A fine catch down on Kinsale's waterfront

Co Cork: €4.3m A former fish store has been transformed into a contemporary house near the water's edge in Kinsale, writes Kate McMorrow

A carefully restored harbour building which for centuries stored the catch from fishing boats is now a very striking contemporary home.

Joint agents Hamilton Osborne King, Sheehy Brothers and Knight Frank are quoting €4.3 million for The Pallace Wharf, which is in Scilly, Kinsale, Co Cork. For owner Richard Good-Stephenson, this restoration project was nothing new.

His company, Lochplace, specialise in conservation and has won several awards over the years. Recent work includes Leinster House and Farmleigh in Dublin and Cor Castle in Co Cork. Only the four walls remained of the warehouse building when Lochplace acquired the property. The philosophy was to return the exterior of the building to its 19th century appearance, including timber sash windows, lime plasterwork and cast-iron downspouts and gutters. Because it had never been lived in, Richard Good-Stephenson decided this could be a contemporary space. Travertine marble and oak floors, underfloor heating, wired for sound - expense was not an issue when this interior was planned.

The kitchen has granite worktops, a mahogany breakfast bar and an array of top-name appliances, including a Maytag American fridge-freezer and a Falcon range. Into the sittingroom, where flooring is waxed oak and on to the library, also with an oak floor.

Upstairs, all five bedrooms are en suite. Sisal and wood carpets have been laid and bathrooms are fitted with Phillipe Starck and Villeroy and Boch ware. The larger bedrooms come with dressingrooms. Apart from the main house, there is a 149sq m (1,600sq ft) boathouse/garage with electronically operated door.

An upper space with a huge window looking out on the water could be a home office or gym.

A very fine stepped stone boat dock with a carved rock floor was built in the 19th century to take a Kinsale Hooker.