Country living in reach of the city

You can just imagine coming home to Kilquade Hill after a busy day at the office: turning off the N11 and letting a sense of calm seep into your anxious bones, as the fields and hills unfold.

A bank of silver birches signals the entrance to the little enclave of houses, built in increments since the 1970s. Planning in these parts means that most of them are bungalows or dormers, though the lifestyle around here also means that, while varied in style and size, they’re not at all small.

The owners of Rowanberry House built the five-bedroom detached house in 1985, adding a sunroom with a nicely Scandinavian feel, in 2011 to bring the total floor area to 297sq m (3,196sq ft).

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 8

There is a lawn and ample gravel parking at the front, while at the back there is a secluded back garden that includes a patio, deck, lawn and tasteful planting. Everything has also been maintained to a very high standard. It’s a house that seems made for sunshine, although it has also been done to such a good level of energy efficiency that it has a BER of B2.

Nice flow

The front porch has a nautical feel, with its mast-like pillars, and once inside, there’s a nice flow to the rooms: a large livingroom runs front to back to the left, leading to a diningroom, and on to the kitchen.

This has been done in classic contemporary style and has granite counters and porcelain floor tiles. It has a Raeburn stove to warm things up on chillier days. There is a cosy family room off the kitchen, as well as the nice sunroom. There is also a utility room and garage.

Upstairs there are five bedrooms with the option of a sixth, currently in use as a gym / office. The principal bedroom has a dressingroom and en suite, while the second bedroom is also en suite. Even though it’s a dormer, the pitch of the roof is quite steep, so while the bedroom ceilings include sloping angles, you still get plenty of space.

Despite the tranquillity of the location, it is just five minutes by car from Delgany, although for quicker coffees, the National Garden Exhibition Centre with its café is just down the road, as is the Druids Glen Golf Club. There are good local schools in Delgany and Greystones.

Rowanberry House is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald at a guide of €860,000. For comparison, check out Sonas, also with Sherry FitzGerald, closer to the N11 and slightly smaller at 217sq m (2,337sq ft); it's on the market at €850,000.