Bright and contemporary Cork three-bed with verdant views for €695,000

This bright house within walking distance of Ballinspittle village was designed by COR Architects in nearby Kinsale.

The brief included lots of light: “We really wanted to take advantage of the south-facing rear aspect,” says the owner. In fact, one of the real selling points of this house, dating from 2021, are the views and the strategically placed picture windows throughout.

A particular mention is due to the window above the bed in the main bedroom as it is now the focal point of the room, and shows how smaller windows framing an image, can be far more effectual that a larger one.

Of second importance in the brief was to have communal spaces. This has been achieved with a spacious open-plan area encompassing a kitchen/dining and living area that opens out to a south facing patio. Here a bright contemporary kitchen by Callan Kitchens in Bandon takes centre stage. With Neff appliances, it’s not your usual run-of-the-mill kitchen taken from a brochure as it features some lovely details, such as slatted timber panelling, drop lighting and a wooden recess for the sink. Simple but effectual, the fact that it’s not part of a current trend means it will have longevity.

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A secret sliding door hides access to a further living room – with superb views and light – some of which take in coastal vistas to Garretstown Beach about three kilometres away. A fine-sized utility and loo complete downstairs.

As you would expect, views from this 209sq m (2,230sq ft) home are even better from upstairs where three double bedrooms lie. Accessed by a bespoke oak staircase, the main bedroom, which has the benefit of triple aspect, has a good-sized en suite and is complemented by an open-plan dressing area providing an abundance of storage.

Sitting on a 0.75 acre site, it currently has a sun-drenched patio framed by a raised bed while the remainder of the garden is grass.

It has lots of potential though, and current owners engaged landscaper Ingrid Swan to design their dream garden. Having taken a gold medal at Bloom in 2014 and also at Shenzhen & Greater Bay Flower Show in China, Swan met their brief for a low-maintenance wild garden. So now new owners will have a blueprint for plans to develop and implement the garden that includes a sunken fire pit and seating areas.

It’s a lovely light-filled and well-thought-out property. Just a stone’s throw from the village, which has two primary schools, there’s a bus service to secondary schools in Bandon and Kinsale – which is about eight kilometres away. Owners are moving from their lovely home to be closer to family and have placed their A2-rated property, in walk-in condition, on the market seeking €695,000 through estate agent Bowe Property in Kinsale.