Property 2 Feb 2012

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Property

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04.02.2012

& Interiors

Lofty ambitions: Mangerton mountain home for sale also scales the heights internally

Photo by Denis Scannell

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TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:12:45:12Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:2

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PROPERTY

HOUSE WEEK OF THE

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Tommy Barker reports

“LEE VIEW HOUSE”, ROOVESMORE, COACHFORD ON 8 ACRES IN 1 OR 2 LOTS Lee View House is a substantial residence of character on c. 8 acres and enjoys a spectacular lakeside setting

ACADEMY LODGE, FOX’S BRIDGE, BLARNEY

ROCKLAWN, BALLINCOLLIG, CO. CORK

S

OME of Munster’s best houses are set along What Hill House doesn’t have is lots of grounds and and above the Scilly Walk, in Kinsale gardens. It’s on a pretty tight site, but it makes the harbour — and when they routinely changed most of it, and it is blessed with its sunny-south hands for millions of euros, they prompted the water/harbour views, from inside and from its deck rather obvious quip about Scilly money. and balconies.

Last year, houses at either end of the scenic walk It has four en suite bedrooms (with Jacuzzi baths in changed hands for over €1 million. One was a former the mid-floor’s two en suites), a kitchen/diningroom, B&B called the Moorings, shading past the €1m mark living room, sun room, utility, with its main living via Sherry FitzGerald. The other was a stunning rooms at ground level and with two attic bedrooms Victorian home at with Velux windows to the Summercove belonging to road aspect, and large Location: Scilly, Kinsale children’s authors Colin and picture windows on the €475,000 Jackie Hawkins. It sold for an Price: other side for views. unreported sum after several That rear, south-facing Size: 200 sq m (2,159 sq ft) years on the market at a side has deep bay windows BER rating: Pending multi-million euro price tag. on its lower two levels, And, in between, occupying with a small view-soaking Broadband: Yes probably the very biggest of balcony at first floor level Best asset: Setting Scilly-set sites, is the lavish between the bays and this contemporary home of runfacade is largely clad or away Howard Holding boss hung in slate, a real Greg Coughlan, built at a likely cost of €5 million and Kinsale architectural feature which climbs the whole which has been rented out for the last year or so. rear three storey height, up to the square dormer roof Fed up of multi-million euro sums talk? Then how extension. might Hill House grab you, with a price tag just under The gable and symmetrical front facade have half of the “Big Note”, scraping in at €475,000? exposed original stone-work, contrasting with PVC The Georgian house, with later alterations and a replacement double glazed windows. great aspect, is new to market with Sheila O’Flynn of Externally, it has off-street parking to the side/gable Sherry FitzGerald in Cork city, who notes it is full of (it’s effectively semi-detached,) and a stone-flagged character. “It’s awaiting a purchaser with a taste for rear terrace, landscaped but with no lawn, so it’s an something just a little bit different.” easy place to lock up and leave.

Location is directly across the road from the Spaniard Bar, by the hairpin bend in the road from VERDICT: Kinsale values and property inquiries are Kinsale to Summercove road, with the popular Scilly back up again after a spell in the doldrums a few years Walk and its quintessential Kinsale views along its ago. Hill House offers a nice mix of period home kilometre shoreline stretching out below Hill House. affordability and setting.

4

TRADING UP Dip in. A suburban house has a small swimming pool in its gardens

6

STARTERS Midleton distillery upgrade should bring boost to €85k mews’ buyer

7

FEATURE Builders still on site at Lisheen with 25 sales last year

8

COVER STORY Killarney’s West Ridge is a testament to quality workmanship

12 14 19 20 22

• Enjoys a most convenient location within walking distance of Ballincollig Village.

• Large south facing rear garden • Excellent opportunity to acquire a family/ starter home.

• The property also has commercial potential.

21 NORTH AVENUE, MATTHEW HILL, LEHENAGHAMORE, CORK

• Three bedroom semi detached residence decorated to the highest of standards.

• Private rear garden • Cavity wall and attic insulation recently installed • Ample off street parking.

Solicitor: Finbarr Murphy & Co. Solicitors, 8 Washington Street, Cork.

5 WILLISON LAWN, WILLISON PARK, BLARNEY, CO. CORK

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

• Within easy distance of Ballincollig, CUH, and UCC. • Offers the potential for doctor’s surgery/office on its lower floor.

• Accom: Ent hall, 2 Reception rooms, Kitchen, 5 Beds, En-suite, 2 Bathrooms, Utility, Office, Cellar, Games Room.

• Oil fired central heating. BER: B3 • Part of land has site potential • Viewing highly recommended

INTERIORS DIY HOME ECONOMICS IN THE GARDEN ANTIQUES

• • • •

Superior Family home (C. 3000sq.ft) Beautifully landscaped 3⁄4 acre site.

Finished to an extremely high standard.

Accom: Porch, Ent Hall, 3 Rec Rooms, Kitchen, 6 Beds 5 Ensuite, Guest w.c., Utility, Recreation Room, OFCH. • POA

110 ELM PARK, SARSFIELD ROAD, WILTON, CORK • Three Bedroom end of terrace residence located within easy reach of Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork University Hospital and Link Road. Immediate to No. 14 Bus Stop. • Oil Fired Central Heating.

• Gated Side Entrance.

22 WILLISON GROVE, WILLISON PARK, BLARNEY, CO. CORK

94 UAM VAR DRIVE, BISHOPSTOWN, CORK

CARRIGNAVEEN INNISCARRA, CO. CORK

• A three bedroom Dutch Style Dormer Bungalow on a large corner site.

• Ideally located to CIT, Cork University Hospital and Marymount Hospice.

• Ample Parking as well as Garage and Store.

• Oil Fired Central Heating.

Solicitor: Marie O’ Brien, Martin A. Harvey & Co. Solicitors, 9/10 Georges Quay, Cork.

• Traditional Cottage on c. 1/3 acre with great potential for redevelopment.

• Convenient location to Ballincollig (5km) and Cork City (11km).

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

Solicitor: Denis O’Sullivan & Co. 64 Patrick St. Cork.

22 SARAHVILLE, OFF POULADUFF ROAD, CORK

9 DOUGLAS HALL MEWS, SKEHARD ROAD, CORK

• Three Bedroom mid terraced residence with fully enclosed grounds to front and rear.

• Convenient location within easy reach of both City Centre and Kinsale Roundabout.

• In need of renovation, ideal for first time buyer and investors alike.

• Mains Gas Connection.

Solicitor: Sean Durkin, Michael Powell & Co. Solicitors, 5 Lapps Quay, Cork.

NEW STREET, NEWMARKET, CO. CORK

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

2

Substantial 5 bed family residence (c.4200 sq ft) on c.1.6 acres with spectacular south facing views

• Located within walking distance of Coachford village and easy distance of Cork City • The property has the benefit of an attractive courtyard comprising of an old single storey dwelling house, coach house, stables, etc • The farmyard with its own separate access has the benefit of barns and buildings suitable for ponies, horses, etc • Viewing highly recommended Solicitor: James Long, Murphy, Long & Taffe Solicitors, Bandon.

Hill House in Scilly, Kinsale, has four bedrooms and great views of the bay.

CONTENTS

“MAGHAOIBHINN” KNOCKANEMORE, OVENS

• • • • •

4 Bedroom Detached Bungalow.

Spacious Living Accommodation Large rear garden with southerly aspect.

Quiet cul de sac setting Within easy access to Cork City Centre and Blarney Village.

• Asking Price €160,000.

• 3 bedroom semi detached bungalow.

• Large south facing garden.

• Close proximity to all local and essential amenities.

• Excellent value for starter home.

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

• Asking Price €140,000.

• Substantial Town House with 30ft street frontage • Conveniently located on the main shopping street of Newmarket town and ideally suited for Commercial or Residential use.

Joint Agents: Liam Murphy, Strand Street, Kanturk. Tel: 029-780230 Solicitor: Mr John Moylan, Moylan & Co. Solicitors, Shortcastle, Mallow, Co. Cork.

• Three bedroom residence recently redecorated throughout.

• Located within easy reach of City Centre, Douglas Village, Mahon Point S.C and No.10 Bus Stop.

• Gas Fired Central Heating.

Solicitor: Ken Molan, John Molan & Sons, 57 Lower Cork Street, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

13 MOUNT EDEN TERRACE, GURRANABRAHER, CORK • Well presented three bedroom town house with large kitchen extension to rear.

• Most convenient location to Cork City Centre and all local and essential amenities.

• Excellent value for starter home.

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

• Asking Price €115,000

23 SOUTH MALL, CORK (021) 4277606 email: info@irishandeuropean.ie IRISH www.irishandeuropean.ie EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:12:45:12Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:2

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

PROPERTY

HOUSE WEEK OF THE

XP1 - V1

Tommy Barker reports

“LEE VIEW HOUSE”, ROOVESMORE, COACHFORD ON 8 ACRES IN 1 OR 2 LOTS Lee View House is a substantial residence of character on c. 8 acres and enjoys a spectacular lakeside setting

ACADEMY LODGE, FOX’S BRIDGE, BLARNEY

ROCKLAWN, BALLINCOLLIG, CO. CORK

S

OME of Munster’s best houses are set along What Hill House doesn’t have is lots of grounds and and above the Scilly Walk, in Kinsale gardens. It’s on a pretty tight site, but it makes the harbour — and when they routinely changed most of it, and it is blessed with its sunny-south hands for millions of euros, they prompted the water/harbour views, from inside and from its deck rather obvious quip about Scilly money. and balconies.

Last year, houses at either end of the scenic walk It has four en suite bedrooms (with Jacuzzi baths in changed hands for over €1 million. One was a former the mid-floor’s two en suites), a kitchen/diningroom, B&B called the Moorings, shading past the €1m mark living room, sun room, utility, with its main living via Sherry FitzGerald. The other was a stunning rooms at ground level and with two attic bedrooms Victorian home at with Velux windows to the Summercove belonging to road aspect, and large Location: Scilly, Kinsale children’s authors Colin and picture windows on the €475,000 Jackie Hawkins. It sold for an Price: other side for views. unreported sum after several That rear, south-facing Size: 200 sq m (2,159 sq ft) years on the market at a side has deep bay windows BER rating: Pending multi-million euro price tag. on its lower two levels, And, in between, occupying with a small view-soaking Broadband: Yes probably the very biggest of balcony at first floor level Best asset: Setting Scilly-set sites, is the lavish between the bays and this contemporary home of runfacade is largely clad or away Howard Holding boss hung in slate, a real Greg Coughlan, built at a likely cost of €5 million and Kinsale architectural feature which climbs the whole which has been rented out for the last year or so. rear three storey height, up to the square dormer roof Fed up of multi-million euro sums talk? Then how extension. might Hill House grab you, with a price tag just under The gable and symmetrical front facade have half of the “Big Note”, scraping in at €475,000? exposed original stone-work, contrasting with PVC The Georgian house, with later alterations and a replacement double glazed windows. great aspect, is new to market with Sheila O’Flynn of Externally, it has off-street parking to the side/gable Sherry FitzGerald in Cork city, who notes it is full of (it’s effectively semi-detached,) and a stone-flagged character. “It’s awaiting a purchaser with a taste for rear terrace, landscaped but with no lawn, so it’s an something just a little bit different.” easy place to lock up and leave.

Location is directly across the road from the Spaniard Bar, by the hairpin bend in the road from VERDICT: Kinsale values and property inquiries are Kinsale to Summercove road, with the popular Scilly back up again after a spell in the doldrums a few years Walk and its quintessential Kinsale views along its ago. Hill House offers a nice mix of period home kilometre shoreline stretching out below Hill House. affordability and setting.

4

TRADING UP Dip in. A suburban house has a small swimming pool in its gardens

6

STARTERS Midleton distillery upgrade should bring boost to €85k mews’ buyer

7

FEATURE Builders still on site at Lisheen with 25 sales last year

8

COVER STORY Killarney’s West Ridge is a testament to quality workmanship

12 14 19 20 22

• Enjoys a most convenient location within walking distance of Ballincollig Village.

• Large south facing rear garden • Excellent opportunity to acquire a family/ starter home.

• The property also has commercial potential.

21 NORTH AVENUE, MATTHEW HILL, LEHENAGHAMORE, CORK

• Three bedroom semi detached residence decorated to the highest of standards.

• Private rear garden • Cavity wall and attic insulation recently installed • Ample off street parking.

Solicitor: Finbarr Murphy & Co. Solicitors, 8 Washington Street, Cork.

5 WILLISON LAWN, WILLISON PARK, BLARNEY, CO. CORK

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

• Within easy distance of Ballincollig, CUH, and UCC. • Offers the potential for doctor’s surgery/office on its lower floor.

• Accom: Ent hall, 2 Reception rooms, Kitchen, 5 Beds, En-suite, 2 Bathrooms, Utility, Office, Cellar, Games Room.

• Oil fired central heating. BER: B3 • Part of land has site potential • Viewing highly recommended

INTERIORS DIY HOME ECONOMICS IN THE GARDEN ANTIQUES

• • • •

Superior Family home (C. 3000sq.ft) Beautifully landscaped 3⁄4 acre site.

Finished to an extremely high standard.

Accom: Porch, Ent Hall, 3 Rec Rooms, Kitchen, 6 Beds 5 Ensuite, Guest w.c., Utility, Recreation Room, OFCH. • POA

110 ELM PARK, SARSFIELD ROAD, WILTON, CORK • Three Bedroom end of terrace residence located within easy reach of Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork University Hospital and Link Road. Immediate to No. 14 Bus Stop. • Oil Fired Central Heating.

• Gated Side Entrance.

22 WILLISON GROVE, WILLISON PARK, BLARNEY, CO. CORK

94 UAM VAR DRIVE, BISHOPSTOWN, CORK

CARRIGNAVEEN INNISCARRA, CO. CORK

• A three bedroom Dutch Style Dormer Bungalow on a large corner site.

• Ideally located to CIT, Cork University Hospital and Marymount Hospice.

• Ample Parking as well as Garage and Store.

• Oil Fired Central Heating.

Solicitor: Marie O’ Brien, Martin A. Harvey & Co. Solicitors, 9/10 Georges Quay, Cork.

• Traditional Cottage on c. 1/3 acre with great potential for redevelopment.

• Convenient location to Ballincollig (5km) and Cork City (11km).

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

Solicitor: Denis O’Sullivan & Co. 64 Patrick St. Cork.

22 SARAHVILLE, OFF POULADUFF ROAD, CORK

9 DOUGLAS HALL MEWS, SKEHARD ROAD, CORK

• Three Bedroom mid terraced residence with fully enclosed grounds to front and rear.

• Convenient location within easy reach of both City Centre and Kinsale Roundabout.

• In need of renovation, ideal for first time buyer and investors alike.

• Mains Gas Connection.

Solicitor: Sean Durkin, Michael Powell & Co. Solicitors, 5 Lapps Quay, Cork.

NEW STREET, NEWMARKET, CO. CORK

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

2

Substantial 5 bed family residence (c.4200 sq ft) on c.1.6 acres with spectacular south facing views

• Located within walking distance of Coachford village and easy distance of Cork City • The property has the benefit of an attractive courtyard comprising of an old single storey dwelling house, coach house, stables, etc • The farmyard with its own separate access has the benefit of barns and buildings suitable for ponies, horses, etc • Viewing highly recommended Solicitor: James Long, Murphy, Long & Taffe Solicitors, Bandon.

Hill House in Scilly, Kinsale, has four bedrooms and great views of the bay.

CONTENTS

“MAGHAOIBHINN” KNOCKANEMORE, OVENS

• • • • •

4 Bedroom Detached Bungalow.

Spacious Living Accommodation Large rear garden with southerly aspect.

Quiet cul de sac setting Within easy access to Cork City Centre and Blarney Village.

• Asking Price €160,000.

• 3 bedroom semi detached bungalow.

• Large south facing garden.

• Close proximity to all local and essential amenities.

• Excellent value for starter home.

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

• Asking Price €140,000.

• Substantial Town House with 30ft street frontage • Conveniently located on the main shopping street of Newmarket town and ideally suited for Commercial or Residential use.

Joint Agents: Liam Murphy, Strand Street, Kanturk. Tel: 029-780230 Solicitor: Mr John Moylan, Moylan & Co. Solicitors, Shortcastle, Mallow, Co. Cork.

• Three bedroom residence recently redecorated throughout.

• Located within easy reach of City Centre, Douglas Village, Mahon Point S.C and No.10 Bus Stop.

• Gas Fired Central Heating.

Solicitor: Ken Molan, John Molan & Sons, 57 Lower Cork Street, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.

13 MOUNT EDEN TERRACE, GURRANABRAHER, CORK • Well presented three bedroom town house with large kitchen extension to rear.

• Most convenient location to Cork City Centre and all local and essential amenities.

• Excellent value for starter home.

• Viewing comes highly recommended.

• Asking Price €115,000

23 SOUTH MALL, CORK (021) 4277606 email: info@irishandeuropean.ie IRISH www.irishandeuropean.ie EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:12:35:06Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:4

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

PROPERTY

TRADING UP

XP1 - V1

FEATURE

Large apartment has family appeal

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

No 29 The Seasons in Carrigaline is central and well designed, Rose Martin reports

BLACKROCK, CORK €580,000 Sq m: 185 (1,950 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

An outdoor swimming pool, a Blackrock Road address within a walk of Cork city centre, and a price drop of over 50% from a previous 2006 market offering are part of the package at Rydal.

The detached, mid-1900s extended four-bed family home with 2,000 sq ft of space, is guided at €580,000 (down from a peak hope of €1.2m) by its new selling agent Tim Sullivan, who says it has been well kept in recent years.

The setting and the attractions of the walled site and gardens will draw early 2012 interest — although it might be too early in the year for the lure of an outdoor swimming pool (small, in the side garden) to exert any attraction.

Rydal is indicative of the build period, solid, four-square, and then with additions in subsequent decades to the rear, so new owners might also want to add a bit more upstairs, for dressing rooms, en suites or other upgrades.

As it stands, it has a 25’ by 17’ kitchen/living room, with the kitchen space on a raised tiled-floor section and with French doors to the gardens, and then there are three more reception rooms, all more modestly sized, a sitting room, a TV room and a lounge, two of them with fireplaces, as a back up to the gas central heating.

VERDICT: Better to buy now than in 2006!

DONERAILE, CORK €147,000 Sq m: 106 (1,135 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

Tthere’s quite a nest to feather at this Skehanagh, Doneraile bungalow on 11 acres — the lot up for sale includes a large, commercial-sized old chicken house with chicken-feed silo, useful outbuildings, and the remains of an old cottage.

The €147,000 property offer with agents Sherry FitzGerald O’Donovan Daly is prime for someone who wants space, and has energy to invest as well as a few more quid, as the four-bed bungalow residence also needs a bit of upgrading and modernising: at present, its large picture windows are single glazed, in teak, and the heating is a mix of oil with a large, attractive stove in the living room, plus a Stanley range in the kitchen.

New EU regulations on egg productions might have rendered the hen house obsolete, or at least in need of upgrades, and the eleven acres of land will suit anyone wanting to do a bit of organic or hobby farming - some of the land is classified as disadvantaged.

Location is about five miles from Doneraile in north Cork.

VERDICT: Location is rural, but there’s lots of interesting possibilities with land for the right sort of buyer prepared to shell out.

AIRPORT HILL, CORK €255,000 Sq m: 100 (1,110 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Sq m: 96 (1,043 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Looking at No 20 Manor Hill from Google Earth, you get to see the full expanse of its site — quite impressive for a town centre property.

And there are magnificent views over the Lee valley from this lowmaintenance, three-bed bungalow, currently on the market with Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald.

On a corner site, the grounds have a mix of gravel, lawn and hard standing with some tall tree planting and a fine boundary wall. Because of this, No 20 Manor Hill comes with lots of privacy.

Young buyers with children might want to return the grounds to grass, but the walls will make the house very safe for toddlers and smallies.

Set at the end of a row, the property is just off the main approach road to Ballincollig, (it’s next door to the Daffodil Fields) and is close to the Poulavone roundabout, with access to the South Ring.

Internally, the house fulfils its external promise and is well maintained, clean as a whistle and ready to go for prospective buyers.

It comes with a lounge, large kitchen/ diner, three bedrooms and a main bathroom, with space enough to extend.

VERDICT: Immaculate.

VERDICT: A good house in a good location: Handy for Cork City commuters and with a great town centre for shopping.

What is a €150k property doing in a trading-up slot?

Simple really, once you buy, you still will have to spend to get this house, No 2 Beechwood Place up to scratch.

This is an interesting terrace of eight houses, and a few came to prominence back when developers Fleming Construction and Kennys were looking at the Nemo Rangers GAA fields. Some changed hands or were optioned for big bobs for demolition and access to Nemo lands where Flemings got permission for c.100 houses.

One, at the terrace’s far end, changed hands for almost €1 million. Bord Pleanála refused demolition of Nos 6 & 7, and No 8 (subsequently expensively

4

BALLINCOLLIG, CORK €240,000

Spotless inside and out, and wellfinished, with a long back garden — that’s only a few of the positives with 16, North Avenue in Matthew Hill, Lehenaghamore.

The 2004-built bungalow is home to a house-proud couple, says estate agent Stephen Clarke of Real Estate Alliance O’Donoghue Clarke. With its crisp modern look and finishes, it is as suited to young buyers as to traders down.

Most of the flooring is solid oak, the kitchen has Shaker-style units and black ‘Metro’ or subway-style splashback tiles above the worktops, and the bathroom is fully tiled as well.

None of the three bedrooms though is very large, but there’s storage in the floored attic and the main living room is a good 17’ by 11’ with a bay window and an antique cast-iron fireplace.

Outside, there’s off-street parking, and the long back garden is walled-in, with the side walls painted white for an airy feel, while a retained mature tree at the back boundary adds a nice rooted touch.

Location of this smart Ruden Homesbuilt bungalow is up above Wilton and Togher on Cork’s Airport Hill, with easy access to the Kinsale road and the South City Ring Road.

DOUGLAS, CORK €150,000

Pictures: Dan Linehan

Sq m: 130 (1,400 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

renovated and enlarged to 1,500sq ft) was briefly put up for sale for €450,000, but ended up being rented out.

Marshs Auctioneers have the renovated, good order No 3 Beechwood on the market, now seeking offers around €270,000. The newest listing is No 2, guided at €150,000 by Sean McCarthy of ERA Downey McCarthy.

It needs upgrading, and possibly drains/underpinning work, and has 1,400 sq ft of space with rear sun room.

VERDICT: Post development upheavals, this terrace has a tale to tell — and possibly a NAMA Beechwood offering to come, yet.

This apartment at No 29, The Seasons, Carrigaline, Co Cork, was designed as a family home.

A

PARTMENTS and families? No, no, the two don’t mix, we are told. But perhaps that’s not necessarily so — well designed units can provide that village mix that planners and consultants brayed about during the boom.

Apartments have had a bad press — many units were designed on the cheap, had poor management and were poorly let. And multiple units don’t work where the rules are ignored — they are only suited to high density living, cities and towns, and they have to be well designed and, more importantly, well constructed.

Degraded apartment blocks only confirm the perception that apartments are somehow less than a home, a convenient stop-gap rather than a place of permanent comfort.

Thankfully, there are exceptions, like this three-bed unit at The Seasons in Carrigaline, Co Cork.

Built by Bride View Developments and placed on the edge of Carrigaline’s town centre, it’s a low density scheme in a mature area with high trees and good landscaping.

No 29 here is a new market entrant with Jeremy Murphy and Associates and is a fine, family home — designed as such. It’s handy, central and great for commuting, but it’s the layout that appealed to the family of three who purchased the house in the first place.

With teenagers who needed to be everywhere at all hours and usually at the same time, the buyer plumped for the most convenient option — a town centre apartment.

It may sound odd, she says, but it suited them beautifully for that intense

five-year period when parents are constantly on the go.

Now the children are independent, the vendor is moving closer to the sea and is leaving behind a highly-designed, cool, clean penthouse of exactly 1,313 square feet.

That’s about the size of a large threebed or four bed semi, Jeremy Murphy points out, and in this case the sale includes a high level of fit out, he adds.

Location: Price: Size:

Because it’s an apartment and needed to be utilitarian to the nth degree, the family left all their old furniture behind. Instead, the owner decided on what she calls “quiet furniture” to meet its needs.

That is, capacious, clean storage space that doesn’t shout, but blends into the open-plan nature of the penthouse. And because there’s no clutter it heightens the sense of light and space.

Carrigaline, Co Cork €219,000 122.7 sq m (1,313 sq ft)

Built by Bride View Developments, The Seasons in Carrigaline is a lowdensity scheme.

The main living room has seven windows alone, and views differ depending on aspect — the owner says they “borrow” other people’s gardens.

And she’s right: Up in this eyerie you have long countryside views and up close, mature gardens all round, including the enclosed lawn that comes with the scheme. (This was one of the reasons The Seasons was chosen, they had to have a garden too.)

The owner worked with interior designer Suzi von Mensenkampff of In Blue Interiors to realise the ergonomic style she carried round in her head and the result is impressive.

The kitchen area has cool aqua marine touches and a defined, casual dining area close to the balcony, while for forma dining, there’s a Meadows and Byrne glass table with bespoke Kabuki silver chairs.

The couch is curved for ease of movement and the focal point of the room is a TV and shelving unit created

by Chris Keating of House of Design, which brings the room together.

Three double bedrooms are set around a central corridor, (which includes the entrance hallway) and one is en suite, while all rooms come with built-in storage with some clever touches from Keating and von Mensenkampff.

The penthouse has two good store rooms, a separate hot press and closet and flooring is a mix of good porcelain and oak with carpet in certain rooms.

Ceiling height is higher than average.

VERDICT: This is a one-off, a bright, generous home that combines the clean layout of an apartment with the comforts of home. An alternative to the usual, it’s well worth a viewing.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:12:35:06Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:4

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

PROPERTY

TRADING UP

XP1 - V1

FEATURE

Large apartment has family appeal

We scan a selection of trading up homes around the country

No 29 The Seasons in Carrigaline is central and well designed, Rose Martin reports

BLACKROCK, CORK €580,000 Sq m: 185 (1,950 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

An outdoor swimming pool, a Blackrock Road address within a walk of Cork city centre, and a price drop of over 50% from a previous 2006 market offering are part of the package at Rydal.

The detached, mid-1900s extended four-bed family home with 2,000 sq ft of space, is guided at €580,000 (down from a peak hope of €1.2m) by its new selling agent Tim Sullivan, who says it has been well kept in recent years.

The setting and the attractions of the walled site and gardens will draw early 2012 interest — although it might be too early in the year for the lure of an outdoor swimming pool (small, in the side garden) to exert any attraction.

Rydal is indicative of the build period, solid, four-square, and then with additions in subsequent decades to the rear, so new owners might also want to add a bit more upstairs, for dressing rooms, en suites or other upgrades.

As it stands, it has a 25’ by 17’ kitchen/living room, with the kitchen space on a raised tiled-floor section and with French doors to the gardens, and then there are three more reception rooms, all more modestly sized, a sitting room, a TV room and a lounge, two of them with fireplaces, as a back up to the gas central heating.

VERDICT: Better to buy now than in 2006!

DONERAILE, CORK €147,000 Sq m: 106 (1,135 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

Tthere’s quite a nest to feather at this Skehanagh, Doneraile bungalow on 11 acres — the lot up for sale includes a large, commercial-sized old chicken house with chicken-feed silo, useful outbuildings, and the remains of an old cottage.

The €147,000 property offer with agents Sherry FitzGerald O’Donovan Daly is prime for someone who wants space, and has energy to invest as well as a few more quid, as the four-bed bungalow residence also needs a bit of upgrading and modernising: at present, its large picture windows are single glazed, in teak, and the heating is a mix of oil with a large, attractive stove in the living room, plus a Stanley range in the kitchen.

New EU regulations on egg productions might have rendered the hen house obsolete, or at least in need of upgrades, and the eleven acres of land will suit anyone wanting to do a bit of organic or hobby farming - some of the land is classified as disadvantaged.

Location is about five miles from Doneraile in north Cork.

VERDICT: Location is rural, but there’s lots of interesting possibilities with land for the right sort of buyer prepared to shell out.

AIRPORT HILL, CORK €255,000 Sq m: 100 (1,110 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Sq m: 96 (1,043 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

Looking at No 20 Manor Hill from Google Earth, you get to see the full expanse of its site — quite impressive for a town centre property.

And there are magnificent views over the Lee valley from this lowmaintenance, three-bed bungalow, currently on the market with Norma Healy of Sherry FitzGerald.

On a corner site, the grounds have a mix of gravel, lawn and hard standing with some tall tree planting and a fine boundary wall. Because of this, No 20 Manor Hill comes with lots of privacy.

Young buyers with children might want to return the grounds to grass, but the walls will make the house very safe for toddlers and smallies.

Set at the end of a row, the property is just off the main approach road to Ballincollig, (it’s next door to the Daffodil Fields) and is close to the Poulavone roundabout, with access to the South Ring.

Internally, the house fulfils its external promise and is well maintained, clean as a whistle and ready to go for prospective buyers.

It comes with a lounge, large kitchen/ diner, three bedrooms and a main bathroom, with space enough to extend.

VERDICT: Immaculate.

VERDICT: A good house in a good location: Handy for Cork City commuters and with a great town centre for shopping.

What is a €150k property doing in a trading-up slot?

Simple really, once you buy, you still will have to spend to get this house, No 2 Beechwood Place up to scratch.

This is an interesting terrace of eight houses, and a few came to prominence back when developers Fleming Construction and Kennys were looking at the Nemo Rangers GAA fields. Some changed hands or were optioned for big bobs for demolition and access to Nemo lands where Flemings got permission for c.100 houses.

One, at the terrace’s far end, changed hands for almost €1 million. Bord Pleanála refused demolition of Nos 6 & 7, and No 8 (subsequently expensively

4

BALLINCOLLIG, CORK €240,000

Spotless inside and out, and wellfinished, with a long back garden — that’s only a few of the positives with 16, North Avenue in Matthew Hill, Lehenaghamore.

The 2004-built bungalow is home to a house-proud couple, says estate agent Stephen Clarke of Real Estate Alliance O’Donoghue Clarke. With its crisp modern look and finishes, it is as suited to young buyers as to traders down.

Most of the flooring is solid oak, the kitchen has Shaker-style units and black ‘Metro’ or subway-style splashback tiles above the worktops, and the bathroom is fully tiled as well.

None of the three bedrooms though is very large, but there’s storage in the floored attic and the main living room is a good 17’ by 11’ with a bay window and an antique cast-iron fireplace.

Outside, there’s off-street parking, and the long back garden is walled-in, with the side walls painted white for an airy feel, while a retained mature tree at the back boundary adds a nice rooted touch.

Location of this smart Ruden Homesbuilt bungalow is up above Wilton and Togher on Cork’s Airport Hill, with easy access to the Kinsale road and the South City Ring Road.

DOUGLAS, CORK €150,000

Pictures: Dan Linehan

Sq m: 130 (1,400 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

renovated and enlarged to 1,500sq ft) was briefly put up for sale for €450,000, but ended up being rented out.

Marshs Auctioneers have the renovated, good order No 3 Beechwood on the market, now seeking offers around €270,000. The newest listing is No 2, guided at €150,000 by Sean McCarthy of ERA Downey McCarthy.

It needs upgrading, and possibly drains/underpinning work, and has 1,400 sq ft of space with rear sun room.

VERDICT: Post development upheavals, this terrace has a tale to tell — and possibly a NAMA Beechwood offering to come, yet.

This apartment at No 29, The Seasons, Carrigaline, Co Cork, was designed as a family home.

A

PARTMENTS and families? No, no, the two don’t mix, we are told. But perhaps that’s not necessarily so — well designed units can provide that village mix that planners and consultants brayed about during the boom.

Apartments have had a bad press — many units were designed on the cheap, had poor management and were poorly let. And multiple units don’t work where the rules are ignored — they are only suited to high density living, cities and towns, and they have to be well designed and, more importantly, well constructed.

Degraded apartment blocks only confirm the perception that apartments are somehow less than a home, a convenient stop-gap rather than a place of permanent comfort.

Thankfully, there are exceptions, like this three-bed unit at The Seasons in Carrigaline, Co Cork.

Built by Bride View Developments and placed on the edge of Carrigaline’s town centre, it’s a low density scheme in a mature area with high trees and good landscaping.

No 29 here is a new market entrant with Jeremy Murphy and Associates and is a fine, family home — designed as such. It’s handy, central and great for commuting, but it’s the layout that appealed to the family of three who purchased the house in the first place.

With teenagers who needed to be everywhere at all hours and usually at the same time, the buyer plumped for the most convenient option — a town centre apartment.

It may sound odd, she says, but it suited them beautifully for that intense

five-year period when parents are constantly on the go.

Now the children are independent, the vendor is moving closer to the sea and is leaving behind a highly-designed, cool, clean penthouse of exactly 1,313 square feet.

That’s about the size of a large threebed or four bed semi, Jeremy Murphy points out, and in this case the sale includes a high level of fit out, he adds.

Location: Price: Size:

Because it’s an apartment and needed to be utilitarian to the nth degree, the family left all their old furniture behind. Instead, the owner decided on what she calls “quiet furniture” to meet its needs.

That is, capacious, clean storage space that doesn’t shout, but blends into the open-plan nature of the penthouse. And because there’s no clutter it heightens the sense of light and space.

Carrigaline, Co Cork €219,000 122.7 sq m (1,313 sq ft)

Built by Bride View Developments, The Seasons in Carrigaline is a lowdensity scheme.

The main living room has seven windows alone, and views differ depending on aspect — the owner says they “borrow” other people’s gardens.

And she’s right: Up in this eyerie you have long countryside views and up close, mature gardens all round, including the enclosed lawn that comes with the scheme. (This was one of the reasons The Seasons was chosen, they had to have a garden too.)

The owner worked with interior designer Suzi von Mensenkampff of In Blue Interiors to realise the ergonomic style she carried round in her head and the result is impressive.

The kitchen area has cool aqua marine touches and a defined, casual dining area close to the balcony, while for forma dining, there’s a Meadows and Byrne glass table with bespoke Kabuki silver chairs.

The couch is curved for ease of movement and the focal point of the room is a TV and shelving unit created

by Chris Keating of House of Design, which brings the room together.

Three double bedrooms are set around a central corridor, (which includes the entrance hallway) and one is en suite, while all rooms come with built-in storage with some clever touches from Keating and von Mensenkampff.

The penthouse has two good store rooms, a separate hot press and closet and flooring is a mix of good porcelain and oak with carpet in certain rooms.

Ceiling height is higher than average.

VERDICT: This is a one-off, a bright, generous home that combines the clean layout of an apartment with the comforts of home. An alternative to the usual, it’s well worth a viewing.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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STARTER HOMES

Affordable apartments pitched at investors and first-time buyers

Midleton Drury’s Mews properties are yours for €85,000 each, Tommy Barker reports

YOUGHAL, CORK €150,000 Sq m: 121 (1,300 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

There’ll still be time to head to the beach around the corner, to possibly celebrate the auction purchase of Minella — the refurbished Youghal bungalow home is due under the hammer at 3pm on the 17th of this month.

There’s encouraging pre-auction interest in the four-bed home, on a nice site just around the corner from the East Cork town’s strand, notes selling agent Noel Mackey. He says it has just been upgraded, has good space, a nice feel, gardens front and back, and will suit a range of buyers, from FTB’s to those trading up locally, as well as for holiday home use.

VERDICT: A realistic price guide bodes well for the Feb 17 auction.

Location: Price: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: With €100 million being invested in the East Cork town of Midleton’s distillery for a new Jameson production facility, there should be a kick to the local economy. And, perhaps also, to the local property and rental market.

Pitching a small number of affordable apartments at investors and first-time buyers, estate agent Michael Creedon, who’s part of the DNG franchise, reckons buyers will get their money back on these €85,000 Drury’s Mews purchases in jig time — about 10 years, based on €700 per month rentals.

“Any investor with cash looking to cash in on the ongoing expansion at Jameson whiskey had better act fast as we have very strong expressions of interest in what’s available,” he comments of the

Midleton, Cork €85,000 2 Pending Yes

three 700 sq ft units he’s currently offering in the niche, eight-unit development.

Each of the town centre two-bed (one en suite) apartments has its own designated parking space, with lift and stair access to the block of eight above, floors are timber and tile, they have balconies, utility rooms and all are being sold fitted and furnished.

That means down to white goods, leather sofas, beds, toasters, and perhaps a whisky glass or two for a toast to Midleton’s distilled good fortune.

VERDICT: Cheaper to buy than to build, money safely bedded down in bricks and mortar at a time of financial and currency uncertainty and highly rentable if you don’t want to live there yourself.

Period charm part of the attraction

GURRANABRAHER, CORK CITY €109,000 Sq m: 112 (1,200 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Hard to believe the amount of quality space in this house from a quick look. Now only has this end-ofterrace city house a good garden, but it has a quality interior — and it’s pitched at the right price too.

On the market with agent Kate Kearney of DNG Creedon, and set off Cathedral Road, No 55 Orrery Road has great views over the city — and a conservatory from which to enjoy them.

The three-bed also comes with a large living room, (with wood flooring), a modern kitchen/dining room which connects to the conservatory and outside, to a large, raised deck.

No 55 also comes with three bedrooms and a modern bathroom.

VERDICT: A good house with lots of extras and ready to go for a first-time buyer. Should be snapped up quickly.

6

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

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Taking into consideration the money that will need to be spent here, this five-bed Lissadell, on Gardiner’s Hill is on the upper level for a starter home, but then, it does offer period charm, lots of space and a location that’s second to none.

Kevin Barry of Barry Auctioneers says the house is an executor’s sale and is pitched to sell: “It’s a great location and there’s the opportunity here for buyers to put their own stamp on it — it was a family home and now the family are all gone, they’re going to sell. A buyer could put a few bob into this and get a super job.”

The house has all of its original cornicing and picture rails and while the the bathroom and kitchen will need an upgrade and the second floor rooms will

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PROPERTY

Building ongoing at Lisheen Fields New phase of Ovens development from O’Callaghan Properties for sale, Tommy Barker reports

T

HEY’VE 6,800 houses and apartments built to date — and they’re not finished yet.

Developers O’Callaghan Properties are best known for daring projects like Dublin’s Liffey Valley and Cork’s Opera Lane and Mahon Point among a myriad of other shopping centre schemes, but their housing output has carried on since the late 1960s.

And, right now, they are among the small handful of Cork developers - such as Ruden Homes and Astra Construction - who are still actively building houses on good sites in the greater Cork area.

Volume of output might be down now, and it will be a while before the next thousand-home mark is hit, but the company OCP is building, and selling, new houses at its Lisheen Fields scheme just west of Ballincollig.

According to company director Aidan Lucey, about 25 houses were sold here last year “and buyer interest is surprisingly strong”.

OCP’s current phase at Lisheen Fields is of four bed, two-storey 1,500 sq ft houses. Energy efficiency levels are high, at a very decent B1 BER level, down to things like quality timber frame construction via Macroom Co Cork-based Cygnum, and solar panels for water heating etc. Helping to bed

The timber-framed homes under construction in Lisheen Fields.

Pictures: Denis Scannell

Location: Price: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: Best feature: down the entire scheme of 34 homes so far is landscaping by Cameron Kiernan, and Lisheen Fields (which will total 150 houses in all,) is as readily accessible from the old Ballincollig town road or the new bypass.

Selling agents are Property Partners O’Mahony Walsh who record about 15 visits to the Lisheen showhouse near the thriving EMC plant in Ovens which, along with associated companies, employ thousands in

the city’s western suburbs.

OCP’s director Aidan Lucey notes “there will be continuing demand for these houses, on offer for €300,000, as they’re built to a very high specification and will be of interest to all potential purchasers, including first-time buyers who can claim generous tax relief for seven years, provided they buy in 2012.”

Mr Lucey adds: “We notice that some people who decided to rent properties last year are now coming back to view,

Lived-in home, replete with character There is abundant evidence of its owners’ interests in this home, says Tommy Barker

Ballincollig, Cork €300,000 4 B1 Yes Proven location near EMC

which is a good sign of keener interest.

Lisheen has a regular bus service and very good shopping facilities, a medical centre and a creche just across the road.

It is close to Ballincollig with all its shopping and other facilities and near our completed Classes Lake development which is completely sold.”

VERDICT: The local economy is thriving, gratis of EMC, so housing is needed.

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

Toormore, West Cork €250,000 158 sq m (1,700 sq ft) 4 Pending Yes Internal character

Gardiner’s Hill, Cork City €199,000 168 sq m (1,800 sq ft) 5 Pending Yes

also need some attention, but the bones of a fine house are evident.

There are interconnecting formal rooms on the ground floor and a back kitchen leading to the yard, and guest WC. The second floor has a partitioned front room which could be restored to a master bedroom, or first floor drawing room. There are two other single bedrooms with bathroom on the return and overhead are two more attic rooms, also partitioned. South-facing gardens are to the front and at the rear, there’s a concrete storage shed, yard and rear access, which is very handy.

VERDICT: This house has all the ingredients for an elegant period home in the right hands.

I

N interior terms, there’s the minimalist look — and then there’s the likes of Tig na Carrige, a West Cork home where its owners lived life to the full, and filled their home with evidence of their life passions.

A new market arrival post-Christmas, it’s a busy building, full of nooks and crannies and quirks, and all of them packed. Full of myriad books, opera and classical records, posters, pictures, sculpture, framed certs and collages of

work triumphs, all topped off with a kitchen that clearly was the centre of this home, and used by people who knew how to cook.

Renovated in fits and starts over the years, it has a decent 1,700sq ft of atmospheric space, and stands on an acre with several small stone outbuildings and a large polytunnel for food growing - the good life, on a West Cork acre, near Toormore and Schull.

Estate agent Maeve McCarthy of Charles P McCarthy & Co in Skibbereen

guides the 19th century property (with a charming, albeit chaotic, layout and charm) at €250,000. Having visited, one can sympathise with the challenge (not accepted in this case) of drawing up a floor plan.

It has two staircases, serving different section of the low two-storey house, with up to four bedrooms, three bathrooms, various lobbies, large 25’ by 12’ living room with old stone firebreast, and a big kitchen/dining annex to the back, 24’ by 15’, with an

Aga and overhead Veluxes. It has been re-roofed and changed around so that the traditional look is taken off the exterior, but a real old trad feature kept is the external (additional) stone staircase to the main first floor bedroom, decorated with old horseshoes, one shoe per footfall.

VERDICT: (90 minutes from Cork, 15 from Schull, and near Ballyrisode beach, Tig na Carraige is a refreshing change from minimalism.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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STARTER HOMES

Affordable apartments pitched at investors and first-time buyers

Midleton Drury’s Mews properties are yours for €85,000 each, Tommy Barker reports

YOUGHAL, CORK €150,000 Sq m: 121 (1,300 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Bedrooms: 4 Broadband: Yes

There’ll still be time to head to the beach around the corner, to possibly celebrate the auction purchase of Minella — the refurbished Youghal bungalow home is due under the hammer at 3pm on the 17th of this month.

There’s encouraging pre-auction interest in the four-bed home, on a nice site just around the corner from the East Cork town’s strand, notes selling agent Noel Mackey. He says it has just been upgraded, has good space, a nice feel, gardens front and back, and will suit a range of buyers, from FTB’s to those trading up locally, as well as for holiday home use.

VERDICT: A realistic price guide bodes well for the Feb 17 auction.

Location: Price: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: With €100 million being invested in the East Cork town of Midleton’s distillery for a new Jameson production facility, there should be a kick to the local economy. And, perhaps also, to the local property and rental market.

Pitching a small number of affordable apartments at investors and first-time buyers, estate agent Michael Creedon, who’s part of the DNG franchise, reckons buyers will get their money back on these €85,000 Drury’s Mews purchases in jig time — about 10 years, based on €700 per month rentals.

“Any investor with cash looking to cash in on the ongoing expansion at Jameson whiskey had better act fast as we have very strong expressions of interest in what’s available,” he comments of the

Midleton, Cork €85,000 2 Pending Yes

three 700 sq ft units he’s currently offering in the niche, eight-unit development.

Each of the town centre two-bed (one en suite) apartments has its own designated parking space, with lift and stair access to the block of eight above, floors are timber and tile, they have balconies, utility rooms and all are being sold fitted and furnished.

That means down to white goods, leather sofas, beds, toasters, and perhaps a whisky glass or two for a toast to Midleton’s distilled good fortune.

VERDICT: Cheaper to buy than to build, money safely bedded down in bricks and mortar at a time of financial and currency uncertainty and highly rentable if you don’t want to live there yourself.

Period charm part of the attraction

GURRANABRAHER, CORK CITY €109,000 Sq m: 112 (1,200 sq ft) BER rating: Pending

Hard to believe the amount of quality space in this house from a quick look. Now only has this end-ofterrace city house a good garden, but it has a quality interior — and it’s pitched at the right price too.

On the market with agent Kate Kearney of DNG Creedon, and set off Cathedral Road, No 55 Orrery Road has great views over the city — and a conservatory from which to enjoy them.

The three-bed also comes with a large living room, (with wood flooring), a modern kitchen/dining room which connects to the conservatory and outside, to a large, raised deck.

No 55 also comes with three bedrooms and a modern bathroom.

VERDICT: A good house with lots of extras and ready to go for a first-time buyer. Should be snapped up quickly.

6

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

Bedrooms: 3 Broadband: Yes

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Taking into consideration the money that will need to be spent here, this five-bed Lissadell, on Gardiner’s Hill is on the upper level for a starter home, but then, it does offer period charm, lots of space and a location that’s second to none.

Kevin Barry of Barry Auctioneers says the house is an executor’s sale and is pitched to sell: “It’s a great location and there’s the opportunity here for buyers to put their own stamp on it — it was a family home and now the family are all gone, they’re going to sell. A buyer could put a few bob into this and get a super job.”

The house has all of its original cornicing and picture rails and while the the bathroom and kitchen will need an upgrade and the second floor rooms will

XP1 - V1

PROPERTY

Building ongoing at Lisheen Fields New phase of Ovens development from O’Callaghan Properties for sale, Tommy Barker reports

T

HEY’VE 6,800 houses and apartments built to date — and they’re not finished yet.

Developers O’Callaghan Properties are best known for daring projects like Dublin’s Liffey Valley and Cork’s Opera Lane and Mahon Point among a myriad of other shopping centre schemes, but their housing output has carried on since the late 1960s.

And, right now, they are among the small handful of Cork developers - such as Ruden Homes and Astra Construction - who are still actively building houses on good sites in the greater Cork area.

Volume of output might be down now, and it will be a while before the next thousand-home mark is hit, but the company OCP is building, and selling, new houses at its Lisheen Fields scheme just west of Ballincollig.

According to company director Aidan Lucey, about 25 houses were sold here last year “and buyer interest is surprisingly strong”.

OCP’s current phase at Lisheen Fields is of four bed, two-storey 1,500 sq ft houses. Energy efficiency levels are high, at a very decent B1 BER level, down to things like quality timber frame construction via Macroom Co Cork-based Cygnum, and solar panels for water heating etc. Helping to bed

The timber-framed homes under construction in Lisheen Fields.

Pictures: Denis Scannell

Location: Price: Bedrooms: BER rating: Broadband: Best feature: down the entire scheme of 34 homes so far is landscaping by Cameron Kiernan, and Lisheen Fields (which will total 150 houses in all,) is as readily accessible from the old Ballincollig town road or the new bypass.

Selling agents are Property Partners O’Mahony Walsh who record about 15 visits to the Lisheen showhouse near the thriving EMC plant in Ovens which, along with associated companies, employ thousands in

the city’s western suburbs.

OCP’s director Aidan Lucey notes “there will be continuing demand for these houses, on offer for €300,000, as they’re built to a very high specification and will be of interest to all potential purchasers, including first-time buyers who can claim generous tax relief for seven years, provided they buy in 2012.”

Mr Lucey adds: “We notice that some people who decided to rent properties last year are now coming back to view,

Lived-in home, replete with character There is abundant evidence of its owners’ interests in this home, says Tommy Barker

Ballincollig, Cork €300,000 4 B1 Yes Proven location near EMC

which is a good sign of keener interest.

Lisheen has a regular bus service and very good shopping facilities, a medical centre and a creche just across the road.

It is close to Ballincollig with all its shopping and other facilities and near our completed Classes Lake development which is completely sold.”

VERDICT: The local economy is thriving, gratis of EMC, so housing is needed.

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

Toormore, West Cork €250,000 158 sq m (1,700 sq ft) 4 Pending Yes Internal character

Gardiner’s Hill, Cork City €199,000 168 sq m (1,800 sq ft) 5 Pending Yes

also need some attention, but the bones of a fine house are evident.

There are interconnecting formal rooms on the ground floor and a back kitchen leading to the yard, and guest WC. The second floor has a partitioned front room which could be restored to a master bedroom, or first floor drawing room. There are two other single bedrooms with bathroom on the return and overhead are two more attic rooms, also partitioned. South-facing gardens are to the front and at the rear, there’s a concrete storage shed, yard and rear access, which is very handy.

VERDICT: This house has all the ingredients for an elegant period home in the right hands.

I

N interior terms, there’s the minimalist look — and then there’s the likes of Tig na Carrige, a West Cork home where its owners lived life to the full, and filled their home with evidence of their life passions.

A new market arrival post-Christmas, it’s a busy building, full of nooks and crannies and quirks, and all of them packed. Full of myriad books, opera and classical records, posters, pictures, sculpture, framed certs and collages of

work triumphs, all topped off with a kitchen that clearly was the centre of this home, and used by people who knew how to cook.

Renovated in fits and starts over the years, it has a decent 1,700sq ft of atmospheric space, and stands on an acre with several small stone outbuildings and a large polytunnel for food growing - the good life, on a West Cork acre, near Toormore and Schull.

Estate agent Maeve McCarthy of Charles P McCarthy & Co in Skibbereen

guides the 19th century property (with a charming, albeit chaotic, layout and charm) at €250,000. Having visited, one can sympathise with the challenge (not accepted in this case) of drawing up a floor plan.

It has two staircases, serving different section of the low two-storey house, with up to four bedrooms, three bathrooms, various lobbies, large 25’ by 12’ living room with old stone firebreast, and a big kitchen/dining annex to the back, 24’ by 15’, with an

Aga and overhead Veluxes. It has been re-roofed and changed around so that the traditional look is taken off the exterior, but a real old trad feature kept is the external (additional) stone staircase to the main first floor bedroom, decorated with old horseshoes, one shoe per footfall.

VERDICT: (90 minutes from Cork, 15 from Schull, and near Ballyrisode beach, Tig na Carraige is a refreshing change from minimalism.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Impressive West Ridge stands out from the crowd

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

Killarney, Kerry €375,000 215 sq m (2,300sq ft) 3 Pending Assertive interior and build quality

With an open plan design and four-person hot tub, this quirky Kerry home also has an excellent guide price, Tommy Barker reports Pictures: Denis Scannell

B

Y their handiwork you shall know them...but, many of the crew who did this one-off Kerry home are gone from business, no longer working locally, or have emigrated.

According to this house’s owner (now no longer living locally either) the dispersed crew behind the house called West Ridge includes the builder, the architect, the electrician, the tile shop, the hot tub shop, the two principal furniture shops, the lighting shop, and even the local agent for the German kitchen company.

It’s a shocking enough penpicture of the national flight of skill, energy, talent and ability due to the economic downturn: after all, this dream house was only completed in 2006 after a painstaking, year-long build period. Not everyone involved in it is gone, fortunately, and the list of some trades and suppliers still going strong is listed at the end of this property profile.

(The good news from our Cover Story features here over the past nine months since Property and Interiors’ redesign is that accomplished houses featured in these pages results in work going the way of some of those identified and credited.)

What’s also salutary is that — as West Ridge, near Muckross in Killarney gets enthralled 2012 viewings — its guide price for sale is €375,000, well within the grasp of a range of househunters who know you won’t get to build to this level of finish for this sort of money right now, even with wage rates on the floor.

West Ridge is a 2,300 sq ft one-off on a half acre site, equating to a €160 per sq ft

8

cost, not factoring in any site value at all.

Since it went up for sale with local agents Property Partners Gallivan and Sherry FitzGerald Coghlan, it has impressed, but

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

also puzzled somewhat: it’s different.

Its stand-out feature is its very open plan format, open across much of the ground floor level, and also open up to the

rafters, with the main, and very dramatic, indulgent master bedroom open to the floors below it, just separated by low walls.

So, as it stands, not exactly your typical family home — and the large (four-person) hot tub upstairs in centre, pride-ofplace position in the master bedroom only adds to the sense of this being designed for a single person or a couple, or the former with a view towards the latter.

That’s not to say that it can’t be altered: a bit of glass screening could restore some more essential privacy to the upstairs quarters, while still keeping the essence of what’s different and what works here.

Or, it could just prove to be tailor-made for an individual buyer — and it would certainly rent out to those in search of a romantic hideaway, amid some spectacular Kerry scenery.

Location of West Ridge is about a mile or two up into the hills at Gortagullane beyond Mangerton Cross, so there’s plenty of bracing hill walks as well, almost literally on the doorstep, while Killarney is a 10 minute spin away.

According to the owner, the design was an amalgam “both my and architect Annette Kissane’s ideas rolled into one, I knew what I wanted idea/ style-wise, and she was able to make that work on paper.”

He says that the open plan layout “allows the house to flow from one area to the next, and we used a lot of glass throughout the house to bring it to life, and create a feelgood factor inside all day long.

“Then, at night when the wood-burning stove is lit and the lighting is contrasted and toned down, it is a different house again. They say a well

West Ridge is a 2,300 sq ft one-off on a half acre site near Muckross in Killarney, Co Kerry.

designed house is where every square foot of the house is used every day — and that’s what this house does.”

With all the open-plan space, it would be facetious to suggest there’s a clear saving on doors and architraves. What might have been saved there was re-spent several times over via things like mood lighting, marble and Brazilian hardwood floors, a real high-end kitchen, internal changes of floor levels, plus dramatic, soaring stonework in granite, with granite sills to boot. Externally,

there’s Wicklow granite featuring in the gables, porch and in the tall entrance pillars, there’s external sensor lighting, and wiring for electric gates and infra red alarm on the site of almost half an acre.

On paper, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much space, or at least many rooms at all here at West Ridge: essentially it’s a threebed, with a living room and a kitchen/diner — that’s about the tally in a modest townhouse.

However, that’s far from the reality: It’s bigger, and better

when you get past the doubleroofed, stepped height sheltering porch faced in its Wicklow granite finery.

There’s a few scene-stealers: One first encountered is the stepped-down 24’ by 20’ sitting room, with double height volume, overlooked from the central gallery master bedroom. It has tall windows on three sides, front and back, as well as on two levels on the lofty gable with PVC mahogany effect French doors for garden access.

The gable is pierced up the

centre by a part-rendered/partgranite chimney breast, wicking away the smoke from the efficient solid fuel stove on its raised plinth or hearth, This chimney breast has a deep mantle in a rich-hued timber, and the same richness is seen in the highly polished Brazilian hardwood floor, and in the partially exposed roof joists 14’ above, before the apex, and even more light is drawn in from overhead Veluxes.

While that living space is a set down off the hall, the kitchen/diner at the other end

othe hall is up a step — and up the scale too in terms of visual impact.

Wow! Bring sunglasses — this is also bright, with full-on, fire-engine gloss red kitchen units from the Germany company Schmidt. There’s another granite gable fire breast here, a bit of a paradoxical trick really as the heating stove here is electric, yet the cooking hob on the curving central island has a circular extract and venting flue hanging on stainless steel wires going up into the >>>

The large hot tub upstairs in pride-ofplace position in the master bedroom adds to the sense of this being designed for a single person or a couple

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Impressive West Ridge stands out from the crowd

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

Killarney, Kerry €375,000 215 sq m (2,300sq ft) 3 Pending Assertive interior and build quality

With an open plan design and four-person hot tub, this quirky Kerry home also has an excellent guide price, Tommy Barker reports Pictures: Denis Scannell

B

Y their handiwork you shall know them...but, many of the crew who did this one-off Kerry home are gone from business, no longer working locally, or have emigrated.

According to this house’s owner (now no longer living locally either) the dispersed crew behind the house called West Ridge includes the builder, the architect, the electrician, the tile shop, the hot tub shop, the two principal furniture shops, the lighting shop, and even the local agent for the German kitchen company.

It’s a shocking enough penpicture of the national flight of skill, energy, talent and ability due to the economic downturn: after all, this dream house was only completed in 2006 after a painstaking, year-long build period. Not everyone involved in it is gone, fortunately, and the list of some trades and suppliers still going strong is listed at the end of this property profile.

(The good news from our Cover Story features here over the past nine months since Property and Interiors’ redesign is that accomplished houses featured in these pages results in work going the way of some of those identified and credited.)

What’s also salutary is that — as West Ridge, near Muckross in Killarney gets enthralled 2012 viewings — its guide price for sale is €375,000, well within the grasp of a range of househunters who know you won’t get to build to this level of finish for this sort of money right now, even with wage rates on the floor.

West Ridge is a 2,300 sq ft one-off on a half acre site, equating to a €160 per sq ft

8

cost, not factoring in any site value at all.

Since it went up for sale with local agents Property Partners Gallivan and Sherry FitzGerald Coghlan, it has impressed, but

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

also puzzled somewhat: it’s different.

Its stand-out feature is its very open plan format, open across much of the ground floor level, and also open up to the

rafters, with the main, and very dramatic, indulgent master bedroom open to the floors below it, just separated by low walls.

So, as it stands, not exactly your typical family home — and the large (four-person) hot tub upstairs in centre, pride-ofplace position in the master bedroom only adds to the sense of this being designed for a single person or a couple, or the former with a view towards the latter.

That’s not to say that it can’t be altered: a bit of glass screening could restore some more essential privacy to the upstairs quarters, while still keeping the essence of what’s different and what works here.

Or, it could just prove to be tailor-made for an individual buyer — and it would certainly rent out to those in search of a romantic hideaway, amid some spectacular Kerry scenery.

Location of West Ridge is about a mile or two up into the hills at Gortagullane beyond Mangerton Cross, so there’s plenty of bracing hill walks as well, almost literally on the doorstep, while Killarney is a 10 minute spin away.

According to the owner, the design was an amalgam “both my and architect Annette Kissane’s ideas rolled into one, I knew what I wanted idea/ style-wise, and she was able to make that work on paper.”

He says that the open plan layout “allows the house to flow from one area to the next, and we used a lot of glass throughout the house to bring it to life, and create a feelgood factor inside all day long.

“Then, at night when the wood-burning stove is lit and the lighting is contrasted and toned down, it is a different house again. They say a well

West Ridge is a 2,300 sq ft one-off on a half acre site near Muckross in Killarney, Co Kerry.

designed house is where every square foot of the house is used every day — and that’s what this house does.”

With all the open-plan space, it would be facetious to suggest there’s a clear saving on doors and architraves. What might have been saved there was re-spent several times over via things like mood lighting, marble and Brazilian hardwood floors, a real high-end kitchen, internal changes of floor levels, plus dramatic, soaring stonework in granite, with granite sills to boot. Externally,

there’s Wicklow granite featuring in the gables, porch and in the tall entrance pillars, there’s external sensor lighting, and wiring for electric gates and infra red alarm on the site of almost half an acre.

On paper, it doesn’t seem as if there’s much space, or at least many rooms at all here at West Ridge: essentially it’s a threebed, with a living room and a kitchen/diner — that’s about the tally in a modest townhouse.

However, that’s far from the reality: It’s bigger, and better

when you get past the doubleroofed, stepped height sheltering porch faced in its Wicklow granite finery.

There’s a few scene-stealers: One first encountered is the stepped-down 24’ by 20’ sitting room, with double height volume, overlooked from the central gallery master bedroom. It has tall windows on three sides, front and back, as well as on two levels on the lofty gable with PVC mahogany effect French doors for garden access.

The gable is pierced up the

centre by a part-rendered/partgranite chimney breast, wicking away the smoke from the efficient solid fuel stove on its raised plinth or hearth, This chimney breast has a deep mantle in a rich-hued timber, and the same richness is seen in the highly polished Brazilian hardwood floor, and in the partially exposed roof joists 14’ above, before the apex, and even more light is drawn in from overhead Veluxes.

While that living space is a set down off the hall, the kitchen/diner at the other end

othe hall is up a step — and up the scale too in terms of visual impact.

Wow! Bring sunglasses — this is also bright, with full-on, fire-engine gloss red kitchen units from the Germany company Schmidt. There’s another granite gable fire breast here, a bit of a paradoxical trick really as the heating stove here is electric, yet the cooking hob on the curving central island has a circular extract and venting flue hanging on stainless steel wires going up into the >>>

The large hot tub upstairs in pride-ofplace position in the master bedroom adds to the sense of this being designed for a single person or a couple

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

9

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

GETTHELOOK Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them 1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Let your porch be your calling card of quality. This has two sections, and granite pillars 2 LED there be light: well-placed LED can serve as a visual and as a safety feature 3 Sucking diesel: this suspended extract is necessary since the hob is in the middle of a cathedralceilinged kitchen 4 Rip Van Wrinkle: If you overstay your time in the bedroom’s hot tub.

5 Easy as falling off a log: The kitchen’s feature stove is a con — Con Edison, it’s electric 6 Go large: make a living room big enough to live like a lord in

SOURCEBOOK >>> roof. The eye-catching/eye/popping kitchen is 24’ deep, leading into a dining room, and has a pantry off in the middle of the house near to where most of the services/plumbing are centralised.

Thus, the two ground floor bedrooms’ en suites are back to back with a ground floor bathroom next door so that the centre-ofroom bath can be accessed from either marble-clad en suite. There’s also a shower/ wet-room off the kitchen, next to a utility room.

Huge attention has been paid to lighting, both in placing spots and in LED/ atmosphere lights. and low-level blue-ish LEDs surface at step and stair levels in lots of places, while entire colour washes ‘paint’

10

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

the walls at night. Trot along up the carpeted stairs, and that’s where West Ridge gets most different. The upper deck bedroom (with access to attic storage and with a home office section too) under the feature sloping ceilings with polished joists is different, most notably for the lack of an en suite at this specification, but thanks most of all to its sheer size, openness, and the lurking, bubbling, gurgling presence of a four-person, cedar-clad hot tub for total immersion.

Now, of course, you don’t need all four persons to enjoy the multi-jet/jet-set hot-tub, it’s mostly a capacity description of the pond-sized feature, Tiger-era bath-time before bedtime.

Selling agents: Sherry FitzGerald Coghlan 064-6631892, Property Partners Gallivan 064-6634177 ..................................................................................................

Windows : Munster Joinery ..................................................................................................

Kitchen Schmidt Kitchen Germany ..................................................................................................

Building supplies: Boyles Tralee and Killarney, MD O’Shea Killarney. ..................................................................................................

Engineer: Anthony O’Connor & Associates Beaufort, Kerry 064-6624242

Plumbing: Donie O’Sullivan, Killarney, 064-6636977 ..................................................................................................

Plastering: Liam Wynne Killarney 0646636333 ..................................................................................................

Roof Contractor: John Shine 0872230197. ..................................................................................................

Floors: www.FloorsDirect.ie ..................................................................................................

Stone: www.BnFselect.com

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

11

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:12:29:17Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:10

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COVER STORY

COVER STORY

GETTHELOOK Some great ideas for you to use in your home and where to get them 1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Let your porch be your calling card of quality. This has two sections, and granite pillars 2 LED there be light: well-placed LED can serve as a visual and as a safety feature 3 Sucking diesel: this suspended extract is necessary since the hob is in the middle of a cathedralceilinged kitchen 4 Rip Van Wrinkle: If you overstay your time in the bedroom’s hot tub.

5 Easy as falling off a log: The kitchen’s feature stove is a con — Con Edison, it’s electric 6 Go large: make a living room big enough to live like a lord in

SOURCEBOOK >>> roof. The eye-catching/eye/popping kitchen is 24’ deep, leading into a dining room, and has a pantry off in the middle of the house near to where most of the services/plumbing are centralised.

Thus, the two ground floor bedrooms’ en suites are back to back with a ground floor bathroom next door so that the centre-ofroom bath can be accessed from either marble-clad en suite. There’s also a shower/ wet-room off the kitchen, next to a utility room.

Huge attention has been paid to lighting, both in placing spots and in LED/ atmosphere lights. and low-level blue-ish LEDs surface at step and stair levels in lots of places, while entire colour washes ‘paint’

10

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

the walls at night. Trot along up the carpeted stairs, and that’s where West Ridge gets most different. The upper deck bedroom (with access to attic storage and with a home office section too) under the feature sloping ceilings with polished joists is different, most notably for the lack of an en suite at this specification, but thanks most of all to its sheer size, openness, and the lurking, bubbling, gurgling presence of a four-person, cedar-clad hot tub for total immersion.

Now, of course, you don’t need all four persons to enjoy the multi-jet/jet-set hot-tub, it’s mostly a capacity description of the pond-sized feature, Tiger-era bath-time before bedtime.

Selling agents: Sherry FitzGerald Coghlan 064-6631892, Property Partners Gallivan 064-6634177 ..................................................................................................

Windows : Munster Joinery ..................................................................................................

Kitchen Schmidt Kitchen Germany ..................................................................................................

Building supplies: Boyles Tralee and Killarney, MD O’Shea Killarney. ..................................................................................................

Engineer: Anthony O’Connor & Associates Beaufort, Kerry 064-6624242

Plumbing: Donie O’Sullivan, Killarney, 064-6636977 ..................................................................................................

Plastering: Liam Wynne Killarney 0646636333 ..................................................................................................

Roof Contractor: John Shine 0872230197. ..................................................................................................

Floors: www.FloorsDirect.ie ..................................................................................................

Stone: www.BnFselect.com

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

11

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:12:42:58Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:12

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INTERIORS

INTERIORS

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

Declutter

SOMETHINGEXTRA This week we love.......

Stack spare bedlinen or store summer clothes in winter and vice-versa in the concealed space beneath the Biarritz Ottoman (from €1,119 at Casey’s Furniture).

■ ... the Bunny chair, designed by Iskos-Berlin for Danish design house Normann Copenhagen.

Soft and voluptuous, it’s a witty addition to a room and an enticement to snuggle with its notional shape of a cuddly toy for adults. Available in pink, purple and grey. €3,000 from normanncopenhagen.com and lostweekend.ie

Untidiness can cause problems in the home, so now is the time, says Carol O’Callaghan, to clear it up and ship it out

Tidy up with storage boxes A few handy storage boxes will help keep your decluttered room looking pristine.

Lovely colourful and slender storage is perfect for a small child’s room to keep all of those bunnies and teddies in order (Kidspace unit €89 from Littlewoods Ireland).

On-trend boxes finished in colourful laminates provide storage and extra surface space. Stack them together or scatter them as tables (€69 at Bo Concept).

Sturdy lidded boxes double up as occasional tables and storage for newspapers, magazines and files (€20 for two at Woodie’s).

Attractive storage options Consider something multi-functional as a way of keeping clutter under control

Clean white bedlinens, storage-free space beneath the bed and stylish but practical bedside and bed-end tables provide the aspirational decluttered bedroom (from Ligne Roset €5,916).

I

T’S the season of decluttering as the primitive urge to clear out the nest kicks in. But it’s not just about getting rid of things, it’s equally about resisting the temptation to buy more of the same and undo all the hard work of decluttering in the process.

Mess, clutter, untidiness or whatever you want to call it, is the bug-bear of many relationships, and can harm the best of friendships with house- and flatmates. A little consideration is all that’s required, and if everyone above a particular age cleaned and tidied up after themselves, maybe clutter and the corresponding household nagging quota could be significantly reduced.

Clearing clutter may seem achievable if you live alone or with people who are as enthusiastic about the project as you

12

are, but if you are constantly picking up after others, your aspirations towards a decluttered environment may seem futile. Lead by example with four simple rules: if you take it out, put it back; if you open it, close it; if you throw it down, pick it up; if you take it off, hang it up.

Get cracking with a roll of bin liners, dividing the job into stages over a weekend or a week, but don’t do too much too soon or you may be overwhelmed and give up. Go through each room and gather up obvious rubbish like dead flowers and houseplants, old newspapers and magazines. Remove chipped crockery, broken utensils, and cups that have lost their saucers. Add empty bottles, containers, shampoo bottles, and broken hair brushes. Open the windows for a

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

blast of fresh air to blow the cobwebs away, and then reward yourself with a nice cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit.

As you proceed, apply the Rule of One which means having just one of an item like one mobile phone and one moisturiser, for example. Ask yourself just how many corkscrews do you need, or blunt knives? Invest in one good kitchen knife that will last for years and is far better than a collection of knives that wouldn’t cut your finger let alone a potato.

Tackle items you no longer use, or are connected with past interests, by putting them in a box labelled with the date. In six months if you haven’t thought of the contents, get rid of the box. This is a tough one so you may want to up the chocolate biscuit reward.

The next step is to focus on the detail

Consider a dining room cabinet with space-saving sliding doors and storage for all your tablewares to keep them out of sight and dust-free (from €900 at Slide Glide).

Right: Open shelving in the Vermont unit with glassfronted closed storage offers multifunction.

(From M&S approx. €700).

of individual rooms. The bedroom is a good place to start so choose a chest of drawers and clear one at a time, working from left to right. If you do nothing else that day, remember you’ve made a start and do the second drawer next day. If you decide to clear the chest or a wardrobe in one go, make sure you stop for a break and reward.

By the time you’ve worked through each room, it’s extremely gratifying to see bags lined up in the hall ready for the charity shop, and if you’ve been ruthless in your decluttering, you may have enough to set up a stall at the car boot sale to earn a few euro to put towards some new storage.

■ Next week we’re checking out the new interiors trends for 2012

Try a flexible fabric laundry basket to slot into a tight corner and some undersink storage for lotions and potions (Godmorgon wash stand €253.11, Jal laundry bag €3.75 from Ikea).

For something funky to prompt storage envy, check out the Ptolomeo wall mounted book shelving unit (from The Conran Shop €1,259).

The Hyacinth unit blends Scandinavian style and warm acacia wood finished with a protective oil so it is ideal for the bathroom but suitable for use elsewhere in the house too (€299 at Meadows & Byrne).

You can’t go wrong with a basket if you’re looking for attractive and affordable storage. Use them for logs or toys (€12.99 at TK Maxx).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

13

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:12:42:58Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:12

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V3

XP1 - V3

INTERIORS

INTERIORS

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

Declutter

SOMETHINGEXTRA This week we love.......

Stack spare bedlinen or store summer clothes in winter and vice-versa in the concealed space beneath the Biarritz Ottoman (from €1,119 at Casey’s Furniture).

■ ... the Bunny chair, designed by Iskos-Berlin for Danish design house Normann Copenhagen.

Soft and voluptuous, it’s a witty addition to a room and an enticement to snuggle with its notional shape of a cuddly toy for adults. Available in pink, purple and grey. €3,000 from normanncopenhagen.com and lostweekend.ie

Untidiness can cause problems in the home, so now is the time, says Carol O’Callaghan, to clear it up and ship it out

Tidy up with storage boxes A few handy storage boxes will help keep your decluttered room looking pristine.

Lovely colourful and slender storage is perfect for a small child’s room to keep all of those bunnies and teddies in order (Kidspace unit €89 from Littlewoods Ireland).

On-trend boxes finished in colourful laminates provide storage and extra surface space. Stack them together or scatter them as tables (€69 at Bo Concept).

Sturdy lidded boxes double up as occasional tables and storage for newspapers, magazines and files (€20 for two at Woodie’s).

Attractive storage options Consider something multi-functional as a way of keeping clutter under control

Clean white bedlinens, storage-free space beneath the bed and stylish but practical bedside and bed-end tables provide the aspirational decluttered bedroom (from Ligne Roset €5,916).

I

T’S the season of decluttering as the primitive urge to clear out the nest kicks in. But it’s not just about getting rid of things, it’s equally about resisting the temptation to buy more of the same and undo all the hard work of decluttering in the process.

Mess, clutter, untidiness or whatever you want to call it, is the bug-bear of many relationships, and can harm the best of friendships with house- and flatmates. A little consideration is all that’s required, and if everyone above a particular age cleaned and tidied up after themselves, maybe clutter and the corresponding household nagging quota could be significantly reduced.

Clearing clutter may seem achievable if you live alone or with people who are as enthusiastic about the project as you

12

are, but if you are constantly picking up after others, your aspirations towards a decluttered environment may seem futile. Lead by example with four simple rules: if you take it out, put it back; if you open it, close it; if you throw it down, pick it up; if you take it off, hang it up.

Get cracking with a roll of bin liners, dividing the job into stages over a weekend or a week, but don’t do too much too soon or you may be overwhelmed and give up. Go through each room and gather up obvious rubbish like dead flowers and houseplants, old newspapers and magazines. Remove chipped crockery, broken utensils, and cups that have lost their saucers. Add empty bottles, containers, shampoo bottles, and broken hair brushes. Open the windows for a

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

blast of fresh air to blow the cobwebs away, and then reward yourself with a nice cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit.

As you proceed, apply the Rule of One which means having just one of an item like one mobile phone and one moisturiser, for example. Ask yourself just how many corkscrews do you need, or blunt knives? Invest in one good kitchen knife that will last for years and is far better than a collection of knives that wouldn’t cut your finger let alone a potato.

Tackle items you no longer use, or are connected with past interests, by putting them in a box labelled with the date. In six months if you haven’t thought of the contents, get rid of the box. This is a tough one so you may want to up the chocolate biscuit reward.

The next step is to focus on the detail

Consider a dining room cabinet with space-saving sliding doors and storage for all your tablewares to keep them out of sight and dust-free (from €900 at Slide Glide).

Right: Open shelving in the Vermont unit with glassfronted closed storage offers multifunction.

(From M&S approx. €700).

of individual rooms. The bedroom is a good place to start so choose a chest of drawers and clear one at a time, working from left to right. If you do nothing else that day, remember you’ve made a start and do the second drawer next day. If you decide to clear the chest or a wardrobe in one go, make sure you stop for a break and reward.

By the time you’ve worked through each room, it’s extremely gratifying to see bags lined up in the hall ready for the charity shop, and if you’ve been ruthless in your decluttering, you may have enough to set up a stall at the car boot sale to earn a few euro to put towards some new storage.

■ Next week we’re checking out the new interiors trends for 2012

Try a flexible fabric laundry basket to slot into a tight corner and some undersink storage for lotions and potions (Godmorgon wash stand €253.11, Jal laundry bag €3.75 from Ikea).

For something funky to prompt storage envy, check out the Ptolomeo wall mounted book shelving unit (from The Conran Shop €1,259).

The Hyacinth unit blends Scandinavian style and warm acacia wood finished with a protective oil so it is ideal for the bathroom but suitable for use elsewhere in the house too (€299 at Meadows & Byrne).

You can’t go wrong with a basket if you’re looking for attractive and affordable storage. Use them for logs or toys (€12.99 at TK Maxx).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

13

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DIY

DIY

MAKING THE MOST OF A SMALL WORLD

The bathroom is usually the most limited room in the house.

Kya deLongchamps offers 10 tips for a small bathroom

T

HE less room you have to work with, the harder every available centimetre has to perform, but with some forward planning, less really can be more. A small bathroom can stir the senses and succeed as well as a sprawling spa set over metres of marble. Hotels know how it’s done. Next time you’re away, take in that tightly managed environment. A wall-hung toilet, a gorgeous sink set in a slender counter with a shelved recess containing a massive mirror, lovely unifying tile, flattering lighting and perfect ventilation. Invariably the bath doubles as a shower. Invest in the best quality you can afford with any small space as you’re covering less square metres for the final finish. It’s the installation that’s really going to cost.

1. WHICH WARE WHERE? Wall-hung toilet pans not only free up the footprint, but allow a pale floor to do its work, bouncing light around the room. They also eliminate the delightful job of cleaning around the back of a pedestal, your nose pressed against the bowl. There will be significant extra expense to completely disguise a tank in a false wall. If you’re cutting into the available floor space by framing out, there’s still potential for a chic, recessed area of wall above the tanked area, incorporating shelving from waist height. Add a wall-to-wall mirror inside the recess with energy-saving LED lighting above to give an attractive reflection and multiple natural light.

Corner cisterns can hug a tiny area with a triangular tank.

2. BATHING BEAUTY. Contrary to popular belief, corner baths, with the exception of off-set corner models in the right room, are space monsters, ballooning out across a small floor area. A shorter, deeper Japanese scale bath (1200X700mm) offers luxury and that all important illusion of more space. If you shower most of the time, choose a compact shower/bath of 1500mm or less and consider a ‘P’ shape with a dedicated semi-circular screen on the bath’s edge.

These designs can be set for the ‘P’ end to wrap around the sink position.

Shower curtains look a mess in small bathrooms. Swap it out for a folding or fixed screen in clear glass. For a fixed screen explore frameless designs in rectangles or a sweeping ‘sails’ design in seductive curves. Flair Namara and Wetroom screens now feature ClearShield glass that keeps itself clean.

14

DIYTIPS

Re-grouting tile work

If the tiles are good, but the grout beyond cleaning or simply the wrong colour, you can take out the old and refresh with a new grout job. This is a tricky job, so if you’re not handy with a mini-grinder, use a hand rake and work slowly. It’s not an expensive project.

WHAT YOU NEED: ■ 18V mini-grinder with small masonrygrinding disc, or a ‘grout rake’ if you want to work by hand.

An awkward shape, handled perfectly with Godmorgon cabinets, offering oodles of storage. Fourdrawer base cabinet, €499; high cabinets, €189 each; Holger benches, €45.

■ New grout. Ready mixed is easy to work.

www.flairshowers.com.

■ Spatula or rubber grout float.

3. SHOWERING SOLO The ultimate bravery is to lose the bath altogether in favour or a shower or ‘wet’ room. In tiny shower rooms, a curved quadrant shower enclosure with a curved third edge instead of a sharp corner are ideal. Look for an inward opening door where space is really tight. An authentic wetroom without a tray and enclosure must be perfectly tanked and tiled to succeed, but can be as impressive as a full bathroom when well detailed.

4. SLENDER SPACE BENDERS Tall units take up a fraction of floor space and a vertical form will visually push up the ceiling. They can be flush to the floor or legged for easy cleaning.

On a budget, Argos’s wide-weave, 4drawer unit at just €26.99 comes in zinging shades that can be tied to a medicine cabinets in the Colour Match series in Funky Fuscia, Green Apple, Purple Fizz and Lagoon. €27.99. Ensure taller cabinets are completely stable if you have young children. If you have timber frame walls, it’s possible to build MDF boxes inside the frame to act as slim built-in cupboards without compromising on room.

■ Sponge.

■ Grouting tool.

■ Mask and goggles.

A 150mm, P-shaped bath accommodating a generous showering area curves around a pedestal sink.

Small bathroom heaven in pure white, wood and chrome. Ideal Standard. €792

1 2 3 4 5 6

That void below the bath can be put to work. Here, the Moments bath from Ideal Standard does its work seamlessly. Ideal Standard. Moments bath. €3,939.

7. COUNTER MEASURES Placing the sink in a long counter to create a vanity area is ideal for long

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Use the rake to clean out difficult areas the grinder might miss.

Wipe away all the dust and debris to prepare for new grout.

Using a bendy grouting spatula or rubber grout, float press the new grout into the open gaps.

Clean off excess grout using a damp clean sponge. Rinse and repeat until the foggy look has gone.

Using a damp finger, smooth the grout lines to a sleek finish.

Tip: Woodies DIY offer a complete re-grout kit by Plasplugs. The kit includes the Plasplugs grout remover rake, a grout spreader and a grout line smoother, €8.45.

Q&A

5. SLIM SINKS Your sink doesn’t have to look mean in a smaller space, but think about reducing the projection of the sink by choosing a model that’s longer than it is deep. Get the scale right and two sinks can take the pressure off one bathroom and a larger family scrambling for escape on weekday mornings.

6. UP THE WALLS The next logical place with all that free wall space is to take blind cabinets and hang them up. You can go further than the obligatory medicine cabinet.

Larger pieces such as our featured Godmorgon cabinets from IKEA are well worth consideration as they float in the space but swallow up bulky items that would otherwise clutter the room.

Keep large cabinets shallow and confined to just one wall and put some attractive baskets or bench storage below the dead space or you’ll end up with the misplaced charm of a locker room. Ensure you have enough leeway to open the doors comfortably.

Wearing goggles and a mask, cut out the old grout in careful vertical and horizontal lines. If using a rake, cut down about 2mm in clean strokes.

Low-key, simple and making the most of the floor space, this Romeo suite is a mere €363 at B&Q. The in-wall recess is ideal for toiletries and doesn’t demand any projection.

Grey is the signature colour for bathrooms in 2012. This clever, compact Lifetime suite fits snugly into a redundant corner, with plenty of float if you like your bathroom pared back. Original Bathrooms.

narrow bathrooms and offers potential for open and closed storage areas in doors, drawers and shelving below. For awkward areas with curves or a tricky corner, a clever carpenter can customise the carcasses and counters and add off the peg doors (look at the kitchen ranges). Wood is seeing a comeback in panelling and door fronts and anything you can do in wood, granite, marble or laminate worktops will work as a bathroom counter, too.

Woodies offer a Noa chrome and glass mirror with integrated lighting offering stay-over glamour for €80.98. Taking a standard large mirror around a corner into an ‘L’ shape can have a dramatic impact on light and spaciousness.

8. BLIND FAITH The bathroom window can admit plenty of light with blinds or shutters.

Choose products that are resistant to splashes and wipe them down regularly.

If you want to go completely without a dressing, and the glass is not an obscuring variety, window film introduces privacy while mildly diffusing a light that’s ideal for making up and shaving. Suppliers include Purlfrost and Window Wallpaper. www.windowwallpaper.co.uk.

9. REFLECTED GLORY. A mirror placed opposite the window doubles its benefits, but don’t go mad.

Multiple reflections can be confronting at best and downright eerie at worst.

10. TILE TIPS Large tiles are generally not recommended for small spaces, but tiny tiles up the number of distracting grout lines. Medium scale varieties with a long profile can lengthen stuffy walls.

Dramatic colours and over excited patterning are dubious choices that can

draw the walls in, but texture can add another dimension to a more discreet pale choice. More pricey metallic and glass tiles offer mesmeric reflections and a stunning play of light. If you find floor-to-ceiling too institutional or expensive, stop the tiling at dado height, lifting it to the ceiling or shoulder height in the showering area. You can also run tiling through the floor, walls and right around the bath as a unifying feature that will expand the apparent space. Painted walls in the remaining areas can carry the colour missing elsewhere offering a chance for change in the future.

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered?

Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

Q. I want the look of wood for my bathroom floor, but will it stand the wet environment?

to make it utterly waterproof. Mount a lovely mirror on the papered panel, and you have instant impact.

A. Solid wood must be protected under several layers of varnish or paint. Even then, if water ingresses between the boards it can move. There are laminate floors suited to bathrooms, but most are water-resistant not waterproof, so don’t let water pool on any laminate or the sections can swell. Try AquaLOC, from B&Q. A vinyl wood effect would be far less of a headache and highly economical, too.

Q. I am tired of struggling with the blind in our bathroom. What other window treatments are there that are easy to operate and won’t get so dirty?

Q. My bathroom is so dull. I know white and neutral is a good, safe choice, but how can I put in some individuality for a small spend?

A. Buy a roll of splash-resistant wallpaper with a great-big, fascinating pattern. Put up a piece of MDF as wide as your sink and run from the sink’s top edge to the ceiling. Wallpaper the MDF carefully. Put up a glass or Perspex splashback (ask the supplier to bevel the edges) on the panel over the sink

A. None at all would be my suggestion.

Buy a roll of window film and screen off the area of the window you need for modesty and let full light come in on the top section. IKEA do a self-adhesive window film for just €4.06. You can order Purlfrost rolls window film at Amazon.co.uk, from £10 for plain and £12 up for lace or flower effects.

Purlfrost.com.

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to apply.

■ Answers by Kya deLongchamps

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

15

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DIY

DIY

MAKING THE MOST OF A SMALL WORLD

The bathroom is usually the most limited room in the house.

Kya deLongchamps offers 10 tips for a small bathroom

T

HE less room you have to work with, the harder every available centimetre has to perform, but with some forward planning, less really can be more. A small bathroom can stir the senses and succeed as well as a sprawling spa set over metres of marble. Hotels know how it’s done. Next time you’re away, take in that tightly managed environment. A wall-hung toilet, a gorgeous sink set in a slender counter with a shelved recess containing a massive mirror, lovely unifying tile, flattering lighting and perfect ventilation. Invariably the bath doubles as a shower. Invest in the best quality you can afford with any small space as you’re covering less square metres for the final finish. It’s the installation that’s really going to cost.

1. WHICH WARE WHERE? Wall-hung toilet pans not only free up the footprint, but allow a pale floor to do its work, bouncing light around the room. They also eliminate the delightful job of cleaning around the back of a pedestal, your nose pressed against the bowl. There will be significant extra expense to completely disguise a tank in a false wall. If you’re cutting into the available floor space by framing out, there’s still potential for a chic, recessed area of wall above the tanked area, incorporating shelving from waist height. Add a wall-to-wall mirror inside the recess with energy-saving LED lighting above to give an attractive reflection and multiple natural light.

Corner cisterns can hug a tiny area with a triangular tank.

2. BATHING BEAUTY. Contrary to popular belief, corner baths, with the exception of off-set corner models in the right room, are space monsters, ballooning out across a small floor area. A shorter, deeper Japanese scale bath (1200X700mm) offers luxury and that all important illusion of more space. If you shower most of the time, choose a compact shower/bath of 1500mm or less and consider a ‘P’ shape with a dedicated semi-circular screen on the bath’s edge.

These designs can be set for the ‘P’ end to wrap around the sink position.

Shower curtains look a mess in small bathrooms. Swap it out for a folding or fixed screen in clear glass. For a fixed screen explore frameless designs in rectangles or a sweeping ‘sails’ design in seductive curves. Flair Namara and Wetroom screens now feature ClearShield glass that keeps itself clean.

14

DIYTIPS

Re-grouting tile work

If the tiles are good, but the grout beyond cleaning or simply the wrong colour, you can take out the old and refresh with a new grout job. This is a tricky job, so if you’re not handy with a mini-grinder, use a hand rake and work slowly. It’s not an expensive project.

WHAT YOU NEED: ■ 18V mini-grinder with small masonrygrinding disc, or a ‘grout rake’ if you want to work by hand.

An awkward shape, handled perfectly with Godmorgon cabinets, offering oodles of storage. Fourdrawer base cabinet, €499; high cabinets, €189 each; Holger benches, €45.

■ New grout. Ready mixed is easy to work.

www.flairshowers.com.

■ Spatula or rubber grout float.

3. SHOWERING SOLO The ultimate bravery is to lose the bath altogether in favour or a shower or ‘wet’ room. In tiny shower rooms, a curved quadrant shower enclosure with a curved third edge instead of a sharp corner are ideal. Look for an inward opening door where space is really tight. An authentic wetroom without a tray and enclosure must be perfectly tanked and tiled to succeed, but can be as impressive as a full bathroom when well detailed.

4. SLENDER SPACE BENDERS Tall units take up a fraction of floor space and a vertical form will visually push up the ceiling. They can be flush to the floor or legged for easy cleaning.

On a budget, Argos’s wide-weave, 4drawer unit at just €26.99 comes in zinging shades that can be tied to a medicine cabinets in the Colour Match series in Funky Fuscia, Green Apple, Purple Fizz and Lagoon. €27.99. Ensure taller cabinets are completely stable if you have young children. If you have timber frame walls, it’s possible to build MDF boxes inside the frame to act as slim built-in cupboards without compromising on room.

■ Sponge.

■ Grouting tool.

■ Mask and goggles.

A 150mm, P-shaped bath accommodating a generous showering area curves around a pedestal sink.

Small bathroom heaven in pure white, wood and chrome. Ideal Standard. €792

1 2 3 4 5 6

That void below the bath can be put to work. Here, the Moments bath from Ideal Standard does its work seamlessly. Ideal Standard. Moments bath. €3,939.

7. COUNTER MEASURES Placing the sink in a long counter to create a vanity area is ideal for long

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Use the rake to clean out difficult areas the grinder might miss.

Wipe away all the dust and debris to prepare for new grout.

Using a bendy grouting spatula or rubber grout, float press the new grout into the open gaps.

Clean off excess grout using a damp clean sponge. Rinse and repeat until the foggy look has gone.

Using a damp finger, smooth the grout lines to a sleek finish.

Tip: Woodies DIY offer a complete re-grout kit by Plasplugs. The kit includes the Plasplugs grout remover rake, a grout spreader and a grout line smoother, €8.45.

Q&A

5. SLIM SINKS Your sink doesn’t have to look mean in a smaller space, but think about reducing the projection of the sink by choosing a model that’s longer than it is deep. Get the scale right and two sinks can take the pressure off one bathroom and a larger family scrambling for escape on weekday mornings.

6. UP THE WALLS The next logical place with all that free wall space is to take blind cabinets and hang them up. You can go further than the obligatory medicine cabinet.

Larger pieces such as our featured Godmorgon cabinets from IKEA are well worth consideration as they float in the space but swallow up bulky items that would otherwise clutter the room.

Keep large cabinets shallow and confined to just one wall and put some attractive baskets or bench storage below the dead space or you’ll end up with the misplaced charm of a locker room. Ensure you have enough leeway to open the doors comfortably.

Wearing goggles and a mask, cut out the old grout in careful vertical and horizontal lines. If using a rake, cut down about 2mm in clean strokes.

Low-key, simple and making the most of the floor space, this Romeo suite is a mere €363 at B&Q. The in-wall recess is ideal for toiletries and doesn’t demand any projection.

Grey is the signature colour for bathrooms in 2012. This clever, compact Lifetime suite fits snugly into a redundant corner, with plenty of float if you like your bathroom pared back. Original Bathrooms.

narrow bathrooms and offers potential for open and closed storage areas in doors, drawers and shelving below. For awkward areas with curves or a tricky corner, a clever carpenter can customise the carcasses and counters and add off the peg doors (look at the kitchen ranges). Wood is seeing a comeback in panelling and door fronts and anything you can do in wood, granite, marble or laminate worktops will work as a bathroom counter, too.

Woodies offer a Noa chrome and glass mirror with integrated lighting offering stay-over glamour for €80.98. Taking a standard large mirror around a corner into an ‘L’ shape can have a dramatic impact on light and spaciousness.

8. BLIND FAITH The bathroom window can admit plenty of light with blinds or shutters.

Choose products that are resistant to splashes and wipe them down regularly.

If you want to go completely without a dressing, and the glass is not an obscuring variety, window film introduces privacy while mildly diffusing a light that’s ideal for making up and shaving. Suppliers include Purlfrost and Window Wallpaper. www.windowwallpaper.co.uk.

9. REFLECTED GLORY. A mirror placed opposite the window doubles its benefits, but don’t go mad.

Multiple reflections can be confronting at best and downright eerie at worst.

10. TILE TIPS Large tiles are generally not recommended for small spaces, but tiny tiles up the number of distracting grout lines. Medium scale varieties with a long profile can lengthen stuffy walls.

Dramatic colours and over excited patterning are dubious choices that can

draw the walls in, but texture can add another dimension to a more discreet pale choice. More pricey metallic and glass tiles offer mesmeric reflections and a stunning play of light. If you find floor-to-ceiling too institutional or expensive, stop the tiling at dado height, lifting it to the ceiling or shoulder height in the showering area. You can also run tiling through the floor, walls and right around the bath as a unifying feature that will expand the apparent space. Painted walls in the remaining areas can carry the colour missing elsewhere offering a chance for change in the future.

Do you have a DIY question you would like answered?

Send it to interiors@examiner.ie

Q. I want the look of wood for my bathroom floor, but will it stand the wet environment?

to make it utterly waterproof. Mount a lovely mirror on the papered panel, and you have instant impact.

A. Solid wood must be protected under several layers of varnish or paint. Even then, if water ingresses between the boards it can move. There are laminate floors suited to bathrooms, but most are water-resistant not waterproof, so don’t let water pool on any laminate or the sections can swell. Try AquaLOC, from B&Q. A vinyl wood effect would be far less of a headache and highly economical, too.

Q. I am tired of struggling with the blind in our bathroom. What other window treatments are there that are easy to operate and won’t get so dirty?

Q. My bathroom is so dull. I know white and neutral is a good, safe choice, but how can I put in some individuality for a small spend?

A. Buy a roll of splash-resistant wallpaper with a great-big, fascinating pattern. Put up a piece of MDF as wide as your sink and run from the sink’s top edge to the ceiling. Wallpaper the MDF carefully. Put up a glass or Perspex splashback (ask the supplier to bevel the edges) on the panel over the sink

A. None at all would be my suggestion.

Buy a roll of window film and screen off the area of the window you need for modesty and let full light come in on the top section. IKEA do a self-adhesive window film for just €4.06. You can order Purlfrost rolls window film at Amazon.co.uk, from £10 for plain and £12 up for lace or flower effects.

Purlfrost.com.

Follow manufacturer’s instructions to apply.

■ Answers by Kya deLongchamps

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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WISH LIST

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

A single object or something out of the ordinary can bring a new focal point to a room or to your table Carol O’Callaghan has compiled a wish list of goodies to entice you

Give your drinks party an international flavour with Meadows & Byrne’s City canapé plates (€8.95).

Choose a stylish contemporary chair design in warm walnut and contrasting steel that’s suited to any room in the house (the Lamino from Objekt €1,673).

A vertical dish drainer can ruin the line of your work surface. Check out the Joseph Joseph funky low-level drainer (€49.95 from Meadows & Byrne).

Sick of cat or dog hair ruining your lovely upholstery and rugs?

Try Miele’s S5261 Cat & Dog vacuum (from Soundstore, JJ Dwyer and House of Coolmore €299).

Who said sweeping up is a chore? Not when you have a dinky pink dustpan with a smiley face (from TKMaxx €16.99).

Florals and stripes step aside as graphic prints adorn fabrics this season like the Chalk Town cushion from M&S (approx €25).

Denby, that stalwart of good tableware, offers the modern and stylish Monsoon range featuring minimalist white with just a touch of in-vogue pattern and colour (plate €9.95, bowl €8.95 from Brown Thomas).

Salt and pepper cruets may only get a shaking at dinner parties these days but they’re a necessity on a formal dining table. Check out the Portmeirion range at Debenhams (€15.95).

16

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Add a 1970s vibe to your sitting room with an avocado green shaded lamp with retro glass bauble stand (approx, €20 at Dunnes Stores).

Make your own coffee to go for the bus or train in the Bodum Travel press which combines a cafetière with a travel mug (€33.95 from Brennans Cook Shop).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

17

TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:10:37:18Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:16

Zone:XP1

WISH LIST

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

A single object or something out of the ordinary can bring a new focal point to a room or to your table Carol O’Callaghan has compiled a wish list of goodies to entice you

Give your drinks party an international flavour with Meadows & Byrne’s City canapé plates (€8.95).

Choose a stylish contemporary chair design in warm walnut and contrasting steel that’s suited to any room in the house (the Lamino from Objekt €1,673).

A vertical dish drainer can ruin the line of your work surface. Check out the Joseph Joseph funky low-level drainer (€49.95 from Meadows & Byrne).

Sick of cat or dog hair ruining your lovely upholstery and rugs?

Try Miele’s S5261 Cat & Dog vacuum (from Soundstore, JJ Dwyer and House of Coolmore €299).

Who said sweeping up is a chore? Not when you have a dinky pink dustpan with a smiley face (from TKMaxx €16.99).

Florals and stripes step aside as graphic prints adorn fabrics this season like the Chalk Town cushion from M&S (approx €25).

Denby, that stalwart of good tableware, offers the modern and stylish Monsoon range featuring minimalist white with just a touch of in-vogue pattern and colour (plate €9.95, bowl €8.95 from Brown Thomas).

Salt and pepper cruets may only get a shaking at dinner parties these days but they’re a necessity on a formal dining table. Check out the Portmeirion range at Debenhams (€15.95).

16

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Add a 1970s vibe to your sitting room with an avocado green shaded lamp with retro glass bauble stand (approx, €20 at Dunnes Stores).

Make your own coffee to go for the bus or train in the Bodum Travel press which combines a cafetière with a travel mug (€33.95 from Brennans Cook Shop).

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

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TERAPROOF:User:desodriscollDate:02/02/2012Time:10:34:37Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:18

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

Q

Vintage interiors are big for 2012 — but with so many bargains on brand new homeware, does it really make sense to buy second-

hand?

A. Second-hand, twice-loved, antique or thrift — whatever you call it, you’re right to say that vintage is all the rage right now. In a time of recession, it makes perfect sense to repurpose old pieces — saving a few euro and precious landfill space in the process. But upcycling is about more than just saving money or being environmentally friendly — it’s about the preservation of the past. An old suitcase used for storage or rug that looks like it’s got a story to tell add far more character to your home than an item fresh from the production line.

Q. Where are some of best places in Ireland to find vintage bits and bobs for my home?

A. Collectireland.wordpress.com is a fantastic website that will steer you towards car boot sales, antique shops, markets and auctions in your area.

Woodwards on Cook Street in Cork regularly auction off antique furniture, art and bric-a-brac — check out www.woodwards.ie for details of their next event. In Dublin, I like Retrospect in Templebar for its range of vintage furniture and retro lighting — see www.retrospect.ie. Meanwhile, Stacpooles in Adare, Co Limerick is also well worth a browse — see www.stacpooles.ie. If you choose to shop online on sites such as eBay, beware of fakes and always check the seller’s references.

18

Oriental Treasures

Interior designer Denise Walsh of Donovan Walsh Design Ltd in Limerick, www.donovanwalshdesign.com, answers your questions on all things vintage.

Email: interiors@examiner.ie

Just for good measure Measuring up for the supplies needed for home improvements need not be a headache, as Kya deLongchamps reports

Q. I’ve never bought antique furniture before — any helpful tips?

A. My biggest tip is: never buy an antique just because you think it’s an ‘investment’. Even with antiques, trends come and go — so ultimately you may find yourself out of pocket. It’s much better to buy a piece because you love it.

Start by browsing car boot sales and auctions to find out what style you’re drawn to — for instance, you may find Art Deco pieces appealing. Get to know the dealer so that they can keep you in mind if any more of these pieces become available. Negotiate but don’t be insulting — aim to get around 10% off the asking price. If the price is right, buy then and there. With antiques — you snooze, you lose.

The best deals in DIY Every large DIY outlet and tiling store appears to be in a constant state of sale.

The cunning art of retail can blow a fragile budget to pieces. With your measurements in hand and a firm ideal of colour if you’re buying paper, paints, tiling and accessories, don’t allow yourself to be distracted.

1

Q. What vintage interior trends should I look out for this Spring?

A. At the moment, ‘Mid-century Modern’ design is very much en vogue.

The term generally applies to designs dating from the mid-1930s to the mid1950s — and is characterised by clean lines and exuberant colour. After the Second World War, America looked to the future — not least at home with modern designs in new materials such as stainless steel and fibreglass. To revive the era in your own home, watch out for L-shaped leather sofas, ergonomic egg-shaped chairs, wooden coffee or cocktail tables, hanging lights, gooseneck desk lamps, floating shelves or cabinets, retro print rugs and round mirrors.

‘Mid-Century Modern’-style living room by Next. Delamere bookcase €490, Ginko print curtains from €51, Jakarta bookcase baskets (set of three) €77, Delamere small trunk €279, Stratus medium sofa in warwick mink €979, Delamere coffee table €259, Delamere cube nest (set of two) €245, Round bronze metal mirror €142, Delamere low bookcase €279, Rugs from €39, Accessories from €10.

2

I

Right: Mid-Century Modern-style living room.

Far right: The Vintage Egg by Squint Limited, London, €3,435 available from Arnotts, Dublin.

WEB WATCH 1

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2

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

Where did you buy that

3

An-easy-to-remember name of a site and very literal in its meaning when you see what quirky products it features. Wall stickers, an armadillo bread bin, and retro phones which look like props in an Austin Powers film, are all order of the day on this site. It also has handy shopping tips for guys looking for ideas for gifts their loved ones. It is easy to navigate and trawl through its product-heavy pages. It has expensive heavy-weight items such as Fuschia Bugatti Diva Coffee Maker for £540 (€640) or a category for gifts under £20.

Take time to smell the flowers is the motto for this site and to spend a bit of time pottering about this site might help you just do that. Primarily a garden centre, this store has wandered into the home sector with surprising ease. Check out their Cath Kidson oilcloths, cute cupcake cases, and tiered enamel cake stands.

Perfect for the domestic goddess. Its garden centre has furniture, decorative gravel and bird care amongst a wealth of bulbs, seeds and climbers.

■ www.orientaltreasures.ie

■ www.wheredidyoubuythat.com

■ www.thepavilion.ie

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

TILES: Measure the length and width of the area whether a wall or floor, multiplying the two numbers together and dividing this figure by the area of a single tile (eg a 10 x 10cm tile has an area of 100cm). Keep in mind that doors, windows and other interruptions will change this number for a whole room. Add 10% for breakages and replacements. If the room is an odd shape, divide it into separate areas and measure those in width and length, then total the figures. If you’re unsure, just take the room measurements with you, including any windows and doors in a rough sketch for your supplier.

Pavilion

With the arrival of the Chinese New Year last week, this site has popped up on the radar a few times.

And it is worth a look if you want to bring some of the Orient to your home. It has everything of the Asian variety you could think of under one roof from chopsticks, calligraphy, incense, lanterns to satin bags. If you are hosting a themed dinner party, this site may provide some great props. An afternoon can be transformed with a dinky tea set, a mini Mahjong Game and comfortable pillows for seats on the floor.

T’S deeply annoying in the middle of a home improvement adventure to find that you have over or underestimated wildly what was needed to complete the project. Here’s a short primer to get things as close to the final tile or metre as possible. Keep in mind that more is preferable to coming up short so give yourself a slight contingency of extra material, and keep those receipts. Many stockists will take complete boxes, tins (standard colours only) and pallets back if you overshoot.

The armidillo bread bin from www.wheredidyoubuythat.com £79.99 (€95).

CARPET: Measure the longest length and widest width of the area you want to carpet. Go right into the doorframe as the carpet will slip under the thresholds and skirting. Make a note of

feet measurements with their metric equivalent. Take your measurements to your supplier and he or she can estimate what you need to the foot, metre or yard based on the width of the carpet roll you’ve chosen. If there are seams, work out where these would be best hidden, perhaps running under furniture. Patterns may require more carpet to achieve a correct pattern repeat. Use the measurements to purchase the underlay too.

PAINT: Coverage is generally stated on the tin in square metres. If the product needs two coats and some dark colours or dark surfaces will, you’ll obviously need to double your surface area calculations. Measure the height and width of each wall, multiple the number and add all these together for the volume of paint you will need for the room. In general 1 litre of emulsion paint will cover 12 square metres and glosses slightly less. The texture of the wall will impact coverage too. Online paint calculators that allow you to subtract the area of windows and doors include: www.bbc.co.uk/homes/diy/ paintcalculator.shtml BUILDING MATERIALS: Use an online calculator for these materials. We like Source4Me’s handy calculator/estimator for bricks, blocks and mortar (sand and cement) required for a given area for metric bricks (single and double skins) as well as

100mm, 140mm and 215mm blockwork. www.source4me.co.uk. Some materials such as bricks come in palettes, so think about ways to use over leftovers for garden walling etc rather than wasting your materials. A neighbour might be delighted to swap, barter or buy your surplus. ● Keep in mind that most suppliers are highly experienced at working out quantities and do it all day long. Just measure the area you need covered, ensuring you go into every recess when taking your widths and lengths and let the professionals do the rest. Always go larger if in doubt. If you have worked any area out in feet but need to convert it to metres, then divide the figure by nine and then multiply this by 0.836 for a final total in metres. Source4me also offer an area converter if you’re mathematically challenged.

“Keep in mind that most suppliers are highly experienced at working out quantities and do it all day long. Just measure the area you need covered and let the professionals do the rest”

3

4

Never buy paint colour for large areas of wall without having first tested the product. Paint up a large piece of lining paper or the wall itself in varying aspects of the room and let it dry before judging its success.

If you’re having paint mixed to a shade, this is especially important as few emulsions come in under €10 a litre. Tile stores will always let you have a tile or two to put in situation before deciding.

If a tool is on offer, ensure it’s not being phased out as its accessories then become a nerve-mincing nightmare to track down. The once highly celebrated Dulux Paint Pod for example, is a decorating dinosaur but now ultra cheap for the unwary.

Unless you’re happy to throw down €50 for this clever paint pump and never use it again, walk away.

If the supplier offers computeraided CAD facilities, use these to your advantage to get room layouts nailed to the millimetre.

Independent retailers are often willing to take a few euro off the total for a larger order, so never be afraid to ask. The worst that can happen is a polite “Nope, sorry, that’s it”.

Bring smaller parts to be replaced to the store for comparison, and keep boxes of standard materials intact together with the purchase receipt until you’re sure you’re using them.

Your supplier may let you return them or issue a credit note if they can. Weigh up just how capable you really are before starting any serious home improvement, as paying a professional to save you from rookie mistakes may be the greatest investment you can make.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

19

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INTERIORS

HOME ECONOMICS

ASK THE

DESIGNER

Q

Vintage interiors are big for 2012 — but with so many bargains on brand new homeware, does it really make sense to buy second-

hand?

A. Second-hand, twice-loved, antique or thrift — whatever you call it, you’re right to say that vintage is all the rage right now. In a time of recession, it makes perfect sense to repurpose old pieces — saving a few euro and precious landfill space in the process. But upcycling is about more than just saving money or being environmentally friendly — it’s about the preservation of the past. An old suitcase used for storage or rug that looks like it’s got a story to tell add far more character to your home than an item fresh from the production line.

Q. Where are some of best places in Ireland to find vintage bits and bobs for my home?

A. Collectireland.wordpress.com is a fantastic website that will steer you towards car boot sales, antique shops, markets and auctions in your area.

Woodwards on Cook Street in Cork regularly auction off antique furniture, art and bric-a-brac — check out www.woodwards.ie for details of their next event. In Dublin, I like Retrospect in Templebar for its range of vintage furniture and retro lighting — see www.retrospect.ie. Meanwhile, Stacpooles in Adare, Co Limerick is also well worth a browse — see www.stacpooles.ie. If you choose to shop online on sites such as eBay, beware of fakes and always check the seller’s references.

18

Oriental Treasures

Interior designer Denise Walsh of Donovan Walsh Design Ltd in Limerick, www.donovanwalshdesign.com, answers your questions on all things vintage.

Email: interiors@examiner.ie

Just for good measure Measuring up for the supplies needed for home improvements need not be a headache, as Kya deLongchamps reports

Q. I’ve never bought antique furniture before — any helpful tips?

A. My biggest tip is: never buy an antique just because you think it’s an ‘investment’. Even with antiques, trends come and go — so ultimately you may find yourself out of pocket. It’s much better to buy a piece because you love it.

Start by browsing car boot sales and auctions to find out what style you’re drawn to — for instance, you may find Art Deco pieces appealing. Get to know the dealer so that they can keep you in mind if any more of these pieces become available. Negotiate but don’t be insulting — aim to get around 10% off the asking price. If the price is right, buy then and there. With antiques — you snooze, you lose.

The best deals in DIY Every large DIY outlet and tiling store appears to be in a constant state of sale.

The cunning art of retail can blow a fragile budget to pieces. With your measurements in hand and a firm ideal of colour if you’re buying paper, paints, tiling and accessories, don’t allow yourself to be distracted.

1

Q. What vintage interior trends should I look out for this Spring?

A. At the moment, ‘Mid-century Modern’ design is very much en vogue.

The term generally applies to designs dating from the mid-1930s to the mid1950s — and is characterised by clean lines and exuberant colour. After the Second World War, America looked to the future — not least at home with modern designs in new materials such as stainless steel and fibreglass. To revive the era in your own home, watch out for L-shaped leather sofas, ergonomic egg-shaped chairs, wooden coffee or cocktail tables, hanging lights, gooseneck desk lamps, floating shelves or cabinets, retro print rugs and round mirrors.

‘Mid-Century Modern’-style living room by Next. Delamere bookcase €490, Ginko print curtains from €51, Jakarta bookcase baskets (set of three) €77, Delamere small trunk €279, Stratus medium sofa in warwick mink €979, Delamere coffee table €259, Delamere cube nest (set of two) €245, Round bronze metal mirror €142, Delamere low bookcase €279, Rugs from €39, Accessories from €10.

2

I

Right: Mid-Century Modern-style living room.

Far right: The Vintage Egg by Squint Limited, London, €3,435 available from Arnotts, Dublin.

WEB WATCH 1

XP1 - V1

2

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

Where did you buy that

3

An-easy-to-remember name of a site and very literal in its meaning when you see what quirky products it features. Wall stickers, an armadillo bread bin, and retro phones which look like props in an Austin Powers film, are all order of the day on this site. It also has handy shopping tips for guys looking for ideas for gifts their loved ones. It is easy to navigate and trawl through its product-heavy pages. It has expensive heavy-weight items such as Fuschia Bugatti Diva Coffee Maker for £540 (€640) or a category for gifts under £20.

Take time to smell the flowers is the motto for this site and to spend a bit of time pottering about this site might help you just do that. Primarily a garden centre, this store has wandered into the home sector with surprising ease. Check out their Cath Kidson oilcloths, cute cupcake cases, and tiered enamel cake stands.

Perfect for the domestic goddess. Its garden centre has furniture, decorative gravel and bird care amongst a wealth of bulbs, seeds and climbers.

■ www.orientaltreasures.ie

■ www.wheredidyoubuythat.com

■ www.thepavilion.ie

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

TILES: Measure the length and width of the area whether a wall or floor, multiplying the two numbers together and dividing this figure by the area of a single tile (eg a 10 x 10cm tile has an area of 100cm). Keep in mind that doors, windows and other interruptions will change this number for a whole room. Add 10% for breakages and replacements. If the room is an odd shape, divide it into separate areas and measure those in width and length, then total the figures. If you’re unsure, just take the room measurements with you, including any windows and doors in a rough sketch for your supplier.

Pavilion

With the arrival of the Chinese New Year last week, this site has popped up on the radar a few times.

And it is worth a look if you want to bring some of the Orient to your home. It has everything of the Asian variety you could think of under one roof from chopsticks, calligraphy, incense, lanterns to satin bags. If you are hosting a themed dinner party, this site may provide some great props. An afternoon can be transformed with a dinky tea set, a mini Mahjong Game and comfortable pillows for seats on the floor.

T’S deeply annoying in the middle of a home improvement adventure to find that you have over or underestimated wildly what was needed to complete the project. Here’s a short primer to get things as close to the final tile or metre as possible. Keep in mind that more is preferable to coming up short so give yourself a slight contingency of extra material, and keep those receipts. Many stockists will take complete boxes, tins (standard colours only) and pallets back if you overshoot.

The armidillo bread bin from www.wheredidyoubuythat.com £79.99 (€95).

CARPET: Measure the longest length and widest width of the area you want to carpet. Go right into the doorframe as the carpet will slip under the thresholds and skirting. Make a note of

feet measurements with their metric equivalent. Take your measurements to your supplier and he or she can estimate what you need to the foot, metre or yard based on the width of the carpet roll you’ve chosen. If there are seams, work out where these would be best hidden, perhaps running under furniture. Patterns may require more carpet to achieve a correct pattern repeat. Use the measurements to purchase the underlay too.

PAINT: Coverage is generally stated on the tin in square metres. If the product needs two coats and some dark colours or dark surfaces will, you’ll obviously need to double your surface area calculations. Measure the height and width of each wall, multiple the number and add all these together for the volume of paint you will need for the room. In general 1 litre of emulsion paint will cover 12 square metres and glosses slightly less. The texture of the wall will impact coverage too. Online paint calculators that allow you to subtract the area of windows and doors include: www.bbc.co.uk/homes/diy/ paintcalculator.shtml BUILDING MATERIALS: Use an online calculator for these materials. We like Source4Me’s handy calculator/estimator for bricks, blocks and mortar (sand and cement) required for a given area for metric bricks (single and double skins) as well as

100mm, 140mm and 215mm blockwork. www.source4me.co.uk. Some materials such as bricks come in palettes, so think about ways to use over leftovers for garden walling etc rather than wasting your materials. A neighbour might be delighted to swap, barter or buy your surplus. ● Keep in mind that most suppliers are highly experienced at working out quantities and do it all day long. Just measure the area you need covered, ensuring you go into every recess when taking your widths and lengths and let the professionals do the rest. Always go larger if in doubt. If you have worked any area out in feet but need to convert it to metres, then divide the figure by nine and then multiply this by 0.836 for a final total in metres. Source4me also offer an area converter if you’re mathematically challenged.

“Keep in mind that most suppliers are highly experienced at working out quantities and do it all day long. Just measure the area you need covered and let the professionals do the rest”

3

4

Never buy paint colour for large areas of wall without having first tested the product. Paint up a large piece of lining paper or the wall itself in varying aspects of the room and let it dry before judging its success.

If you’re having paint mixed to a shade, this is especially important as few emulsions come in under €10 a litre. Tile stores will always let you have a tile or two to put in situation before deciding.

If a tool is on offer, ensure it’s not being phased out as its accessories then become a nerve-mincing nightmare to track down. The once highly celebrated Dulux Paint Pod for example, is a decorating dinosaur but now ultra cheap for the unwary.

Unless you’re happy to throw down €50 for this clever paint pump and never use it again, walk away.

If the supplier offers computeraided CAD facilities, use these to your advantage to get room layouts nailed to the millimetre.

Independent retailers are often willing to take a few euro off the total for a larger order, so never be afraid to ask. The worst that can happen is a polite “Nope, sorry, that’s it”.

Bring smaller parts to be replaced to the store for comparison, and keep boxes of standard materials intact together with the purchase receipt until you’re sure you’re using them.

Your supplier may let you return them or issue a credit note if they can. Weigh up just how capable you really are before starting any serious home improvement, as paying a professional to save you from rookie mistakes may be the greatest investment you can make.

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

19

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Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

IN THE GARDEN

Work for the week. . .

by Charlie Wilkins

S

NOWDROPS: Enjoy your snowdrops. Notice how, on mild days, their petals stick out like tiny propellers, and how in the cold they fold down and huddle together for added warmth. You can almost tell what kind of weather we are having by the way the blooms of these behave! Notice also how evergreen shrubs fold their leaves like half-closed umbrellas in cold weather in their attempt to offer as little surface area as possible to drying winds and cruel frosts.

LILY BEETLE: Be aware that, due to the rather mild conditions to date, lily beetles are once again active in the garden. Last month, in mid-January whilst adding mulch to the crown of deeply-planted lily bulbs, two small, distinctively coloured young beetles were trying their best to hide amid the application. Their bright scarlet wing cases made identification easy. These Europe-wide pests are still in the top three of garden pests following slugs (snails) and vine weevil.

BIRDS pose a threat to the early blooms of crocus, but black thread strung criss-cross above the buds will deter them although it can spoil one’s appreciation of such small flowering plants. Birds tend to attack yellow flowers more frequently than others, so it may be worthwhile leaving some unprotected in the hope that they’ll let the other colours alone.

IRIS: If you are growing small, early bulbs such as Iris reticulata, Iris danfordiae, or Crocus imperati in the open garden give them a slate or gravel mulch now in order to protect their blooms from mud splashes. If you get the opportunity, give them a feed with a liquid fertiliser (Miracle Grow or Phostrogen) for it will boost their ability and performance in the weeks ahead. Conditions during autumn may have caused nutrient leaching from the soil and artificial application is the only way of renewing these quickly. Incidentally, Iris reticulata gives off an unbelievably powerful fragrance from those tiny refined blooms if you encourage pots into bud in a cool greenhouse and then allow them to open fully in a cool room indoors.

You can almost tell what kind of weather we are having by the way the blooms of these snowdrops behave.

COOL HOSTAS: A single established hosta, lifted and divided now before the leaves expand will make you ten and more for repositioning about the garden or for giving to friends and visitors. If the clump is large (as it should be) lift it as a whole, then use an old saw to slice through the root-ball, cutting it like a cake into as many sections as you want. Each piece should however, have a least three growth buds and roots attached. Replant these at the same level having enriched the ground in the meantime with as much manure or compost that you can

spare. No portion of manure is too much for these princely plants whose magnificent leaves in shades of lime-green, yellow, cream, blue, even dark slate are a joy to behold. All will be found cool, luscious, and utterly desirable. These are popular plants with those who have shady, damp places to fill , but how sad to see them at less than their best due to lack of feeding and regular division. Be aware that old, established clumps develop hard, woody centres and the only way to prevent deterioration is to divide every third or fourth year during late winter.

Mild winter may reap less fruit ....

IN THE GARDEN

Much more than a one-trick peony

F

AR away, in parts of remote Bhutan, near the eastern end of the Himalayas in places I shall never see and can hardly find on a map, live the ancestors of the tree peony.

These have long been revered in Chinese paintings, textiles and porcelain apart altogether from their attractiveness and great beauty.

Indeed the tree peony, (also known as the Moutan) was so valued during the Sung dynasty over 1,000 years ago it was officially designated “characteristic flower of spring�. Now I may be lucky enough to have gardened with two of these remarkable shrubs for many years, but why do I see so few living out their spectacular lives in sheltered, Irish gardens?

For two reasons I suspect.

Firstly, the emerging buds are sometimes prone to damage by late frosts in spring. A sheltered position is needed, or conversely, somewhere which does not warm up too quickly in spring as they often grow better in cooler parts of the country.

However, a 6ft sq of horticultural fleece that can be placed over the bush when frost threatens in spring (as growers of camellias will testify) would solve that problem.

The second reason is the bane of all peonies — heavy rainfall.

However, neither drawback should deter anyone from growing a cultivar in single or

by Charlie Wilkins double form for when they flower in May they will be found more marvellous than anything that has bloomed to then.

When they burst open their huge dinner platesized blooms you will see in detail their fulsomeness — a sort of colloquial glory. When you cup the blooms in both hands and draw them to your face to catch their exquisite perfume you will understand how they have captured the attention of growers for over 1,500 years.

It will be the colour and texture of the crimped, tissue-paper petals (held out from the foliage) which grabs your attention first. Then you experience the scent, a perfume so captivating that it will define a time, shape a memory, or halfremind you of something which you somehow cannot quite recall — a fifth dimension, if such a thing exists.

Not all are scented, however, so do ask about this before purchase. The leaves of the tree peony are also quite magnificent. Antler-like in shape and as deeply cut as any Japanese maple, they’ll command attention long before and after blooming.

Their copper on green, (or port wine on green colouring) will have you gasping with admiration from the moment in spring when they first appear up to the end days of autumn when they succumb to the first really hard frosts.

The plant sold as Joseph Rock is the most exciting and has an

Hannah Stephenson finds hardy fruits need time to chill out in the winter to encourage growth of flowers

T

HIS year’s mild winter may lead to reduced fruit crops this autumn with a subsequent rise in prices, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Most hardy fruit plants need a period of chilling during winter to encourage flowering. Without this cold effect, evidence shows that crops yields, including blackcurrants, cherries and some apple types which have a high chilling requirement, may be reduced.

The other potential problem is that if there is not a prolonged cold period plants will start growing earlier than normal and may flower early too, putting them at a greater risk of damage if there is frost in April and early May. Early flowering could mean less fruit being set as there may be fewer pollinating insects around.

The current cold spell may help but society horticulturists suggest that a colder and longer spell of weeks is needed to ensure that growth and flowering development is held back.

20

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Blackcurrant crop yield may be hit by mild winter. “We have already seen buds on the trees beginning to swell,� says Jim Arbury, society fruit and trials specialist.

There’s only a limited amount gardeners can do to reduce the damage. Arbury advises: “If gardeners have only one or two fruit bushes that have started filling their buds, these can be covered with some horticultural fleece or an old curtain if it looks like there is going to be frost overnight.�

However, what you may lose in apples, you may gain in figs, says Guy Barter, society chief horticultural adviser. “Figs don’t need cold over winter to flower.

The fig flowers inside the fruit and a milder winter like this is perfect for them, leading to earlier crops and bigger harvests.�

Greenhouse fruits such as nectarines and peaches should flower earlier, although they will still be in their dormant state until March, when flowers begin to form.

Barter advises: “Amateur growers can buy lateflowering cultivars, including ‘Court Pendu Plat’, an ancient French dessert variety which flowers at the beginning of May, or the cooking varieties ‘Crawley Beauty’, the latest flowering apple, or ‘Edward VII’.

FROM PLOT TO POT FOR 2012

We have all our certified seed potatoes • Onions • Shallots.

Garlic and Veg seeds waiting to be sown.

Large selection of fertilisers, sprays, frost, pest and bird protection, all suitable for organic growing.

We have growing pots, containers and easy beds for balconies and patios.

Expert advice for all gardeners and lots of help for the beginner.

SO GET SOWING, AND SEE MAYBE THE ONLY GUARANTEED GROWTH IN 2012.

OPEN 7 DAYS at Carrigrohane Road, Cork.

Any enquiries please call 021 -4933433

GARDENNOTES

■Cork Garden Club Ashton School will have Deborah Begley to speak on Terra Nova surprises on Thursday next at 8pm. ■Margaret Griffin of Griffins, Dripsey, will give a free talk on Getting the most out of your garden on Monday at noon and on Romantic Gardening on Monday, Feb 13, also at noon. ■Innishannon Flower and Garden Club will have William Grainger to speak on ‘Shrubs’ on Wednesday next at 8pm in Barrett’s Lounge. ■The Greenbarn Garden Centre will hold a ‘Fruity Weekend’ today Saturday and tomorrow Sunday. ■Hosfords Geranium and Garden Centre invite you to a free vegetable talk and demonstration today Saturday at 11am. ■Skibbereen Flower and Garden Club will have John Hosford speak on ‘Topical Gardening’ on Wednesday next at 8.15pm in Abbeystrewry Hall. ■Fermoy Flower and Garden Club will hold their AGM on Tuesday next at 7.30pm in the Adair Hall. ■Kanturk Flower Club meet on Wednesday next at 8pm in the Trade Union Hall. ■The Irish Garden Plant Society meet on Tuesday at 8pm in the SMA Hall Wilton. Speaker Hester Forde. ■Macroom Flower and Garden Club hold their AGM on Thursday next at 7.45pm in Coolcower House. ■Kinsale Flower and Garden Club present an evening of Fabulous and Fun after their AGM on Thursday in St Multose Hall at 8pm.

Described as having “flowers like inwardfacing white clouds with purple spots and a centre the colour of the setting sun“, the tree peony sold as ‘Joseph Rock’ still commands attention and admiration.

interesting story. It was cultivated in China as Mei Yao Chen. It was described in the Sung dynasty (AD 960-1279) as having “flowers like inward-facing white clouds with purple spots and a centre the colour of the setting sun�.

Joseph Rock — the person not the plant — found the plant in 1925 in a lamasery near Gansu and sent seed to north America and Europe. Up to recent years all the plants in cultivation in the West were derived from these.

Today, new hybrid tree peonies are readily sourced from many of the larger outlets.

Tolerant of a wide range of soils they will develop where humus is plentiful and the drainage sharp. Most never grow taller than 8ft to 10ft.

■Conna and District Flower and Garden Club members’ dinner will be in The Forge Restaurant, Fermoy on Wednesday, Feb 15 at 7.30pm. ■Castlelyons Flower and Garden Club host Kitty Scully on Thursday next at 8pm in the Community Centre.

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

21

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:13:07:52Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:20

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

IN THE GARDEN

Work for the week. . .

by Charlie Wilkins

S

NOWDROPS: Enjoy your snowdrops. Notice how, on mild days, their petals stick out like tiny propellers, and how in the cold they fold down and huddle together for added warmth. You can almost tell what kind of weather we are having by the way the blooms of these behave! Notice also how evergreen shrubs fold their leaves like half-closed umbrellas in cold weather in their attempt to offer as little surface area as possible to drying winds and cruel frosts.

LILY BEETLE: Be aware that, due to the rather mild conditions to date, lily beetles are once again active in the garden. Last month, in mid-January whilst adding mulch to the crown of deeply-planted lily bulbs, two small, distinctively coloured young beetles were trying their best to hide amid the application. Their bright scarlet wing cases made identification easy. These Europe-wide pests are still in the top three of garden pests following slugs (snails) and vine weevil.

BIRDS pose a threat to the early blooms of crocus, but black thread strung criss-cross above the buds will deter them although it can spoil one’s appreciation of such small flowering plants. Birds tend to attack yellow flowers more frequently than others, so it may be worthwhile leaving some unprotected in the hope that they’ll let the other colours alone.

IRIS: If you are growing small, early bulbs such as Iris reticulata, Iris danfordiae, or Crocus imperati in the open garden give them a slate or gravel mulch now in order to protect their blooms from mud splashes. If you get the opportunity, give them a feed with a liquid fertiliser (Miracle Grow or Phostrogen) for it will boost their ability and performance in the weeks ahead. Conditions during autumn may have caused nutrient leaching from the soil and artificial application is the only way of renewing these quickly. Incidentally, Iris reticulata gives off an unbelievably powerful fragrance from those tiny refined blooms if you encourage pots into bud in a cool greenhouse and then allow them to open fully in a cool room indoors.

You can almost tell what kind of weather we are having by the way the blooms of these snowdrops behave.

COOL HOSTAS: A single established hosta, lifted and divided now before the leaves expand will make you ten and more for repositioning about the garden or for giving to friends and visitors. If the clump is large (as it should be) lift it as a whole, then use an old saw to slice through the root-ball, cutting it like a cake into as many sections as you want. Each piece should however, have a least three growth buds and roots attached. Replant these at the same level having enriched the ground in the meantime with as much manure or compost that you can

spare. No portion of manure is too much for these princely plants whose magnificent leaves in shades of lime-green, yellow, cream, blue, even dark slate are a joy to behold. All will be found cool, luscious, and utterly desirable. These are popular plants with those who have shady, damp places to fill , but how sad to see them at less than their best due to lack of feeding and regular division. Be aware that old, established clumps develop hard, woody centres and the only way to prevent deterioration is to divide every third or fourth year during late winter.

Mild winter may reap less fruit ....

IN THE GARDEN

Much more than a one-trick peony

F

AR away, in parts of remote Bhutan, near the eastern end of the Himalayas in places I shall never see and can hardly find on a map, live the ancestors of the tree peony.

These have long been revered in Chinese paintings, textiles and porcelain apart altogether from their attractiveness and great beauty.

Indeed the tree peony, (also known as the Moutan) was so valued during the Sung dynasty over 1,000 years ago it was officially designated “characteristic flower of spring�. Now I may be lucky enough to have gardened with two of these remarkable shrubs for many years, but why do I see so few living out their spectacular lives in sheltered, Irish gardens?

For two reasons I suspect.

Firstly, the emerging buds are sometimes prone to damage by late frosts in spring. A sheltered position is needed, or conversely, somewhere which does not warm up too quickly in spring as they often grow better in cooler parts of the country.

However, a 6ft sq of horticultural fleece that can be placed over the bush when frost threatens in spring (as growers of camellias will testify) would solve that problem.

The second reason is the bane of all peonies — heavy rainfall.

However, neither drawback should deter anyone from growing a cultivar in single or

by Charlie Wilkins double form for when they flower in May they will be found more marvellous than anything that has bloomed to then.

When they burst open their huge dinner platesized blooms you will see in detail their fulsomeness — a sort of colloquial glory. When you cup the blooms in both hands and draw them to your face to catch their exquisite perfume you will understand how they have captured the attention of growers for over 1,500 years.

It will be the colour and texture of the crimped, tissue-paper petals (held out from the foliage) which grabs your attention first. Then you experience the scent, a perfume so captivating that it will define a time, shape a memory, or halfremind you of something which you somehow cannot quite recall — a fifth dimension, if such a thing exists.

Not all are scented, however, so do ask about this before purchase. The leaves of the tree peony are also quite magnificent. Antler-like in shape and as deeply cut as any Japanese maple, they’ll command attention long before and after blooming.

Their copper on green, (or port wine on green colouring) will have you gasping with admiration from the moment in spring when they first appear up to the end days of autumn when they succumb to the first really hard frosts.

The plant sold as Joseph Rock is the most exciting and has an

Hannah Stephenson finds hardy fruits need time to chill out in the winter to encourage growth of flowers

T

HIS year’s mild winter may lead to reduced fruit crops this autumn with a subsequent rise in prices, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Most hardy fruit plants need a period of chilling during winter to encourage flowering. Without this cold effect, evidence shows that crops yields, including blackcurrants, cherries and some apple types which have a high chilling requirement, may be reduced.

The other potential problem is that if there is not a prolonged cold period plants will start growing earlier than normal and may flower early too, putting them at a greater risk of damage if there is frost in April and early May. Early flowering could mean less fruit being set as there may be fewer pollinating insects around.

The current cold spell may help but society horticulturists suggest that a colder and longer spell of weeks is needed to ensure that growth and flowering development is held back.

20

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

Blackcurrant crop yield may be hit by mild winter. “We have already seen buds on the trees beginning to swell,� says Jim Arbury, society fruit and trials specialist.

There’s only a limited amount gardeners can do to reduce the damage. Arbury advises: “If gardeners have only one or two fruit bushes that have started filling their buds, these can be covered with some horticultural fleece or an old curtain if it looks like there is going to be frost overnight.�

However, what you may lose in apples, you may gain in figs, says Guy Barter, society chief horticultural adviser. “Figs don’t need cold over winter to flower.

The fig flowers inside the fruit and a milder winter like this is perfect for them, leading to earlier crops and bigger harvests.�

Greenhouse fruits such as nectarines and peaches should flower earlier, although they will still be in their dormant state until March, when flowers begin to form.

Barter advises: “Amateur growers can buy lateflowering cultivars, including ‘Court Pendu Plat’, an ancient French dessert variety which flowers at the beginning of May, or the cooking varieties ‘Crawley Beauty’, the latest flowering apple, or ‘Edward VII’.

FROM PLOT TO POT FOR 2012

We have all our certified seed potatoes • Onions • Shallots.

Garlic and Veg seeds waiting to be sown.

Large selection of fertilisers, sprays, frost, pest and bird protection, all suitable for organic growing.

We have growing pots, containers and easy beds for balconies and patios.

Expert advice for all gardeners and lots of help for the beginner.

SO GET SOWING, AND SEE MAYBE THE ONLY GUARANTEED GROWTH IN 2012.

OPEN 7 DAYS at Carrigrohane Road, Cork.

Any enquiries please call 021 -4933433

GARDENNOTES

■Cork Garden Club Ashton School will have Deborah Begley to speak on Terra Nova surprises on Thursday next at 8pm. ■Margaret Griffin of Griffins, Dripsey, will give a free talk on Getting the most out of your garden on Monday at noon and on Romantic Gardening on Monday, Feb 13, also at noon. ■Innishannon Flower and Garden Club will have William Grainger to speak on ‘Shrubs’ on Wednesday next at 8pm in Barrett’s Lounge. ■The Greenbarn Garden Centre will hold a ‘Fruity Weekend’ today Saturday and tomorrow Sunday. ■Hosfords Geranium and Garden Centre invite you to a free vegetable talk and demonstration today Saturday at 11am. ■Skibbereen Flower and Garden Club will have John Hosford speak on ‘Topical Gardening’ on Wednesday next at 8.15pm in Abbeystrewry Hall. ■Fermoy Flower and Garden Club will hold their AGM on Tuesday next at 7.30pm in the Adair Hall. ■Kanturk Flower Club meet on Wednesday next at 8pm in the Trade Union Hall. ■The Irish Garden Plant Society meet on Tuesday at 8pm in the SMA Hall Wilton. Speaker Hester Forde. ■Macroom Flower and Garden Club hold their AGM on Thursday next at 7.45pm in Coolcower House. ■Kinsale Flower and Garden Club present an evening of Fabulous and Fun after their AGM on Thursday in St Multose Hall at 8pm.

Described as having “flowers like inwardfacing white clouds with purple spots and a centre the colour of the setting sun“, the tree peony sold as ‘Joseph Rock’ still commands attention and admiration.

interesting story. It was cultivated in China as Mei Yao Chen. It was described in the Sung dynasty (AD 960-1279) as having “flowers like inward-facing white clouds with purple spots and a centre the colour of the setting sun�.

Joseph Rock — the person not the plant — found the plant in 1925 in a lamasery near Gansu and sent seed to north America and Europe. Up to recent years all the plants in cultivation in the West were derived from these.

Today, new hybrid tree peonies are readily sourced from many of the larger outlets.

Tolerant of a wide range of soils they will develop where humus is plentiful and the drainage sharp. Most never grow taller than 8ft to 10ft.

■Conna and District Flower and Garden Club members’ dinner will be in The Forge Restaurant, Fermoy on Wednesday, Feb 15 at 7.30pm. ■Castlelyons Flower and Garden Club host Kitty Scully on Thursday next at 8pm in the Community Centre.

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

21

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:13:02:32Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:22

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Value the key for furniture collectors

IN BRIEF

There is a good selection of styles and period furniture at Woodwards sale, writes Des O’Sullivan

L

ONG before this recession began antique furniture faced challenges posed by fashion. Demand in those vanished profligate days of conspicuous consumption focused on pared down expensive contemporary furniture.

Value is the focus of that same demand nowadays; antiques can provide it and it is fashionable to mix various styles and periods.

There is a good selection of Georgian, Regency, William IV, Victorian and Edwardian furniture at Woodwards in Cork next Wednesday at 6pm. Georgian furniture includes a wine cooler by the Irish firm of Mack Williams and Gibton (€1,000-€2,000), a centre table (€800-€1,200),

a longcase clock from Newcastle (€800-€1,200), a hunting table (€500€1,000), a serving table (€300-€500), a demi-lune triple top table (€1,000€1,500) and a three tier circular dumb waiter (€400-€800). A Regency card table (€500-€1,000), and a William IV rosewood sewing table (€500-€1,000) feature alongside Victorian dining chairs and chests of drawers. Garden statuary, Waterford and other crystal, a Dresden figured mirror, collectibles including a cased model of the Titanic (€200-€300), porcelain, silver and art is also on offer.

Viewing is from 2pm to 5pm today and tomorrow and from 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

This Rosewood wine cooler/cellarette in Woodwards auction next Wednesday bears the paper stamp of Mack Williams and Gibton and is estimated at €1,000-€2,000.

AUCTION OF ANTIQUES, FINE ART, FURNITURE & EFFECTS, ETC Including contents removed from Middle Glanmire Road, and on the instructions of executors and clients

Wednesday next, February 8th at 6pm

Georgian rosewood cellarette or wine cooler on pod by Mack Williams and Gibton, Georgian rosewood centre table Geo longcase clock by M Young & Sons Newcastle Georgian rosewood davenport Georgian mahogany centre table Regency mahogany card table Georgian mahogany hunting table Georgian mahogany serving table Wm IV rosewood sewing table Edwardian mahogany bureau Georgian mahogany 3 tier circular dumbwaiter Georgian demi-lune triple-top card & tea table Oval regency mahogany centre table Set of 8 balloon back chairs Georgian pembroke table Large gilt framed mirror Burr walnut card table Edwardian mahogany display cabinet Edwardian inlaid mahogany chiffonier Georgian mahogany dropleaf table

Georgian rosewood cellarette Set of 6 Victorian mahogany dining chairs Edwardian inlaid oval lamp table Adams style fireplace Victorian serving table Cased model of the Titanic French ormolu clock Georgian bureau bookcase Victorian chest of drawers Set of 4 Seasons garden statues, Waterford and other crystal Collection of silver, etc Masons Ironstone dinner service

Artists include: Ken Hamilton, Andrew Nicholl RA, Eugene McSwiney, Robert Taylor Carson, Sean McCarthy, Rosemary Carr, Declan O’Connor, Tom Browne, Des Morris, Rene Vevera, Terence Attridge Williams, Josephine Scott, Barbara Barrett, Etc.

On view: Saturday & Sunday 2pm - 5pm, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 10am - 5pm FREE BIDDING SERVICE IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND AUCTION

JOSEPH

WOODWARD & SONS LTD “Successful service since 1883”

26 COOK STREET, CORK.tel 021-4273327 fax 021-4272891 email antiques@woodward.ie . web www.woodward.ie

22

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

No sale for Lowry There was some disappointment when Lowry’s Industrial Scene failed to find a buyer at the inaugural sale at Cork Auction Rooms last Monday.

The painting, estimated at €60,000€100,000, did stir tremendous interest, but the market obviously concluded that back-up authentication is necessary before agreeing to commit.

The 900 lot sale of art, silver, furniture and collectibles was reasonably successful.

The operators behind the venture, Tom O’Connell of Kerry Auction Rooms and Michael Watson of Lissardagh Antiques, plan to hold the next sale at Cork Auction Rooms on Sunday, Feb 26 at noon.

O’CONNELL CARD An original framed visiting card signed by Daniel O’Connell features at the monthly sale at O’Donovan and Associates, Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick next Saturday at 11am. There is a William IV rosewood card table, antique and household furniture, Waterford glass, jewellery, art and collectibles in this sale.

The catalogue is online at www.odonovan.ie ............................................................

TABLE SUCCESS THE top lot at Hegarty’s sale in Bandon last Sunday was a Victorian d-end dining table. It made €2,800 in a sale which offered good value to collectors.

Among the more unusual items at the sale was a Japanese Samurai sword which made €850. Around 80% of the 400 lots on offer were sold. ............................................................

BIG EXHIBITION From Highwood to Home at the Glucksmann Gallery in Cork features highlights from a private collection and includes works by Barrie Cooke, Dorothy Cross, Rita Duffy, Patrick Graham, Eithne Jordan, Michael Kane, Brian Maguire, Niamh McCann, Nick Miller, Hughie O’Donoghue, Patrick Scott, Donald Teskey and Charles Tyrell. It runs until Mar 18. ............................................................

RARE MAPS SALE Rare 18th century maps of Cork, Kinsale and Youghal sold for €400, €250 and €280 respectively at the Lynes and Lynes sale in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork last Saturday. A set of Victorian dining chairs made €1,200, a Georgian book press made €600, a Georgian chest of drawers made €450 and an Irish Georgian foldover card table made €800. ............................................................

TWO AUCTIONS There will be auctions of antiques and collectibles at Reilly’s Antiques, Prosperous, Co. Kildare on Monday at 7pm and at Ashgrove Auction Rooms, Ballybrittas, Co. Laois next Tuesday at 4.30pm

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

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

23

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:13:02:32Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:22

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

XP1 - V1

ANTIQUES & FINE ART

ADVERTISING

Value the key for furniture collectors

IN BRIEF

There is a good selection of styles and period furniture at Woodwards sale, writes Des O’Sullivan

L

ONG before this recession began antique furniture faced challenges posed by fashion. Demand in those vanished profligate days of conspicuous consumption focused on pared down expensive contemporary furniture.

Value is the focus of that same demand nowadays; antiques can provide it and it is fashionable to mix various styles and periods.

There is a good selection of Georgian, Regency, William IV, Victorian and Edwardian furniture at Woodwards in Cork next Wednesday at 6pm. Georgian furniture includes a wine cooler by the Irish firm of Mack Williams and Gibton (€1,000-€2,000), a centre table (€800-€1,200),

a longcase clock from Newcastle (€800-€1,200), a hunting table (€500€1,000), a serving table (€300-€500), a demi-lune triple top table (€1,000€1,500) and a three tier circular dumb waiter (€400-€800). A Regency card table (€500-€1,000), and a William IV rosewood sewing table (€500-€1,000) feature alongside Victorian dining chairs and chests of drawers. Garden statuary, Waterford and other crystal, a Dresden figured mirror, collectibles including a cased model of the Titanic (€200-€300), porcelain, silver and art is also on offer.

Viewing is from 2pm to 5pm today and tomorrow and from 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

This Rosewood wine cooler/cellarette in Woodwards auction next Wednesday bears the paper stamp of Mack Williams and Gibton and is estimated at €1,000-€2,000.

AUCTION OF ANTIQUES, FINE ART, FURNITURE & EFFECTS, ETC Including contents removed from Middle Glanmire Road, and on the instructions of executors and clients

Wednesday next, February 8th at 6pm

Georgian rosewood cellarette or wine cooler on pod by Mack Williams and Gibton, Georgian rosewood centre table Geo longcase clock by M Young & Sons Newcastle Georgian rosewood davenport Georgian mahogany centre table Regency mahogany card table Georgian mahogany hunting table Georgian mahogany serving table Wm IV rosewood sewing table Edwardian mahogany bureau Georgian mahogany 3 tier circular dumbwaiter Georgian demi-lune triple-top card & tea table Oval regency mahogany centre table Set of 8 balloon back chairs Georgian pembroke table Large gilt framed mirror Burr walnut card table Edwardian mahogany display cabinet Edwardian inlaid mahogany chiffonier Georgian mahogany dropleaf table

Georgian rosewood cellarette Set of 6 Victorian mahogany dining chairs Edwardian inlaid oval lamp table Adams style fireplace Victorian serving table Cased model of the Titanic French ormolu clock Georgian bureau bookcase Victorian chest of drawers Set of 4 Seasons garden statues, Waterford and other crystal Collection of silver, etc Masons Ironstone dinner service

Artists include: Ken Hamilton, Andrew Nicholl RA, Eugene McSwiney, Robert Taylor Carson, Sean McCarthy, Rosemary Carr, Declan O’Connor, Tom Browne, Des Morris, Rene Vevera, Terence Attridge Williams, Josephine Scott, Barbara Barrett, Etc.

On view: Saturday & Sunday 2pm - 5pm, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 10am - 5pm FREE BIDDING SERVICE IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND AUCTION

JOSEPH

WOODWARD & SONS LTD “Successful service since 1883”

26 COOK STREET, CORK.tel 021-4273327 fax 021-4272891 email antiques@woodward.ie . web www.woodward.ie

22

IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

No sale for Lowry There was some disappointment when Lowry’s Industrial Scene failed to find a buyer at the inaugural sale at Cork Auction Rooms last Monday.

The painting, estimated at €60,000€100,000, did stir tremendous interest, but the market obviously concluded that back-up authentication is necessary before agreeing to commit.

The 900 lot sale of art, silver, furniture and collectibles was reasonably successful.

The operators behind the venture, Tom O’Connell of Kerry Auction Rooms and Michael Watson of Lissardagh Antiques, plan to hold the next sale at Cork Auction Rooms on Sunday, Feb 26 at noon.

O’CONNELL CARD An original framed visiting card signed by Daniel O’Connell features at the monthly sale at O’Donovan and Associates, Newcastlewest, Co. Limerick next Saturday at 11am. There is a William IV rosewood card table, antique and household furniture, Waterford glass, jewellery, art and collectibles in this sale.

The catalogue is online at www.odonovan.ie ............................................................

TABLE SUCCESS THE top lot at Hegarty’s sale in Bandon last Sunday was a Victorian d-end dining table. It made €2,800 in a sale which offered good value to collectors.

Among the more unusual items at the sale was a Japanese Samurai sword which made €850. Around 80% of the 400 lots on offer were sold. ............................................................

BIG EXHIBITION From Highwood to Home at the Glucksmann Gallery in Cork features highlights from a private collection and includes works by Barrie Cooke, Dorothy Cross, Rita Duffy, Patrick Graham, Eithne Jordan, Michael Kane, Brian Maguire, Niamh McCann, Nick Miller, Hughie O’Donoghue, Patrick Scott, Donald Teskey and Charles Tyrell. It runs until Mar 18. ............................................................

RARE MAPS SALE Rare 18th century maps of Cork, Kinsale and Youghal sold for €400, €250 and €280 respectively at the Lynes and Lynes sale in Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork last Saturday. A set of Victorian dining chairs made €1,200, a Georgian book press made €600, a Georgian chest of drawers made €450 and an Irish Georgian foldover card table made €800. ............................................................

TWO AUCTIONS There will be auctions of antiques and collectibles at Reilly’s Antiques, Prosperous, Co. Kildare on Monday at 7pm and at Ashgrove Auction Rooms, Ballybrittas, Co. Laois next Tuesday at 4.30pm

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

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IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 04.02.2012

23

TERAPROOF:User:noelcampionDate:02/02/2012Time:12:44:32Edition:04/02/2012PropertyXP0402Page:24

Zone:XP1

XP1 - V1

Leeview, Ballincollig, Co. Cork ������17������ ���������� ������ ��� ����

Apsley House,���������� Killumney, Ovens, Co.��� Cork ������ ������ ������ ����

79 The Green, Coolroe Meadows, Ballincollig, Cork ������ ������ ���������� ������ ���Co.����

����� PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE ������ �������� � ����� ��������lifestyle, � ����� � ���� 17 Leeview is a delightful house with a wonderful close to the centre of

����� ����� �������� Guide Price: ������ �������� � ����� �������� � ����� � ���� Apsley House is a property of absolute character on its own private mature plot

����� ����� �������� Guide Price: ������ �������� � ����� �������� ����� � ���� No 79 The Green is within easy direct access of the� Ballincollig by-pass and

€165,000

€495,000

€229,000

������ ����� � �������� �������� ��� ��� ������� Ballincollig on the��eastern side �� of the village ��������� centre. The�� property is beautifully ������with ����three ������ ��������� ���lounge �������� appointed bedrooms and a�������� very large and �������� fully fitted��� kitchen/ ������������� �������� ���been �����converted ������ ��� ��� ��space. � ������� ��������is dining room. The attic has��also for storage The property �� ������������� ����������� � ���� �������� ��������� ����� ���� dressed with a gorgeous���� south west �� facing walled rear garden. ����������� ��� ����� ����������

������Killumney ����� ��village. � �������� �� �������� ��������� �� ��� ��� �������in within The original property was substantially extended ������ ����and ������ �������� �������� ��� with the early 1900’s now ��������� is a sizable �������� property ��� of approximately 4,000sq.ft. ������������� �������� �� ��� ����� ��� ��� �� � ������� �������� a host of original features, large room������ proportions and great character.

Acc. �� ������������� ����������� ���� � 2���� �������� ��������� �����and���� consists of, 4 bedrooms, f.f. bathroom, guest��w.c.’s, 3 reception rooms a f.f ��� �����entrance ���������� kitchen all interlinked����������� by a most impressive hall with two staircases.

������walking ����� distance �� � �������� �� �������� �� ��� ���bedrooms, ������� within of Ballincollig town.��������� Acc. consists of, four ������ ���� two ������ ��������� ��� �������� master en-suite, reception rooms,�������� family bathroom and �������� guest w.c.��� together ������������� �������� �� ��� ����� ��� ���utility �� � room. ������� with a fully fitted kitchen/dining with������ complimenting The�������� rear of ��the ������������� ����������� ���� and � ���� �� �������� ���� property enjoys a sunny aspect for those seeking��������� a home in����� a lifetime ����������� ���������� location will find��� this����� property a perfect fit.

Leeview,���������� Carrigrohane, Co. Cork ������8 ������ ������ ��� ����

51 Waltham Abbey, ���������� Old Quarter, Ballincollig, Co.���� Cork ������ ������ ������ ���

Aherlow, Curraheen Rd., Bishopstown, ������ ������ ���������� ������ ���Cork ����

����� ����� �������� Guide Price: ������ �������� � ����� � ����� � ���� 8 Lee View, Carrigrohane, is one of those�������� properties within a very special locality

����� ����� �������� Guide Price: ������ � �����tells �������� � ����� � ���� 51 Waltham Abbey�������� by its very address you this is something special within

����� ����� �������� Guide Price: � ����� � ����and decent Aherlow is������ a house�������� with a prime� ����� location,�������� huge site, off street parking

€189,000

€175,000

€185,000

�����of �� � ��������Model �� �������� ��������� ��� ������� on������ the fringes Ballincollig, Farm Road and Cork�� city���centre.

Set on it’s ������ ���� �������� own enormous site ������ this is a��������� two bedroom house��� with�������� unlimited�������� potential��� to extend ������������� �������� ����� ������ ���perfectly ��� �� habitable � �������consisting �������� and improve. The property��is��� somewhat dated but �� ����������� ���� � kitchen/dining ���� �� �������� ��������� ����� ���� of ������������� two bedrooms, two reception rooms, room and family bathroom ����������� ���fuel ����� ���������� with solid heating.

������distance ����� ��of �Ballincollig �������� �� �������� ��������� ��� ��� �������Acc. walking town centre and yet with�� absolute privacy. ������of,���� ��������� �������� ��� guest �������� consists two ������ bedrooms, f.f. family bathroom, w.c.�������� together ��� with an ������������� �������� �� fitted ��� ����� ������ ��� ���The �� property � �������is �������� enormous lounge and fully kitchen/dining room. over two �� ������������� ����������� ���� � ���� �� �������� ��������� ����� ���� storeys with an enormous attic suitable for further conversion.

The property has a ����������� ��� ����� a���������� walled rear garden enjoying sunny aspect.

����� � �������� �� front �������� ��������� �� ��� ��� �������room acc.������ consisting of,��three bedrooms, lounge, back lounge, kitchen/dining ���� ��������� ��� �������� �������� ��� and ������ bathroom.

The������ property is an ideal�������� family home on a direct bus route to Cork ������������� �������� ��� ����� ������ ���doctors ��� ��surgery � ������� �������� city and close to CIT with �� church, national school, and pharmacy �� right ������������� ����������� ���� �has���� �� �������� ��������� ���� on your doorstep.

The property potential to change for use����� as private ���������� offices with scope ����������� to extent with��� large����� rear gardens and off street parking.

7 The ������ Mews, Bride Valley, Aherla, Cork ������ ���������� ������Co. ��� ����

19 ������ The Spires, Innishannon, Co. Cork ������ ���������� ������ ��� ����

Carrigroe, Bandon, Co. Cork ��� ���� ������ ������ ���������� ������

����� Guide����� Price: �������� ������ �������� � ����� �������� � ����� A straight forward three bedroom mid terraced house located�in���� the centre of

����� PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE ������ �������� � ����� �������� � ����� � renowned ���� residential This is a stylish home of bespoke standards and classy perfection within the

€99,000

€455,000

�����PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE

€750,000

������ ����� �� � �������� �� with �������� ��with ��� ��� �������This Aherla Village in excellent condition a huge��������� rear garden rear access. ������ ���� ������accommodation, ��������� �������� ���living �������� �������� ��� that property offers sensible practical space in a location ������������� ��� �����access ������ � �������fantastic �������� offers village �������� living, easy��commute at a��� price��� that��represents �� ������������� ����������� ����onto � ���� �� �������� ���� value and an opportunity to get the property ladder��������� without a����� stretch. ����������� ��� ����� ����������

������of ����� �� �Fabulous �������� �� �������� ��������� ��� ��� ������� enclave The Spires. accommodation consists of 4 fine�� bedrooms with enormous ������ ������ ��������� �������� ��� master bedroom���� en-suite, 5 star bathroom, 3�������� reception��� rooms, dedicated�������� hobby room, beautiful ������������� �������� �� utility ��� ����� ������ ��� �� by � ������� �������� fully fitted kitchen/dining room, room and guest ��� w.c. Enclosed private south facing �� ������������� ����������� ����aspect, � ����lawned �� �������� �����all���� walled gardens with a beautiful sun soaked areas and��������� limestone patio, located ����������� ��� village �����and ���������� within the Sylvian setting of Innishannon less than 14 miles of Cork City.

������ �������� �����home �������� � ����� � ���� A magnificent architect designed� private of over 5,000 sq. ft. located a little over ������ ����� �� � �������� �������� ��� ��� ������� three miles from Bandon on its own��private plot of ��������� circa 4 acres,�� encompassing private ������ ���� ������ ��������� ���well�������� �������� gated driveway, landscaped gardens and �������� paddocks as as a detached lofted��� garage. ������������� ��appointed ��� ����� ��� �� �4������� �������� Accommodation�������� is exquisitely and������ consists��� of 5 bedrooms, en-suite, bespoke �� bathroom, ������������� ����������� ���� � ���� ��������� ���� 3 reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, �� first�������� floor gallery den and a����� lower level ����������� ����� ���������� incorporating a lower office/den.

A host��� of unique design features throughout complement.

“St. Ronan”,������ Knocknagurrane, Crossmahon, Bandon, Cork ������ ���������� ������ ���Co. ����

“Fainleóg”, Carhue, Bandon, Co. ��� Cork���� ������ ������ ���������� ������

Carhue, Bandon, Co. Cork ��� ���� ������ ������ ���������� ������

����� PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE Simply impeccable terms of presentation, design, privacy and location, this is a three ������in�������� � ����� �������� � ����� � ����

����� PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE ������ �������� � ����� �����site � ���� This is a most impressive country home set�������� on its own�private of almost circa 1

����� PRICE: ����� �������� GUIDE ������ �������� �����overlooking ��������Bandon � �����River � ���� Commanding an elevated �position valley and

€195,000

bedroom on �a beautiful circa 0.5��������� acre site midway Crossmahon ������bungalow ����� �� ��������private �� �������� �� ���on��� ������� hill bedrooms, of 3 ��� presented with perfectly town of Bandon fringes ���� on the �������� �������� ��� accommodation �������� ��������� ������ ������ reception room, �������� bathroom and with potential �������� to enlarge ������������� �� enormous ��� �����kitchen/dining ������ ��� room, ��� �� � ������� or simply����������� ready to move���� into and hang��your hat. The��������� property is����� on a mature ��if required ������������� � ���� �������� ���� site with lawns, specimen trees, hedgerows, gardens and a water feature. ����������� ��� �����patio ����������

€355,000

������ ����� � abundance �������� ��of�������� ��������� �� ��� ��� ������� acre of ground with��an garden features ranging from shrubs, flowers, ��� south �������� ��������� ������ ����areas a very pleasant with �������� garage, detached��� with a�������� together and decked patio ������ ������������� ���Bandon ����� ������ ��� ��� Accommodation �� � ������� �������� westerly aspect�������� overlooking��the River and valley. consists �� 4������������� ����������� ���� rooms, � ���� sun �� �������� ��������� �����open ���� of bedrooms, 2 en-suite, 3 reception room, study, interlinked plan ����������� ��� ����� kitchen/dining room with utility room,���������� bathroom and guest w.c.

€295,000

������ �����by��a�tree �������� �� �������� ��������� ���is��� ������� approached lined drive with electronic gates,��this a detached ��� �������� �������� ��������� ������ ���� with absolute 1.5 acres circa setting of��� parkland �������� beautiful on a ������ residence ������������� �������� �� ��� ����� ������town. ��� ��� �� � �������consists �������� privacy and complete convenience to Bandon Accommodation of ��5������������� ����������� ���� � rooms, ���� ��fitted �������� ��������� ����� ���� bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception kitchen and utility room.

A ����������� ���is����� large detached garage/store built ���������� to the rear of the house.

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