Re-fitted bungalow with lots of space and views of the mountains

Their owners are downsizing and these two houses in Killiney are ready for new families, writes ROSEMARY MACCABE

IT’S BEEN 35 years since Roger and Pauline Copsey bought their brand new home in Killiney Heath, for £70,000. Two children, four grandchildren and countless home improvements later – among them, the building of two patios, the re-insulation of the entire house and the refitting of all of its many windows – the couple is looking to downsize.

When the house was bought, its front windows looked down on to the sea and, further inland, at the Sugar Loaf mountain in Co Wicklow. Now, though a clear day will still yield mountain views, the sea is hidden by a bank of conifers planted across the road from the five-bedroom bungalow, situated behind electronic gates in a sparse development off Killiney Hill Road.

Inside, a large front livingroom boasts floor to ceiling windows, as do the diningroom and kitchen, which is average-sized but practical, with solid oak cabinets and large sliding doors leading on to patio number one.

A smaller back livingroom looks out on to the back garden, with a spacious lawn – and, on my visit, a grazing bunny - and various shrubs which, Roger tells me, “mostly look after themselves”. A short walk from the back door is the second patio, which is sheltered from view by said shrubs but, being west-facing, gets the best of the mid-afternoon sun.

Though the interior design of the house nods fervently at its 35-year tenure, beneath the chintzy curtains and plush carpets is a smart, spacious bungalow with plenty of room for a family of four – or more.

It has five bedrooms, one en suite, a main bathroom and separate WC, utility room and a services area off the main living area, a small room which would make a perfect wine store. One bedroom, at the front of the house, would make a great guest room, being slightly out of the way of the other bedrooms – or it may suit parents looking to get a slight break from older kids.

The house, valued two years ago at €2.5 million, has an asking price of €985,000.

Sienna, 19 Killiney Heath, Killiney, Co Dublin

Description: Five-bedroom family home

Agent: Lisney