Howth: Christine Madden visits a large house at the Baily, Howth, that is modelled to make the most of its stunning views.

House hunters who are looking for spacious living with beautiful, secluded gardens of around half an acre and comfortable access to nearby shopping and Dublin city centre - not to mention a superb sea view - should consider The Rocks on Howth's exclusive Baily. There's a price to pay for it all - the detached five-bedroom house is expected to make €1.75 million at auction through HOK Residential on November 6th. ...

Built in the late 1970s and extended a decade later, the house has around 186 sq m (2,000 sq ft) of living space. Almost every room in the house has a view out to the front and, as the house is situated on Howth Hill, this means looking out over Dublin Bay as far as Dalkey. The terrace in the front of the house, paved with terracotta tiles, also shares this view, and basks in the sun all day.

Inside, the house enhances its impression of space by the open nature of its living space. A large hall leads on the left to a large open kitchen area; to the right, to the dining area. The door to the guest toilet to the back of the hall features a stained-glass window.

Fitted out with white cupboards and beech countertops - including the island in the middle with hob, oven and grill - and a solid-fuel fireplace, the kitchen provides a pleasant atmosphere for cooking and conviviality. A small utility room at the back is plumbed for washer and dryer, and has a door to the back of the house. The dining area, paved with inlaid tiles, opens out to the front terrace as well as to the livingroom, which has a gas fire and double doors on all three outside walls leading to the terrace and garden. The stairwell at the back of the dining area reaches down to the ground floor, ending in a roomy hall that could also be used as a living area. From this hall, two en suite bedrooms beckon. Both have wooden floors, built-in closet space and glassed doors opening to the front garden; the larger bedroom offers a separate but not closed off dressing area and a bathroom.

At the top of the stairs from the dining area, a small room currently used as a study could also be a bedroom. Another en suite bedroom features a dressingroom with racks and shelves for storage and a bathroom with shower. A fourth/fifth bedroom next to this has built-in shelves and closets, and makes up for the lack of en suite amenities by being the closest to the highly luxurious bathroom at the end of the upstairs hall. At nearly 19 sq m (205 sq ft), with sandstone tile floors, freestanding vintage bathtub and huge sauna at the side, it could easily fit eight people.

The gardens are carefully landscaped, and a path up the side of the hill leads into a verdant space with a view of the bay.