighthouse’s sweep at night, had been derelict for about 15 years when it was bought

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

Cork City €70,000 50 sq m (550 sq ft) 2 Pending Yes

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

around 1994 by a British-based architect who oversaw its appropriate restoration and the integration of outbuildings, with a further burst of upgrades in 2000. It has since served both as a holiday bolt-hole and as a highly lettable investment thanks to its comfort levels and retained integrity: now, though, it comes up for sale, via Maeve McCarthy of Charles P McCarthy in nearby Skibbereen, carrying a €280,000 price guide. She says it has charm and character, comfort, space, and grounds just up a quiet boreen, a warm southerly aspect and outbuildings - a good package, less than an hour and a half from Cork city, airport and ferry.

Ballydehob, Cork €280,000 131 sq m (1,400 sq ft) 4 Pending Yes

The original small farmhouse which was a three-bed is now larger four-bed, and integrates an adjoining cattle byre and hayloft overhead, plus a dairy and a stable, while the remains of the manger in the garden store still exist. The upgraded long building with rear extension is now a ground floor bed four, and there’s a sun-room/ conservatory faced in painted timber of the western gable and workshop/store. The Well’s southerly aspect is unusual for its age and type, as typically houses of that period turned their back or at least a gable to the prevailing southwesterlies, and this aspect opens up a nice outdoor dining area for fine days. The house’s original structure has three bedrooms, plus a novelty in the bathroom, up over the entrance porch in a two-storey protrusion. This room is home to a sunken bath, with views out the southerly aspected sash window alongside. During the conversion the owner says he planned to put a door from the 24’ by 12’ double aspect living room to the ‘barn’, but when he saw the large

fireplace with a stone arch spanning the width of the room he rightly decided to keep it as an eye-catching feature. The acre and a half of gardens (divided in natural sections by rocky outcrops) had become completely overgrown, taking several years to clear, to plant an orchard, to lay a lawn and to add to the existing indigenous collection of the plants and trees. Long views from the property include the Baltimore Ridge, Cape Clear island at the mouth of Roaringwater Bay and the gimlet gleam of the Fastnet, six miles out to sea. Agent Maeve McCarthy says it’s a bit of a gem, secluded yet near services and village life and the sea. Features include retained original materials and ‘feel,’ that great fireplace (though there’s also oil central heating, kitchen with solid timber units, Belfast sink and pantry, half doors in the back porch, the sun-room, gardens and buildings. The real deal, only better than original.

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STARTER HOMES

Back garden bonus in Glanmire

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FEATURE

The Well is charming Restored west Cork farmhouse is a bit of a gem, Tommy Barker reports

WATERFORD CITY €25,000 Sq m: 45 (500 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 2 Broadband: Yes

WILTON, CORK €79,500 Sq m: 60 (650 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Above, 19 Oakfield Close, in Glanmire, Co Cork; right, No 4 Barrymore Estate is also in the Glanmire area, near Sallybrook.

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

Glanmire (both houses) €195,000 950 sq ft and 850 sq ft 3 Pending Yes

Compact Winter’s Hill home at a bargain price

VERDICT: It’s been re-insulated, has gas central heating, living room with fireplace, kitchen, two double bedrooms — what’s not to like at €79k?

COBH, CO CORK €110,000 Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

VERDICT: With no price difference, buyers will probably choose on the basis of location.

Bedrooms: 2 Broadband: Yes

Sq m: 82 (900 sq ft) BER rating: pending

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

VERDICT: Unless you’re very hardy, you’ll need to bring the plumbing and sanitary facilities indoors.

The Well at Gurteenulla in west Cork steeped in its locales.

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

Cork City €70,000 50 sq m (550 sq ft) 2 Pending Yes

Location: Price: Size: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband:

Ballydehob, Cork €280,000 131 sq m (1,400 sq ft) 4 Pending Yes

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Farmhouse shows modern take on a very old form This home, confidently sitting on a hillside in east Cork, shows the benefits of embracing contemporary design, writes Rose Martin Pictures: Denis Scannell

RCHITECTURE in Ireland is a bit like cookery programming — an awful lot of ‘here’s one I prepared earlier’. High-density urban houses, holiday homes and in particular, rural one-off housing all follow a very limited pattern — basically, there’s modern vernacular and Georgian pastiche with neoVictorian for upmarket city estates and Tudorbethan for the most part in inappropriate settings. It’s why a number of councils produced planning books and one in particular, Cork County Council’s 2004 Rural Design Guide, went to a second edition within weeks. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be reflected on the landscape — there are very few of its low fuss, bare-faced, house types built. And it begs the question why it is that this generation has not created a defining architecture for the new century, just redraws of the same old same old. And that this occurred in the midst of a property frenzy is even more puzzling. Are we too staid, too conservative to try something new, something different? Not so, however, in a small, enfolded bay in east Cork where a strikingly modern take on a very old form — the modest, two-storey farmhouse — sits brazenly on a hillside, where the sheer bravado of the design is counter-pointed by a cluster of old, tilted farm buildings next door — the true vernacular. An unpretentious build with a familiar, rectangular box shape, architect Paul Keating of Keating Associates has played around with perception in his asymmetrical approach.

The design brings you up short — there’s that striking central gable, corner windows and other irregular shapes. Built in 2005, this is a house that will be rooted in its own time, not a previous century and it’s carries that approach internally as well as externally. Because it faces north-west, with its short end facing due south, this house is scythed by winds at the best of time and already this year, the gales have been unrelenting. Which is why Paul Keating ditched the

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

whole idea of a front door and went with a rear entrance as part of sheltered, courtyard of buildings, (again, bringing in the old but referenced in a new style). So, there’s a small, porch projection, a garage and boiler house providing a shelter belt from the prevailing southwesterlies and creating a level, tarmac surface for play (the kitchen window overlooks the yard for benign supervision) There’s a great modesty to this house, but the detailing is

unstinting and reveals itself slowly. There’s no grand entrance hall, instead just a square vestibule giving access to each area of the ground floor. Finished in an almost 1960s style, warm narrow wood-toned tiles with shelf inserts along with light mahogany doors, give a grounded feel. But there’s fun too with the commercial, lime green weighing scales and Mexican blue tiling in the ground floor bathroom. It’s the one break with a calm palette of colours used throughout the living space. The house is one room deep, perfect for light, and all the main rooms interconnect so there are no wasteful corridors. Again, the layout trounces ingrained thinking by not having a main entrance, but also by putting the staircase elsewhere — at the far end of the house, where the letter box windows add a whole other dimension to ascending and descending the steps. The views are great and the architecture is visible here too, as the staircase provides a void over the kitchen dining room, creating space and letting light fall from above. There’s a clever touch too in the inset handrail — the surface has secret lighting with opaque glass that washes the wall at night, but also provides safe passage for children and visitors after dark. Rooms sizes are good, but not showy huge: the main living room has remarkably good Italian sofas from Dunnes and in the dining room, a handmade table in oak, from Paul McCarthy in Ardmore, while the kitchen is an off-the-peg one from Express Kitchens. Doors and architrave are specially made by Kelleher

Architect Paul Keating played around with perception in his asymmetrical approach with a striking central gable, corner windows and other detailing that reveals itself slowly.

Joinery in sepele mahogany. There’s a consciousness too of the needs of children, the ground floor has lots of toy storage in floor-to-ceiling builtins and a second living room is handed over totally to a playroom, but is part of a flow of rooms running in a L-shape from the kitchen to the ground floor guest bedroom. Paul Keating says putting a huge amount of glazing in this house would have been selfdefeating — not only would it

have exposed it to the elements, but it would have compromised the owner’s privacy too. So, he has concentrated instead on ‘selective’ views, creating a huge, corner window in the main living room that gives a direct view over the sea, while screening neighbouring houses and allowing privacy inside. There are full height windows in the kitchen too, which open onto a simple, square deck that has a superb position — it sits full south

overlooking the beach, the bay and the landscape — on a pet day in late autumn, the view is breathtaking. That’s why this house is here — not only is it a family place for generations, but it fits a family for whom water sports are important. With sand, body boards, dogs and children, small wonder the ground floor is fully tiled and has underfloor heating to offset chills. Surfaces are hardwearing, but sleek, like the

leather couches, and dining chairs, and the kitchen is confined to a strip along one wall, however, it works because it’s well designed. There’s a sit-to working island, but the units run through to the galley utility, where large appliances are stored on a continuation of the workspace: all the large appliances are to hand, but still out of the way. The opposite wall has floorto-ceiling, closed storage, with

a door outside for easy access. The dining area, which has full width doors leading to a large decked area, comes with a wide oak table designed by the owner to be used on every side. Cleverly, a hall table made to the same dimensions can be tagged on for large groups, and Christmas dinner. Bi-fold, sandblasted doors lead through from the dining room to the family room/ playroom and then another set of doors lead through to >>>

Putting a huge amount of glazing in this house would have have exposed it to the elements, and it would have compromised the owner’s privacy

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Architect Paul Keating played around with perception in his asymmetrical approach with a striking central gable, corner windows and other detailing that reveals itself slowly.

Putting a huge amount of glazing in this house would have have exposed it to the elements, and it would have compromised the owner’s privacy

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COVER STORY

GETTHELOOK

Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them

1. Mash it up: Old school scales in lime against blue — delicious. Find similar at auction, car boot sales and online.

2. Bit of bling — this silver lamp table perks up a bedroom. Get the same finish by covering a faded locker with analglypta paper, silver paint and a strong, fixing top coat. 3. Light my fire: Simple, elegant and easy to keep. It’s not necessary to buy off the peg, a competent builder can install a raised hearth. Use matt slate to trim and finish with a fire basket. Or, have an engineering company forge a bespoke number. 4.The Works: Save up for a complete bedroom suite and create your own family heir loom. Six foot bed and matching suite: Casey Furniture, Cork and Limerickwww.caseys.ie 5. Bespoke Oak table Paul McCarthy Furniture, Ardmore, Co Waterford www.waterfordwood.com 6. Door stop: this whimsical door stop was sourced in Cork but find similar online. www.occahome.co.uk/ralph-stonedoor-stop

SOURCEBOOK >>> the main living room. A good rectangular space, it has a great fireplace — just a simple, brick-built opening trimmed with matt slate and inset with a neat, cast iron fire basket. Less is truly more. And that’s about it really, no trimming, save for a pivot TV storage unit, a freestanding bookcase and those black leather sofas. The real action happens outside, where the sea provides the best feature. Overhead there’s another surprise and not just the distant views of the Old Head, but in the unpredictable layout and in the quality of the master suite. This is up to boutique hotel standards in size and amenities: there’s a gable for views, (with Adirondack chair brought in for winter) and a cosy, sitting room space and a sleek bathroom with quality fittings. Windows on two sides give the best of

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

views, and the bedroom area is fitted with a large, bedroom suite and dramatic, silk curtains. The main bathroom is stylish in mocha, with some nice wooden accessories, including a handy side table near the bath. The second, double bedroom has a box bay window and is finished with russet red built-ins and a cute lamp table, while the kid’s room next door is bunk-bed heaven. The main guest bedroom is off the vestibule on the ground floor and it comes with a huge, picture window facing south. The quality here turns the usual guest room concept on it’s head — usually, it’s the least favoured, occasional space, here, it’s one of the best rooms in the house. Paul Keating says he always follows up with clients after they move into a house. What doesn’t work. what could be improved or bettered? In this case, very little.

Main Contractor: Aidan O Donovan, Cork 021-4508306 Consulting engineers: Barry and Partners www.jbbarry.ie Windows: Leo West Electrical: Nash Brothers Electrical www.nashbroselectrical.com Plumbing: Vincent Twohig 021-4310908 087-2816555 vincenttwohig@hotmail.com Kitchen/ Fitted units: Express Kitchens, Cork www.expresskitchens.net Keating’s Furniture

www.keatingfurniture.com Bathroom fixtures and fittings: Irish International Trading Cork www.iitc.ie Fireplaces: Grattan Fireplaces, Cork www.grattanfireplaces.ie Flooring/ tiles: 023 Tiles www.023.ie Cork Builder’s Providers www.corkbp.ie Internal Doors: Kelleher Joinery Second fix carpentry: Pat Gill, Spoke Shave, Co Cork 087-2782488 Landscaping: Tobermore footpaths.

TheArchitects JE Keating Architects’ main ambition is to produce environmentally acceptable high quality architecture using innovative and contemporary construction methods within the constraints of budget-minded clients. The office has a reputation for giving individual projects the

personal attention and commitment required and the second generation practice has won many architectural awards. Its recent projects include a zero waste restaurant in Douglas, Cork. Keating Architects will be at Selfbuild Millstreet Cork from November 11 to 13. www.keatingarchitects.com.

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GETTHELOOK

Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them

1. Mash it up: Old school scales in lime against blue — delicious. Find similar at auction, car boot sales and online.

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INTERIORS

We take a detailed look at one aspect of the home every week ...

FRIGHTNIGHT

Wild thing

Get the look without breaking the bank ■ It’s the season for things to go bump in the night and you’ll need a few decorations to help get into the spirit of Halloween. Try candles on your dinner table, or place them in lanterns outside your door to welcome Trick Or Treat-ers.

Pumpkin, ghost and headstone candles €3 each at Penneys.

Carol O’Callaghan looks at how trendy animal prints can bring a cosy and fun edge to the home

Creature comforts Animal prints can suit all tastes from the lover of tiger style to naive and gentle bird motifs.

Irish textile designer Donna Wilson charms us with her depictions of sleepy owls set against fleecy fabric (€70 each at www.donnawilson.com) Henry in the Rain depicts a naive-style dog and raindrop motif set against fashionable grey and faded green fabrics. Placed on a 1950s Eames chair (pictured) it teams the animal trend with the vintage look (cushion €59 from Garrendenny Lane Interiors)

Tiger print is applied to the Animal Lustre bowl for an eclectic effect (approx €35 at Debenhams)

Table service Pop an animal on the table and get your friends talking

Subtle animal prints lend themselves beautifully to upholstery fabric to create a statement-piece chair. Larger print versions applied to cushions complement the look (Serengeti fabric on the Felix and Monty chairs from MJ Galligan €69.50 p/m)

T’S the call of the wild as animals come indoors for the winter, decorating everything from fabrics and accessories to walls and floors. But before you shudder at the thought of leopard skin prints prowling across your tasteful interiors scheme, the look also offers toned down, naive animal representations in a gentle home-made style for interior design hounds who must try the latest. You only have to look at the catwalk fashions to get a preview of the fabrics, prints and colours we’re likely to see in interiors in the coming months. And if the flocks of faux fur coats in the shops are anything to go by, we’ll be hibernating in front of the telly this winter snuggling up to furry cushions and throws. Animal prints lend themselves very

well — in a somewhat clichéd manner — to the bachelor pad. Zebra and leopard print throws and cushions look remarkably well set against black or brown leather sofas, but if that’s a tad too masculine, soften the look with a neutral cream or oatmeal carpet. Likewise, the downstairs loo can have its lines softened and a little fun injected with a leopard print mat or animal print-edged towels, but with any room where you want to introduce these patterns, especially the bedroom, remember that a little goes a long way. For the majority of us, however, the other end of the animal theme in interiors is probably easier to incorporate into an existing scheme with subtle depictions of our furry friends. Cushions and cosy throws with naive-style animal scenes make a great

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Collect your small change in the Dacshund money box by Lisa Stickley (approx. €16)

Witty paper on a feature wall can make a strong statement without overpowering a room. The stag head silhouette set against a purple backgound makes it bang on trend (Stag wallpaper €19 p/r at Next Interiors)

change from florals, stripes or plain colours, and often incorporate the trend for the home-made look which makes it cosy for winter and a very modern look at the same time. Be careful, however, that buying into this look doesn’t give your interiors a childish appearance. Steer clear of the candy pinks and baby blues and opt instead for faded greens, rusts, ambers, and reds of autumn which will see you into the festive season and spring beyond. If you’d like to add a bit of subtle fun consider a wallpaper with an animal pattern, confining it to one feature wall or a downstairs loo. The latter is the perfect place to experiment with new looks and to be as wild as you wish given it’s such a small closeted space that won’t be an eyesore should your wild idea be a step too far. Faux animal

heads mounted on a wall in the Scottish Baronial style are great fun, especially renditions of stag antlers for hanging your hats and scarves this winter. It’s hard to imagine how to incorporate a trend that lends itself to fabrics and wallpapers into the kitchen with its emphasis on hard surfaces. There’s always the hen-shaped egg storage bowl which is both practical and fun if a little on the twee side. But if you’d like the animal theme in as unintrusive a fashion as possible, the dull rectangular chopping board has been redesigned into farmyard animal shapes. Try teaming a cow-shaped version with a selection of cheese. ■ Next week we encourage superslothness with suggestions for squishy sofas, outsize cushions and bed linens.

A quick injection of animal print can be achieved with a leopard style ironing board cover (by JML at Dunnes Stores €7.99)

Cuddly blankets, perfect for wrapping around cold knees on chilly evenings, come in red, brown and light grey with fun monkey motifs (from Klippan €52, 01-6270080 for stockists)

Liven up your boiled egg and soldiers with the Goldfish egg-cup made from fine bone china and available in hand-decorated blue, green or violet (€21 each by Alessi at Brown Thomas or www.alessi.ie)

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INTERIORS

We take a detailed look at one aspect of the home every week ...

FRIGHTNIGHT

Wild thing

Pumpkin, ghost and headstone candles €3 each at Penneys.

Carol O’Callaghan looks at how trendy animal prints can bring a cosy and fun edge to the home

Creature comforts Animal prints can suit all tastes from the lover of tiger style to naive and gentle bird motifs.

Tiger print is applied to the Animal Lustre bowl for an eclectic effect (approx €35 at Debenhams)

Table service Pop an animal on the table and get your friends talking

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Collect your small change in the Dacshund money box by Lisa Stickley (approx. €16)

A quick injection of animal print can be achieved with a leopard style ironing board cover (by JML at Dunnes Stores €7.99)

Cuddly blankets, perfect for wrapping around cold knees on chilly evenings, come in red, brown and light grey with fun monkey motifs (from Klippan €52, 01-6270080 for stockists)

Liven up your boiled egg and soldiers with the Goldfish egg-cup made from fine bone china and available in hand-decorated blue, green or violet (€21 each by Alessi at Brown Thomas or www.alessi.ie)

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DIY

ROOM FOR STYLE AND PRACTICALITY

DIYTIPS

Bathroom Driftwood Hooks

Natural materials are reappearing in the bathroom softening the cool sheen of steel, tile and white porcelain surfaces. A group of hooks, and a piece of flat backed driftwood can add some useful hanging storage in your bathroom WHAT YOU NEED: ■ A number of hooks. Look for a variety on one design ■ A length of driftwood or distressed plank long enough to comfortably secure your hooks with at least 10-15cm either side. ■ Clear beeswax polish ■ A drill with a masonry and wood bit.

There have never been more designs available to kit out your bathroom, writes Kya deLongchamps

IVEN their key practical role, material quality and visual presence, today’s bathroom suite still offers excellent value for money. Choose a group of ware that performs perfectly and whose looks and 21st century detailing will outlast more flippant home fashions. The design of ware has now settled firmly at subtlety and restraint. In contrast, taps, glass, tiles and surroundings have become the bold star turn, dressing a bathroom as never before. STYLE THAT’S IN PERIOD Thanks to a vast array of designs in a highly competitive market, you can find a style of suite to a scale, material and shape without being clobbered with a particular era of inspiration. A new generation light, acrylic bath can sit easily in 21st century top floor apartment. A modern wet room, with pert drainage and tanking allows original architecture to sit undisturbed by intrusive trays or enclosures. Reclamation or quality reproduction allows for period vitreous purity or the celebration of a single vintage piece. The best designs have been winnowed down and played with since Victorian times. Art Deco seduced the ruffled edged confections of the 19th century into sleek, sophisticated simplicity in the 1920s. Before you seize on that Edwardian rope edged sink (likely to repel a bright young thing if you sell), consider investing in more recent modern classics, their performance and spatial possibilities buffed to the millimetre. White reigns supreme in sanitary ware. It is immaculate to the eye, harmonises with anything and is simply less controversial. FLOAT OR FIX? There are two basic ways to go with the majority of basins and toilets — wall mounting or floor supported. If you hate the look of the cistern even closecoupled, you can bury it in a false wall. Basins have gained a huge amount of extra character, suspended on counters, formed from the counter material itself or present as part of a substantial piece of bathroom furniture. Floor supports in wood and metal frames offer an alternative to the porcelain trunking many of us have wearied of. The old roll top can now shake off its feet for a cradle of wood or metal or run straight to the floor in a water saving plunge pool. Ideal Standard’s Easycast baths are half the weight but equally strong as cast iron,

■ Masking tape ■ Walls plugs and screws to hang ■ Screwdriver and selection of screws. Match the metals where needed.

sitting lightly on their platforms. From €3,142. ON TREND Aesthetics aside, water control is the performance topic for the modern bathroom. Half flush toilets with push button control, aerated taps and thermostatic control are intelligent additions to the aesthetic decisions in the face of future water charges. Softening up the rather blank contemporary suite and furniture with touches of natural materials, colours and graphics is a key trend for 2012. Take a look at the top end of the design tree with Sonia (Atic) and Villeroy & Boch (Homage), always trendsetters at Original Bathrooms and Tiles eyewatering virtual showroom. obcork.ie. There is now a large range of options and accessories to personalise the bathroom with paintable baths, character bath panels, and many mix ‘n’ match suites that will sit together comfortably, tied together at the taps. Brochure room-sets offer you the insights of a team of talented designers, ideal if you don’t want the standard but lack courage in putting it together. MIX N’ MATCH KEY POINTS: ● Choose a similar style. A reclaimed lithographed basin from 1900 will look odd with a pod of a loo suspended on the wall. Follow something like a tapering Bauhaus style with like pieces. ● Whites do vary, especially through materials (baths come in steel china and acrylics for example). A side by side visual check is best. ● Bath panels don’t fit every design. Check the dimensions and makers’ recommendations. Paintable panels or those with say an Art Deco look can make a statement in one remarkably inexpensive detail. ● Wood, glass and ceramic inclusions must match closely or the finishing look will be unsettling. ● Some basins, because of their profile or mounting holes, will demand a certain tap and chances are you’ll want this styling to run to the bath tap. ● Pedestal basins have an individual curve underneath are generally matched to a dedicated support. You could of course have a bespoke frame put together by a clever carpenter. ● Traditional style taps (for example porcelain buttoned crossheads) can sit reasonably on modern suites. Startling modern taps for country or antique ware are best wall-hung to give them some breathing room.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Either mounted on a stainless steel platform or on oak-laminated trestle legs, The Bath is made from Idealcast, with the strength of cast iron but half the weight. €3,142. Stand-pipe €481. Ideal Standard.

Pare back to a shower, loo and basin teamed to seamless tanking in a bathroom without a bath. Aspirante brushed steel shower from Triton. From €275. www.tritonshowers.ie.

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Sand your wood of any sharp edges until butter soft. Wax to bring up a glow and protect the wood from damp. Mark out places for hooks to hang on the wood by placing them and marking with a pencil. Drill out holes on the wood with a wood bit.

Q&A P-shaped bath with screen offering the best of all worlds. This one is a 1700mm combi from the Z series at Bathroom Evolution. Can be ordered right or left. From €385. www.bathroomevolution.ie.

A corner shower bath with curved screen, and the latest warm tones of wood storage warm and support immaculate surroundings. Part of Ideal Standard’s Create storage range from €358. www. idealstandard.ie.

POWER TO THE SHOWER In terms of water conservation, a shower uses 20% of the water capacity of a bath and is expected in any working family bathroom. With square metres dwindling in new homes, the humble rattling shower screen is now a beautifully engineered feature offering the best of all worlds in the clever shower/bath. Extraneous titillation in etching and multi-panel surrounds has slid aside for clear or frameless types. In electric showers Triton’s new Aspirante showers start at €275, a steal for shower chic that looks all the money. Ideal Standard’s ITV Exposed Shower Valves offer an inline thermostatic value marrying minimalistic good looks to

takes up a good swathe of wall, so mark that in your plans too (could be replaced by a heated towel rail, compressing two centimetre-hungry elements?) The suite and storage must perform equally well. Don’t just look at the floorplan, look up the walls and under prospective wall-hung pieces for possibilities. You need plenty of uninterrupted space to get around the white ware, at least 700mm in front of a toilet and basin and 1000mm in front of a bath.

safety and comfort you can set and forget. DESIGN BASICS If the door is currently bumping the toilet bowl or the suite is shoved into clearly questionable positions, draw the space out to scale on graph paper and with simple paper cut-outs move positions about. Does the size of the room merit taking the bath out completely in lieu of a super shower? Could a corner bath fit? Unless ergonomics make it impossible, stick to your original plumbing positions. If you’re moving the bathroom, a neighbouring room is cheaper than crossing the house with new pipes and wastes. The radiator

YOU CAN WITH CAD Any good bathroom retailer will be happy to sit down and work through the potential of your bathroom on paper or through CAD technology so take your

plan with you when you to the showroom. TALK LIFESTYLE If, for example, most of the family is using one bathroom, a double ‘console’ basin might put the pedal to the metal in the morning stampede. There are online tools to plan your bathroom, too, but keep in mind they don’t come with an expert’s raw experience in lay-out. A quick search brought me to Armitage-Shanks’ free tool. Just download the Macromedia Flash Player and you’re off. Www.armitage-shanks.co.uk is another useful free planner , offering basic room layouts to toy with. See www.bathroomdesign-guide.com

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Fix on hooks with suitable screws. Drill out hanging positions for the wood support on the wood Mark on wall by poking a slender pencil through the hole in the wood Mask the mark with tape and drill out. The tape will protect any tiling Fix to wall with screws and wall plugs.

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered? Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

I want a generous amount of room to shower in. How can I make it work within the size of a standard bath?

a full capacity of water. Consider where the taps will go as chances are they will be floor mounted on long pipes.

A. The most space intelligent choice would be a ‘P’ shaped bath, with a larger non-slip zone at the shower end. Bathroom Evolution have an offer on a Z Series 1700mm bath with side curved screen included and €20 M&S vouchers if you upload a picture of it in your bathroom! www.bathroomevolution.ie. . €385.

My bathroom is tiny but I really need to get two washbasins in there before the kids kill each other. Suggestions for something under €500?

What do I need to know before choosing my freestanding bath? A. Free standing baths take up more floor room that the standard 70X170cm bath and in general take a lot more water to fill them. Can your boiler cope? If you are installing the bath upstairs have a structural engineer check the joists can hold the bath and

A. Well I would imagine your storage is equally stressed. What about Godmorgen/Vitviken from IKEA? It not only delivers two basins but two nice deep storage drawers underneath. As it sits on the wall you can slide a step stool underneath to help the smaller children along. www.ikea.ie. €389 for the unit without taps, and €19.99 for a two step timber step-stool, leaving €90 for taps and traps.

■ Answers by Kya deLongchamps

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DIY

ROOM FOR STYLE AND PRACTICALITY

DIYTIPS

Bathroom Driftwood Hooks

There have never been more designs available to kit out your bathroom, writes Kya deLongchamps

■ Masking tape ■ Walls plugs and screws to hang ■ Screwdriver and selection of screws. Match the metals where needed.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Pare back to a shower, loo and basin teamed to seamless tanking in a bathroom without a bath. Aspirante brushed steel shower from Triton. From €275. www.tritonshowers.ie.

1 2 3 4

Q&A P-shaped bath with screen offering the best of all worlds. This one is a 1700mm combi from the Z series at Bathroom Evolution. Can be ordered right or left. From €385. www.bathroomevolution.ie.

YOU CAN WITH CAD Any good bathroom retailer will be happy to sit down and work through the potential of your bathroom on paper or through CAD technology so take your

5 6 7 8

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered? Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

I want a generous amount of room to shower in. How can I make it work within the size of a standard bath?

a full capacity of water. Consider where the taps will go as chances are they will be floor mounted on long pipes.

My bathroom is tiny but I really need to get two washbasins in there before the kids kill each other. Suggestions for something under €500?

■ Answers by Kya deLongchamps

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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WISH LIST

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Thinking more treat than trick? Carol O’Callaghan takes a look what is out there this week for that special something for you and your home

The functional but cold appearance of the metallic kettle is softened by a pretty floral motif in the Floral Heritage model by Russell Hobbs (€59.99 from good electrical retailers)

Calling all domestic goddesses. Kenwood has redeveloped its famous Chef in a modern stainless steel finish for the contemporary kitchen (€449.99 at electrical stores nationwide)

The sleek, yet comfortingly round design of the Tefal Classique kettle is finished in a warm copper, and also available in red and charcoal (€67 at electrical stores nationwide)

The aspirational American fridge freezer by Samsung offers plenty of storage and the bonus feature of ice maker and water dispenser (€1,199.99 from Sound Store)

Bring a little love into your home this autumn and state it clearly with a text-based wall ornament (from Heatons approx. €10)

Coffee aficionados who love an early morning espresso might like to check out the Gaggia Classic R18161 (€389.99 from good electrical stores and coffee supply stores nationwide) The Roberts radio is a classic that has never fallen victim to fashion and reflects the current trend for all things retro (approx. €190 from good electrical retailers)

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Round tables like the Occa can accommodate more people than square versions. Slender leg supports help to give it an overall lighter feel (€479 at Bo Concept)

Enjoy a slice of toast, one of life's great comfort foods, from the Dualit Lite. It's retro look is updated in funky red and will look great in a modern kitchen (€80 from electrical retailers nationwide)

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:27/10/2011Time:10:13:53Edition:29/10/2011PropertyXP2910Page:16

Zone:XP1

WISH LIST

XP1 - V1

Thinking more treat than trick? Carol O’Callaghan takes a look what is out there this week for that special something for you and your home

The functional but cold appearance of the metallic kettle is softened by a pretty floral motif in the Floral Heritage model by Russell Hobbs (€59.99 from good electrical retailers)

Calling all domestic goddesses. Kenwood has redeveloped its famous Chef in a modern stainless steel finish for the contemporary kitchen (€449.99 at electrical stores nationwide)

The sleek, yet comfortingly round design of the Tefal Classique kettle is finished in a warm copper, and also available in red and charcoal (€67 at electrical stores nationwide)

The aspirational American fridge freezer by Samsung offers plenty of storage and the bonus feature of ice maker and water dispenser (€1,199.99 from Sound Store)

Bring a little love into your home this autumn and state it clearly with a text-based wall ornament (from Heatons approx. €10)

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Round tables like the Occa can accommodate more people than square versions. Slender leg supports help to give it an overall lighter feel (€479 at Bo Concept)

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

How can I spook up our house for Halloween on a shoestring budget?

A. Rival the Munster family this bank holiday weekend by focusing on the entrance to your home — especially if you have a porch. Get creative by making a coffin out of cardboard, buy a fake hand and leg in a joke shop to hang out of the box and stand it upright in your porch.For a few euro, you can also buy fake cobwebs and spiders to spread all over your front door. Jack-o’-Lanterns are a Halloween favourite, but you could also try placing some red or green jelly-filled jars in front of a lamp for the full Frankenstein effect. Cover your seating with white sheets and sprinkle a little talcum powder for a ghostly twist. Finally, switch to red, blue or green light bulbs for the night that’s in it.

Interior designer Deborah Ruddy of Chic Unique, Ratoath, Co. Meath, answers your design dilemmas see www.chicunique.ie Email: interiors@examiner.ie

Q. With winter well on the way, how can I protect my patio furniture from the elements?

A. When choosing tiles for a shower, firstly consider the colour and quality of the tiles as it’s an area you’re going to use every day. Natural stone mosaics are my favourite as no two tiles look the same. However, porcelain or glazed ceramic would work just as well. For something a bit different, add a floor-toceiling strip of glass mosaic or some hand-painted tile art — but be careful that the shower head is not pointing straight at it. And for the shower floor, I always recommend an anti-slip mosaic tile. A good tiler will minimise the amount of grout on show by laying the

A. Although wood and iron garden furniture is theoretically built to withstand the elements, protect them from the winter weather anyway. Ideally, patio furniture should be covered and stored in a shed at this time of year. But it’s usually not an option for heavier items like tables. Invest in breathable, acrylic covers to protect your patio furniture, ensuring the legs of the table and chairs are also covered. Remove, cover and store the parasol in an upright position and wrap the cushions in a sheet and store in airtight container to keep them safe.

WEB WATCH

Original Compulsive Design

Above: Tile Art from TileStyle at Caislean Ui retreat in Castlefreke, West Cork. See www.henrywellness.com. Below: Halloween Decoration Ideas

The Contemporary Home

WHAT a great name for a website — once you visit you might have to pop back again and again to see what’s new to the stock. The company also provides period items for stage productions. And you can see why. This vintage design shop focuses on furniture from 1920s to 1980s, concentrating on the 1970s and 1980s. Items are sourced at fairs, auctions, eBay and individuals. Based in Kilkenny, among its treasure trove you will find furniture, ceramics, glass and art. To infuse retro to your home this is the place for you.

You won’t want to drag yourself away from this website once you see its portal glories. Its creepy chic details Hallowe’en ideas. Check out the fortune teller booth created from cardboard boxes which looks like it is straight out of the BIG movie set. Or the green grocer shop made from cardboard and time. It delves into the land of children and gives tours of beautifully made up bedrooms for the younger generations. Ingenious ideas adorn this site to keep your little ones busy over the mid term break.

Hallowe’en stocks a-plenty grace this website. It’s also got everything you think you would need for the home and more. For instance see the decorative life bouys that would suit any maritime bolthole. The site has a neat little sale section that you could find exactly what you are looking for — or the next best thing. All the products are hand picked and are set out cleanly. The company also re-uses cardboard boxes, so if your order arrives in a box that looks like it has been used before it has!

■ www.originalcompulsivedesign.com

■ www.ohdeedoh.com

■ www.tch.net

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

INSTALLATION There has to be a happy division of labour between the plumber and the solar installer as the work will include not only the array on your roof but the inclusion of a new cylinder and some electrical work. Employing various trades can lead to problems if things go wrong, whereas having a solar supply company with a qualified team to stand over the system from the panels right through the piping and pump to the tank is worth consideration. DIY There is nothing to stop you installing your own solar system, and this could save you a considerable sum. However, you can swipe the potential €800 grant money off the table when doing the figures, as not being a registered SEAI installer, you will not qualify for a Better Homes grant for the work, array or accessories. Any work where the plumbing of the house is tinkered with and the envelope of the building pierced (especially the roof) is a serious business.

Every week Sue O’Connor picks her top three interiors sites. If you have a favourite you’d like to see featured, email: interiors@examiner.ie

Ohdeedoh

Flat plate or tube collectors?

OLAR water heating has become a very present technology in Irish homes of late, and with the new demands of Part ‘L’ of the Building Regulations you may find the permission for that new extension or improvements demands the inclusion of some renewable technologies. Here’s just a glimmer of light on the subject that has many BER certificates lighting up to better ratings.

Q. It’s my wife’s 40th birthday soon and I’d love to convert our box room into a walk-in wardrobe for her as a present. Is it a big job?

Q. I’m choosing tiles for the shower area of my en suite and would love something a little different. Any ideas?

Solar water heating installation can save you money and improve your BER rating, Kya deLongchamps reports

tiles as close together as possible. Try Tile Style in Ballymount (www.tilestyle.ie) or Versatile Bathroom and Interiors, Navan (www.versatile.ie) for inspiration.

A. Rather than built-in units, use some free-standing rails which can be easily removed if the room is ever needed again. On one wall, I’d suggest stepped open shelving so your wife can display all her favourite shoes and handbags. Add glamour to the room with a minichaise in luxurious fabric, free-standing lamp with matching ceiling light and a decorative mannequin. And don’t forget the all-important full-length mirror — which can be made to order by Myra Glass in Dublin (www.myraglass.ie).

Solar power a winner

SIZE You’ll need roughly one square metre of collector area per person in the household. Each metre of panel area will heat between 30 and 60 litres of water tank volume (40-50 litres per person will be needed per day). 1.21.5m.sq is required from a flat plate to do the same job as a metre of evacuated tubes (see our side-bar for more). A properly dimensioned system is vital to getting the most from solar thermal. WHICH ROOF WHERE In an unlisted building, where the area of the collectors will be less than 12m² or 50% of the roof space, planning permission will not be required. Freestanding arrays on the ground have further regulations. A 30 degree pitch of roof in a south aspect is ideal for solar, but a panel can be placed anywhere from SE to SW depending on the available un-shaded roof-space. The incline of the roof can be between 15 degrees and 60 degrees, and will impact the performance of the collector. Your supplier should tailor the best size and type of collector for your situation.

Remember these? This Scandanavian Lounge chair is available at www. originalcompulsivedesign.com

TANKS AND UPGRADES Your tank may need replacing with a

Picture: iStock

■ Solar collectors transform radiation from the sun into heat and transfer that heat to water, solar fluid, or air. ■ Flat plate collectors are a single plate of glass set over an array of copper or plastic pipes in a shallow box, while evacuated tubes come in a set of double-walled glass cylinders tailored to the capacity of the water system it’s serving. Solar panels may bring glimmer of light to BER certidficates.

second cylinder or a highly insulated dual-coil tank, the top fed from your conventional boiler, the lower section from the solar system. This is a good time to upgrade an older tank, pipework and primitive heating controls to boost that BER rating. MAINTENANCE Solar collectors may need periodic cleaning, and electromechanical components (eg circulation pump) will need to be replaced periodically. Damaged plates or tubes can be replaced. The anti-freeze in the system will need replacing around every five years. Ask your supplier about annual service contracts. PERFORMANCE Solar panels have been found by tests at optimum conditions with top class arrays to supply from 40-60% averaged out across a whole year. The collector needs radiation, and this is reduced in the duller days. In winter the panels will bring your water to around 30-40C, whereas in high summer temperatures of 80C would not be unusual and will be safely mitigated by a thermostatic tap valve. There are pump features, including variable speeds, to help your system in varying conditions. If you

use the hot water when it’s most available during the course of the day you will save more money. PRICE POINT To retro-fit a solar thermal system for a standard family 2-storey home of 3-4 people, including installation and grant assistance (€800), will cost €3,000€3,500. This does not include any strengthening of the roof of complex plumbing issues. The solar leg of the water heating system excluding servicing will cost €8-€10 per year to run electrical power to the pump. FURTHER LINKS The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, host to the Better Homes Schemes of grant assistance www.seai.ie, has everything you need to know about solar thermal and voltaic technologies. Solar panels Ireland, www.solarpanels-ireland.com offers a nationwide listing of suppliers for solar panels, systems and accessories (not all are listed with SEAI since changes to Part L of the building regulations). Easca, www.easca.ie, the sustainable energy building website is always full of information and contacts. Quality collectors carry the European Solar Keymark.

■ In glass tubes, air is removed from the tube and replaced by a small amount of fluid which boils, condenses and heats liquid flowing through a loop feeding each tube. Both systems work through a heat exchanger in what is termed an ‘indirect’ solar-thermal system to heat your water. ■ Tubes and flat plate collectors have comparable installation costs, but tubes are sited generally as being more efficient (and consequently more expensive) in that they take up less space per tube (absorber area) to produce the same amount of hot water as a flat plate collector. ■ However, your supplier will explain to you that the entire mounted unit of the tubes can be as big if not bigger than a plate system and plate systems are neater on the roof. In windy conditions flat plate collectors cool more quickly than tubes, while tubes are easier to replace if one is damaged. ■ By talking to a supplier who sells both types of collector, you are more likely to get a balanced picture of actual performance.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

How can I spook up our house for Halloween on a shoestring budget?

Interior designer Deborah Ruddy of Chic Unique, Ratoath, Co. Meath, answers your design dilemmas see www.chicunique.ie Email: interiors@examiner.ie

Q. With winter well on the way, how can I protect my patio furniture from the elements?

WEB WATCH

Original Compulsive Design

Above: Tile Art from TileStyle at Caislean Ui retreat in Castlefreke, West Cork. See www.henrywellness.com. Below: Halloween Decoration Ideas

The Contemporary Home

■ www.originalcompulsivedesign.com

■ www.ohdeedoh.com

■ www.tch.net

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Every week Sue O’Connor picks her top three interiors sites. If you have a favourite you’d like to see featured, email: interiors@examiner.ie

Ohdeedoh

Flat plate or tube collectors?

Q. It’s my wife’s 40th birthday soon and I’d love to convert our box room into a walk-in wardrobe for her as a present. Is it a big job?

Q. I’m choosing tiles for the shower area of my en suite and would love something a little different. Any ideas?

Solar water heating installation can save you money and improve your BER rating, Kya deLongchamps reports

tiles as close together as possible. Try Tile Style in Ballymount (www.tilestyle.ie) or Versatile Bathroom and Interiors, Navan (www.versatile.ie) for inspiration.

Solar power a winner

Remember these? This Scandanavian Lounge chair is available at www. originalcompulsivedesign.com

TANKS AND UPGRADES Your tank may need replacing with a

Picture: iStock

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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IN THE GARDEN

Garden to flower by Charlie Wilkins

HE Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland has recently entered into a lease agreement with the trustees of the Alfred Beit Foundation to take over the walled garden at Russborough House, near Blessington, County Wicklow. A programme of restoration work will commence as soon as possible, to restore the garden and to lay out a variety of new areas, all to be completed in time to celebrate their 200th anniversary in 2016. The aim is to run the new garden (to be known as RHSI Garden Russborough) on an entirely voluntary basis, to provide their members with the opportunity to learn while gardening in these wonderful surroundings, and to pass on their experience and enthusiasm to newer gardening friends. Their ‘mission statement’ is: “The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland is an All-Ireland horticultural organisation and gardening charity. The RHSI aims to restore and develop the gardens at Russborough within their historical context in the estate, as part of an amenity of local, national and international importance. “Our mission is to demonstrate excellence in horticulture and to promote gardening. With this in mind, we aim to use the garden as an educational vehicle to develop and foster practical gardening skills and techniques, encouraging participation

from a wide variety of groups and individuals. “The garden at Russborough will be a place where visitors can enjoy the garden in its own right, or as a place to work and learn as volunteers within a

Picture: Garry O’Neill

gardening community. The garden will include plants which have an Irish connection, or are particularly suited to Irish growing condition, and celebrate all that is best in Irish gardening heritage.

F YOU’RE worried about missing the flavours of all those homegrown herbs which you used throughout the summer, there are easy ways to keep stocked through the winter without going to the supermarket. Sow a flowerpot full of basil seed, keeping it on a warm, sunny windowsill until the seedlings appear. Pick the leaves regularly to add to Italian dishes and sow some more in a few weeks’ time to keep the supply up. If you’ve grown mint or parsley outdoors in summer, cut off a clump of it, complete with roots, Mint can be and plant into a kept alive container of compost and through winter. keep it on a sunny windowsill to keep the plant going. Alternatively sow a pot or half-tray of parsley seeds every three months and the plants will keep growing all year round. Evergreens such as rosemary and thyme will keep going through the winter months, so just snip a bit off when you need it.

by Charlie Wilkins

WINTER TIME; Tonight, the clocks go back one hour and we embrace the arrival of winter, a season of waiting and being open to new growth. Some hate the interference and change to wintertime, but how comforting to be living in a geographical area where we can experience each of the four distinct seasons. How boring it must be living in a country where there is little or no change from one season to the next! For many, however, winter is hardly their favorite time and their hearts dream of nothing but spring and the returning light.

Stocking up on herbs

WORK FOR THE WEEK

GARDEN BIRDS; The crab apples are glowing in the hedgerows and in local gardens varieties of Malus, Sorbus and Rowan trees are loaded with berries in various hues and tints. Most of the rowan group exhibit some good autumn colour, but certain species excel. One of the most popular Chinese rowans is the superb ‘Joseph Rock’ with apricot berries which are set off by leaves that gradually darken and change to a rich, tortoiseshell hue. However, many are already littering the ground beneath their spread and greedy blackbirds have arrived to feed like gluttons on nature’s beneficence. Always the most pragmatic of birds,

IN THE GARDEN

Hannah Stephenson on keeping herbs going through winter

The walled garden at Russborough House has been taken over by the RHSI.

with the likes of tomato food. Lift and divide overcrowded clumps. This becomes evident when the bulbs are pushing and lifting themselves one on another from sheer numbers. Replant mature bulbs immediately and put the smaller offsets in new quarters or give away to friends or garden club members.

Rowan trees are loaded with berries now.

the blackbirds will take all that’s available as soon as it is ready and sometimes even before that. NERINES have almost finished flowering having begun their autumnal display as far back as the first week in September. In my book, that’s a full eight to nine weeks of bloom, something equalled by very few plants in the garden. Part of this grand return I attribute to the removal of the bulbs’s leaves during mid-July and the odd feeding

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

PRAIRIE FLOWERS; The Helenium sold as Moorheim Beauty is beloved of gardeners old and new for its velvetcurtain bronze petals and dark doorknob centres. The lovely Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii is another really bright autumn daisy with yellow petals and a large dark eye which adds immeasurably to the autumnal garden. These two attract late butterflies, especially red admirals, who sup their nectar as the last hedgerow flowers finish.

most satisfying job — the results are immediately visible. Use a proper halfmoon iron and the lawn will look good all winter. On no account use a spade for its blade is far too curved. REPLACEMENT HEDGING: Barerooted hedging will become available this coming November, and if you have to replace frosted and dead stock then this is the way to buy it. Costs are far less when bare-root plants are purchased and it is possible to make considerable savings, especially when a large number of replacements are required.

Subtle hues of autumn The most dramatic effects in a garden colour scheme are achieved by combining several plants of contrasting tints, says Charlie Wilkins

S HALLOWEEN approaches, the fireworks of the plant world prepare for their annual colour explosion. Many direct factors combine to affect the quality of autumn colour: weather, temperature, and soil conditions all have a bearing on the depth and brilliance of the colours. What appears to be a mystical display for our benefit is nature’s way of shutting down deciduous plants for the winter. When temperatures drop and the days begin to shorten, resources stored within the leaves are slowly withdrawn and conserved for the following year. The subtle hues we can expect over the coming days can be truly breathtaking and all who can get out to visit arboreta and parks should do so. Butter-yellow and gold, through to tangerine, orange, and scarlet will predominate, whilst the reds can arrive as varied as ruby or crimson. The most dramatic effects are achieved by combining several plants of contrasting tints, but you will need a large garden (mostly free from lime) for just such a collage. I can suggest a particular shrub which will thrive on all soils (lime included) and if given a backdrop of dark-leaved evergreens will form a solid block of a single shade, shouting its presence in the still warm autumn sunshine. This use of restraint and simplicity can prove more startling and effective than a multi-coloured scene. My outstanding choice for all soils and all gardens is the winged spindle

GARDENNOTES

■ Participating garden centres nationwide will show you this weekend how to brighten up your front door for winter. In conjunction with Bord Bia, they are offering the opportunity to win a €1,000 voucher. See www.bordbia.ie/ gardentime ■ Blackrock Flower and Garden Club present a gala demonstration entitled Christmas at Home by Margaret Walsh (Limerick) on Tuesday next at 7.30pm in the Ursuline Secondary School. The event is supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Association.

PLANT LABELS: Replace ragged plant labels while you can still remember what is growing where. You think you’ll remember, but before the days begin to lengthen again you’ll really have forgotten what should have been marked properly. LAWN EDGES: Sharpening up scruffy lawn edges is a time consuming but

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November is a good time to buy bare-rooted hedging to replace frost-damaged stock.

■ Aherla Flower & Garden Club present a Christmas demonstration by Mary Coleman on Tuesday at 8.30pm in the GAA Pavilion, Ovens.

Tolerant of most soils Euonymus alatus, commonly known as the spindle tree, will glow as spectacularly as any Japanese maple. Suitable for the smaller garden, it will grow to six feet with a spread of half as much again. Suitable for lime soil in sun or part shade it is unlikely to be hard to source.

tree, Euonymus alatus. This attractive shrub comes into its own in autumn when it reliably delivers resplendent colour. The simply-shaped, dark green leaves which are paired up along the stems undergo a metamorphosis to become one of the most striking sights in the autumn garden. They colour dramatically reaching a rich shade of pinkish crimson (of startling intensity) and droop rather elegantly from the

■ Conna and District Flower and Garden Club held their AGM recently and a new committee was elected. Their first event is a gala night featuring Bernie Preston arranged on Wednesday, November 16, in aid of cystic fibrosis. ■ The Irish Garden Plant Society will hold their next meeting on Tuesday next in the SMA Hall, Wilton, Cork. Guest speaker Bill Chase of Deelish Garden Centre, Skibbereen, will give a talk on the limitations of the Irish climate at 8pm. ■ The annual Mass for deceased members of Cobh Flower and Horticulture Club will be held at Cobh Community Centre on Monday week at 8pm. ■ Blarney and District Flower and

spreading stems. When a really hard frost arrives it will knock all the leaves off and the bare stems of the shrub will sit in a pool of red debris until they’re absorbed naturally back into the soil. Another distinctive feature is its distinctive bark; pronounced corky ridges which form elongated ‘wings’ grow along the surface of the stems and branches! As well, coloured clusters of dangling ruby berries normally add to

the decorative effect. Its slow growth and medium size make this shrub a welcome addition to the smaller garden where it is certain to become a dominant feature in autumn. Equally good are Euonymus alatus Compactus, a dwarf form that is also suitable for low hedging, and E. alatus var. Apterus, a less common variety that lacks the winged bark but whose colour is every bit as dazzling.

Garden Club hold their 25th anniversary dinner on Thursday, November 24. Tickets available from Elizabeth 0863718238 ■ Waterford Garden Plant Society proudly presents Carl Dacus (Dublin School of Horticulture) to speak on a plantsman’s garden at their meeting in the Parish Centre, Newtown, on Wednesday next at 8pm. ■ Freesias are all the rage this year and mixtures of double and single varieties are available at Hosfords, Enniskeane. Also, scented Narcissi such as Paperwhite for Christmas flowering. ■ The Greenbarn Garden Centre Killeagh has a traditional Halloween theme this weekend with wicked witch and fancy dress games.

There’s nothing Spooky in Garden World this weekend just

50%

OFF ALL SPRING FLOWERING BULBS Large selection still available Our restaurant and shop is open all weekend just drive in Atkins Garden World Carrigrohane Road, Cork Open 7 days all year round (021) 4933433 IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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IN THE GARDEN

Garden to flower by Charlie Wilkins

Picture: Garry O’Neill

gardening community. The garden will include plants which have an Irish connection, or are particularly suited to Irish growing condition, and celebrate all that is best in Irish gardening heritage.

by Charlie Wilkins

Stocking up on herbs

WORK FOR THE WEEK

IN THE GARDEN

Hannah Stephenson on keeping herbs going through winter

The walled garden at Russborough House has been taken over by the RHSI.

Rowan trees are loaded with berries now.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

Subtle hues of autumn The most dramatic effects in a garden colour scheme are achieved by combining several plants of contrasting tints, says Charlie Wilkins

GARDENNOTES

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November is a good time to buy bare-rooted hedging to replace frost-damaged stock.

■ Aherla Flower & Garden Club present a Christmas demonstration by Mary Coleman on Tuesday at 8.30pm in the GAA Pavilion, Ovens.

There’s nothing Spooky in Garden World this weekend just

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Skibbereen auctioneer Inlaid writing desk is prime lot goes online for sale by Des O’Sullivan

GEORGIAN, Victorian and Edwardian furniture are features of the Marshs sale in Cork next Saturday at noon. Prime lots include an oval satinwood inlaid writing desk, probably by Butlers of Dublin, which is estimated at €2,500€3,000. An inlaid Killarney work box is estimated at €1,000-€1,500 and a French kingwood and

marquetry bureau plat has an estimate of €2,000€2,500. There is a fine pair of French gilt armchairs (€2,500-€3,000), a William IV mahogany teapoy, a Georgian inlaid satinwood ormolu mounted corner cupboard and a selection of gilt mirrors of different vintages in a sale that is particularly strong on furniture.

ONLINE IRISH ART SALE Over 130 artworks be sold entirley online View Full Catalogue at A detail from Baltimore Regatta, by Martin Stone, available online from Morgan O’Driscoll.

N ONLINE Irish art sale is currently being conducted for the first time by Morgan O’Driscoll. The Skibbereen-based auctioneer has already broken new ground in this recessionary year with several no reserves artists studio sales, which have proved to be successful. This time he is offering a selection of 139 works at the company’s website morganodriscoll.com. Here you will find work by a variety of Irish artists, from Patsy Dan Rodgers of Tory Island to

Ivan Sutton, Elizabeth Brophy, John Desmond, Markey Robinson, Ian Humphreys and Phillip French. Each one contains either a current bid or a no-bid. A prospective purchaser can make an online bid, and if there is a higher bid the first bidder will be notified by email. All the artwork is online, and the sale is also on view at the Morgan O’Driscoll premises at Ilen St, Skibbereen, Co. Cork. It runs until November 7. Successful bidders will be contacted following the close of sale.

1835

2011

SATURDAY NEXT

ANTIQUE AUCTION OF GEORGIAN AND VICTORIAN FURNITURE

(Including porcelain, china, brass, glass, Gilt Mirrors, Killarney Table, clocks) at our Auction Rooms at Rochfords Lane, off South Mall/Grand Parade, Cork.

ON SATURDAY NEXT, 5th NOVEMBER, 2011, AT 12 NOON. Briefly: French Kingswood and Marquetry Bureau Plat, Georgian Inlaid Satinwood Ormolu mounted Corner Cupboard, Pair of French Gilt Armchairs, Oval Satinwood Inlaid Writing Desk (probably Butler’s of Dublin.) Georgian Mahogany Cork Grandfather Clock, William IV four door Bookcase and other Bookcases, Regency walnut Games/Work Table, Victorian Miniature Mahogany Wellington Chest, Gilt Overmantel Mirror and a selection of other Gilt Mirrors, Georgian Mahogany Chest on Chest, Georgian Inlaid Mahogany Sideboard, Victorian Sideboard, Victorian marble topped Console Table, Georgian Inlaid Writing Bureau, William IV Mahogany Teapoy, Inlaid Killarney Table/Work Box, Victorian Diningroom Tables, Selection of 12, 8, 6 and 4 Victorian Diningroom Chairs, Selection of Arts & Crafts Furniture, Glass Chandeliers, Victorian Chaise Longue, Antique Jockey Scales, Watercolours, Oil Paintings and Prints, Pair of Large Terracotta Garden Urns. Large selection of porcelain & China including Spode, Wedgewood, Copeland, Masons Ironstone, etc.,also Glass, Delft, Brass and other interesting items.

ON VIEW: THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NEXT, 3RD. AND 4TH. NOVEMBER, FROM 10.30 A.M. TO 9.00 P.M. INCLUDING LUNCHTIME AND MORNING OF SALE. More details on www.marshsauctioneers.ie

Marshs Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd, 17 South Mall, Cork. Tel 021-4270347 Celebrating 176 years in auctioneering this year

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

www.morganodriscoll.com where you can view and place bids on lots from this sale

Kenneth Webb

Mildred Ann Butler

Auction Started Tues 18th Oct 2011 at 9am Auction Finishes Mon 7th Nov 2011 at 7pm

Markey Robinson

Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork; Tel: 028 22338 · Mob: 086 2472425 email: info@morganodriscoll.com

ANTIQUE AUCTION in DONERAILE, Co. CORK Auction on Saturday 5th November @ 1.00 pm.

THE WINTER SALE: Our Auctions consist of approx 500 lots with interesting items for every room in the house. Our auctions appeal to everyone as we have items to suit every budget. To include the contents from properties in Kanturk, Mallow, Bishopstown and Clogheen, Co. Tipperary. Antiques, Paintings, Collectables, Books, Period and later furniture, Clocks, Ceramics, Glassware, Pictures and prints, Dining Tables, Sets of Chairs, Bedroom Cabinets, Wardrobes, Chest of Drawers, Occasional Tables and Chairs etc, etc. More and more Interior designers and first time house buyers are turning to auctions for value. Our site is well worth viewing. All items will be photographed & available on our website on Thurs 3rd Nov. 2011. For fully illustrated catalogue go to www.irishcountryhome.com or call Aidan if you have any queries on the auction VIEWING IN OUR AUCTION ROOMS Friday 4th November (2-8pm) and the morning of the sale from 11am to start of sale at 1pm.

Aidan Foley Antique & Fine Art Auctioneer

The Old Schoolhouse Auction Rooms, Doneraile, Mallow, Co. Cork. Tel. 022-72992/086-8290680

SILVER, PAINTINGS & COLLECTIBLES AUCTION - NOVEMBER 9th - Final Entries Now Invited

WOODWARDS AUCTION ROOMS 26 COOK ST CORK ∙ 021-4273327 ∙ www.woodward.ie

DIARY ANTIQUES FAIR Hibernian Antique Fairs are at the Carlton Hotel, Tralee from 11am to 6pm tomorrow. ............................................................. . SOTHEBYS SALE Sotheby’s sale in London next Wednesday features a number of lots of Irish interest, including a set of four Irish George II mahogany chairs, probably Irish c1750 (£4,000-£6,000), an Irish George II-style carved mahogany centre table (£5,000-£7,000) and a Regency mahogany bookcase, possibly Irish (£15,000-£25,000). ............................................................. . SILVER LINING In Cork, Woodwards will have a special auction of silver and paintings on Wednesday, November 9, at 6pm ............................................................. . LAVIT SHOW A View from the Chair is the title of the exhibition now on at the Lavit Gallery at Fr. Matthew St. in Cork. The show has been selected by Lavit Gallery chairman Ken McCarthy and features work by John Behan, Pauline Bewick, Veronica Bolay, Mike Fitzharris, Michael Flaherty, Bridget Flannery, Tim Goulding, Eadaoin Harding Kemp, Mary Mackey, Michael O’Dea, Jacqueline O’Driscoll, Victor Richardson, George Walsh and Tom Walsh. ............................................................. . TOP BOOKCASE The top lot at Hegarty’s auction in Bandon last Sunday was a Regency rosewood floor bookcase. It made €1,400. A set of six Victorian rosewood dining chairs made €900 and a Regency card table sold for €1,150. Two Sikh watercolours drew international interest, with bidders in Malta and New York, and were sold to a London dealer for €600 and €580 respectively. Paintings by Paul Henry and Jack B. Yeats will feature at Bonham’s sale of 20th century British and Irish art in London on November 16. Paul Henry’s Running for Shelter featured at the artist’s annual exhibition in Dublin in 1938. It is estimated at £120,000£180,000. The Jack Butler Yeats work, A Giant Reading, is estimated at £70,000£100,000.

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL Ger Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: interiorads@examiner.ie ��

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TERAPROOF:User:NOELCAMPIONDate:27/10/2011Time:14:11:11Edition:29/10/2011PropertyXP2910Page:22

(approx 6miles outside Bantry, next to Willie Pa’s Rest.)

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� �� IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

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ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Skibbereen auctioneer Inlaid writing desk is prime lot goes online for sale by Des O’Sullivan

ONLINE IRISH ART SALE Over 130 artworks be sold entirley online View Full Catalogue at A detail from Baltimore Regatta, by Martin Stone, available online from Morgan O’Driscoll.

1835

2011

SATURDAY NEXT

ANTIQUE AUCTION OF GEORGIAN AND VICTORIAN FURNITURE

(Including porcelain, china, brass, glass, Gilt Mirrors, Killarney Table, clocks) at our Auction Rooms at Rochfords Lane, off South Mall/Grand Parade, Cork.

ON VIEW: THURSDAY AND FRIDAY NEXT, 3RD. AND 4TH. NOVEMBER, FROM 10.30 A.M. TO 9.00 P.M. INCLUDING LUNCHTIME AND MORNING OF SALE. More details on www.marshsauctioneers.ie

Marshs Auctioneers & Valuers Ltd, 17 South Mall, Cork. Tel 021-4270347 Celebrating 176 years in auctioneering this year

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

www.morganodriscoll.com where you can view and place bids on lots from this sale

Kenneth Webb

Mildred Ann Butler

Auction Started Tues 18th Oct 2011 at 9am Auction Finishes Mon 7th Nov 2011 at 7pm

Markey Robinson

Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork; Tel: 028 22338 · Mob: 086 2472425 email: info@morganodriscoll.com

ANTIQUE AUCTION in DONERAILE, Co. CORK Auction on Saturday 5th November @ 1.00 pm.

Aidan Foley Antique & Fine Art Auctioneer

The Old Schoolhouse Auction Rooms, Doneraile, Mallow, Co. Cork. Tel. 022-72992/086-8290680

SILVER, PAINTINGS & COLLECTIBLES AUCTION - NOVEMBER 9th - Final Entries Now Invited

WOODWARDS AUCTION ROOMS 26 COOK ST CORK ∙ 021-4273327 ∙ www.woodward.ie

TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL Ger Duggan Tel: 021-4802192 email: interiorads@examiner.ie ��

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TERAPROOF:User:NOELCAMPIONDate:27/10/2011Time:14:11:11Edition:29/10/2011PropertyXP2910Page:22

(approx 6miles outside Bantry, next to Willie Pa’s Rest.)

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� �� IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 29.10.2011

TERAPROOF:User:NOELCAMPIONDate:27/10/2011Time:12:39:34Edition:29/10/2011PropertyXP2910Page:24

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GET YOUR PROPERTY SOLD by

Matt Fallon Auctioneer F M L PROPERTIES LTD.

info@fmlproperties.ie matt@fmlproperties.ie www.fmlproperties.ie

55 Grand Parade, Cork

Tel: 021 4277877 Mobile: 086 2574864 62 ASHMOUNT, SILVERSPRINGS

BALLYPHILIP, WHITES CROSS, CORK

LOUNGE

BELLAVISTA, COLLEGE RD., CORK

AVOCA 1A GRANGE ROAD, GRANGE

UNDER OFFER

SALE AGREED Quality 3/4 bed detached bungalow on circa 0.5 acres. 10 mins from City centre. Guide pride €295.000 Magnificent views from South West facing back garden

1 MANOR VILLAGE WEST, LEHENAGHBEG

Excellent 3-bed semi detached Similar property wanted

27 BROOKWOOD, BALLYVOLANE

3/4 bedroomed mid terraced house Quality investment property

11 LIOS NA GREINE REDUCED TO SELL

UNDER OFFER

Quality 3 bedroomed detached house Guide price €240,000

5 GLEANN EAN, GLENVILLE, CO. CORK NEW TO MARKET

SALE AGREED Quality 3 bed semi det. residence in excellent condition throughout. Guide Price €255,000

82 MULLAVALE, CASTLETOWNROCHE

Three bed-roomed semi detached residence. Similar properties wanted in this area

16 POPLAR AVE, FOTA ROCK, CARRIGTWOHILL

3-bed ground floor apartment. Guide Price €130,000

New build 4-bed det. bungalow c. 1600sq. ft. PC sum availabe for internal finishes. Guide Price €260,000

CLUAIN NA RI, CLONDULANE, FERMOY

3 NICHOLAS STREET, CORK

SOL D

SHOWHOUSE SALE AGREED

NEW TO MARKET Priced to sell: 3-bed semis & terraced houses

3-bed semi det. house. Guide Price €165,000

Launching soon, last few remaining houses

Two bed mid-ter. house. Similar property wanted

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Price on application. FOR SALE/TO LET 7 Popes Quay, Cork 4,215 Sq.ft. Office space over two floors. 3 Bleasby Street, Cork, 4,100 sq.ft. Ground floor commercial unit. Under offer FOR SALE Transtown, Watergrasshill, Co. Cork 10,000 sq.ft. Commercial unit TO LET

50 Acres At Killydonoghue, Glanmire, Co. Cork • 50 Acres at Kerry Pike, Co. Cork FARMS FOR WANTED: 100 acre farm in East Cork for cash client. SALE Contact Matt Fallon who is a qualified farm manager with over thirty years experience in the farming sector

Matt Fallon is happy to announce that Michael McNamara has joined his team

For all your property needs in East Cork. Thinking of selling or letting residential /commercial property? Contact: Michael 021 4277877 Mob: 085 1978286

Cripps Construction & Property Maintenance Tel. Ray 021- 4277877 or 087-8141689 “If you want it done today then call Ray”