Launched in 2017, the large Cosgrave development of energy-efficient houses and apartments at Cualanor was constructed on the former Dún Laoghaire golf course site off Glenageary Road. Now Dún Laoghaire’s newest neighbourhood, homes here are popular due to their proximity to amenities, spacious size and good energy ratings.
The owners of number 11 Roseland Avenue, located at the end of a cul-de-sac, were living in London when the scheme went on the market, and flew over to have a look at what was a potential new home. “We viewed multiple properties in the estate and as it turned out, it was the last one we saw that we fell for,” they say.
“There’s a walk-through [on to Tivoli Road] so you are only eight minutes from Dún Laoghaire for a night out and as it’s the end of the terrace, it has a gated patio to the side and front. It was also the only house we viewed with sea views [from upstairs],” say the owners, who are moving to be closer to the sea.
Having paid €740,000 for the property (it appears on the Property Price Register for €656,386.66 but this figure excludes VAT), they then began to make changes to put their own stamp on the home. Firstly, a reception room to the front on the ground floor was panelled and painted in dark blue with the installation of a reclaimed ipe floor from Mulveys of Dundrum. Also known as Brazilian walnut, it originally came from a church in Spain and it’s about as hard a wood as you can source, so it won’t dent from dancing heels at parties. It’s laid as herringbone parquet – bang on trend – while the remainder of flooring on the ground floor is American wide-plank walnut.
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They also converted the attic for storage in the 213sq m (2,292sq ft) house and engaged craftsman Ed Kenny in Ballinteer to create built-in units in what the family call the entertainment room. This is a second separate reception room and lies on the first floor. Bathed in light, its muted neutral colours are a stark contrast to the moody blue reception room at hall level.
Most of the family living takes place in a large open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, overlooking the garden on the ground floor. This space, which is serviced by a separate utility, opens to the back garden via patio doors. Here, owners engaged the original contractors who laid the patio to extend it further, so it can accommodate large gatherings.
Upstairs are two bedrooms on the first floor, adjacent to the entertainment room, while three further bedrooms lie on the second floor. The fifth bedroom is currently laid out as a sumptuous his and hers dressingroom but, should new owners wish, can be converted back to its original purpose quite easily.
The A2 energy rating will be music to the ears of anyone currently paying excessive heating bills. “The electricity bill for the last two months was only €15 because of the energy grants, so it has been really economical to run the house,” the owners say.
What they really love about the home, besides its location, size and the safety of a private gated garden for their kids, are the neighbours who they describe as “fantastic, fun and a very kind lot”. With closer sea breezes on the horizon for the owners, this A-rated home, extending to 213sq m (2,290sq ft), is on the market through DNG, seeking €1.075 million.
