When the owner of Ashton Lodge first stepped in to this 18th-century farmhouse lodge, she knew she had found the ideal place for her growing family. The period features, many sourced from architectural salvage, perfectly suited her penchant for antique furnishings, and the generous proportions of the interior meant she could entertain any number of guests for house parties and special occasions.
Ashton Lodge is deceptive from the outside; the quaint exterior tricks you into thinking you’re about to enter a cosy country cottage, but when you walk into the inner hallway with its limestone floor and exposed timber beams, it opens out into a spacious home of 295sq m (3,175sq ft), exuding period charm. The original narrow two-storey house was built circa 1780 on what used to be farmlands, and the house next door was the original farmhouse. The lodge was most recently extended in the early 2000s, but this is no contemporary addition to an old build: everything is in keeping with the rustic style, from the exposed granite walls and antique timber roof beams to the limestone floors and cast-iron radiators.
The entrance hall has a hardwood front door with stained-glass insets, black-and-white Italian marble floor, French cast-iron radiator, cloaks cupboard and understairs storage. To the right is a cosy family room containing an open fireplace with timber mantel and granite hearth, exposed granite walls and brickwork, and picture windows to the front and side. The guest WC has an antique wash-hand basin and something you don’t see very often: a cast-iron Hammond cistern. A study with a picture window looking out to the front garden is the owner’s work-from-home space, and has a built-in desk, storage and open shelving.
Through the double doors from the inner hall you arrive into the open-plan space of the living/diningroom, the kitchen and the garden room, handily arranged to allow easy flow between each roomy space.
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All of this is part of the extension, but really, it’s a continuation of the rustic look of this historical property, with rich walnut floors and exposed timber beams all round. The living/diningroom has a large fireplace with timber mantel and brickwork, raised limestone hearth and solid fuel stove. A bay window with French doors leads out to the back patio and garden, and double glass-panelled doors lead in to the garden room or “party room”, which has been at the heart of many a gathering over the years. It has a large vaulted ceiling with timber beams, plus a feature fanlight and Canadian maple timber flooring. Windows wrap around the entire room, bringing light beaming in, and double doors lead out to the back garden.
Through an open arch is the kitchen/breakfastroom, which has a mix of overhead press and drawer units, open shelving, plate racks and wine storage. Beneath arched brickwork is the Stanley cooker, and also a five-ring Neff gas hob with extractor, double Neff ovens with integrated microwave and an American fridge-freezer. The worktops are all solid timber and there’s a large Belfast sink. Next door is a large utility room with vaulted ceiling, built-in storage units and lots of overhead storage. The hot press and gas boiler are located here, too, and it’s plumbed for washing machine and dryer.
Upstairs are five double bedrooms, all with polished timber flooring and exposed timber beams, and three of them with vaulted ceilings. The vaulted ceiling in the main bedroom is the real eye-catcher, and the en suite shower room with brass four-jet shower system and marble tiles also has a vaulted ceiling. The bedroom also has a walk-in wardrobe with built-in shelving and hanging space, and a doorway leads through to bedroom four, which the owner is using as a dressingroom. The main family bathroom has vaulted ceiling and exposed beams, plus a free-standing antique bath with brass taps and shower head sourced from architectural salvage. Both the main bathroom and en suite have cast-iron cisterns.
The large back garden has the ideal southwesterly aspect and sense of privacy, and the lawn is bordered by paths and mature flower beds. A gravelled terrace acts as a sun trap, and the garden also has a mature oak tree, cobble-locked patio, arched gazebo and garden shed. To the front is gravelled parking area for several cars, with granite wall and mature plants. Ashton Lodge sits right between Sandyford and Stepaside villages, and the Luas stop at Glencairn is just a four-minute walk away.
