The house standing at 19 Cuala Road in Bray tells a much different story to the property purchased by its current owners back in 2001. “It had been rented out but when we bought it, it had no kitchen and one of the ceilings in a downstairs room was covered in posters,” recalls the owner who has since moved west for work.
What they fell for back then are still the selling points today. The back garden, which owners describe being like a “warren of trees with a secret garden”, extends to a most generous 45m (147ft) in length. As the family is active and love the outdoors, its proximity to Bray Head and the prom were also important: “You get home from work and you’re on the path to Bray Head within two minutes,” says the owner. “We also like hillwalking so its location, at the gateway to the Wicklow Mountains, was important for us too.”
When they first bought the house they gave it a cosmetic overhaul to make it liveable. Then, in 2006, under the guidance of architect Stephen Newell, they transformed the property into what it is today – a light filled four/five bedroom house extending to a generous 194sq m (2,088sq ft) house located 600m from the sea and 700m from Bray Dart station and the main street. As it is located on a height, it has views to Killiney Hill, and is bathed in light thanks to its southwest orientation to the rear.
With solid timber flooring, the hub of this house is the large open-plan kitchen-breakfastroom that lies to the rear overlooking the large garden. It also has two reception rooms to the front, warmed by open fires, and a third reception room to the rear in the form of a diningroom that also opens to the back garden.
On the opposite side of the front hallway lies a large study, which can also work as a fifth bedroom – while four other bedrooms lie upstairs.
“We engaged Breda O’Donoghue of Upstaged to get the house ready for sale and she gave us great advice. She had the entire house painted in the shade Subtle, by Colourtrend, put in new carpets in the front room and had contract cleaners in,” the owner says.
Its rear garden has plenty of scope for green-fingered enthusiasts to develop further. It still has old apple trees and is not particularly overlooked so it’s a great big blank canvas for prospective new owners.
The owners, who have raised their family here, love the proportions and light and its proximity to walkways, hiking trails and the sea. They say they will miss their neighbours who have shared many parties at number 19. Now based in the west, they have placed their C3-rated home on the market through DNG, seeking €845,000.
