Townhouse time at Cairn Homes’ Orwell Road scheme

Marianella is the upmarket Cairn Homes scheme in Rathgar that launched quietly in 2016. The 209 apartments and penthouses have been well received with 198 apartments already sold. The development also provides for 40 townhouses which will be keenly anticipated by downsizers not quite ready for apartment living. Eight of these are already sold and a further 17 launch this week.

The apartment design has obviously been tweaked for larger, more family-orientated living in the houses. This is evident in the five-bed showhouse where Denise O’Connor of Optimise Design has applied her trademark attention to detail.

The properties are sizeable in every way from 2.7m high ceilings at entrance and first-floor levels to the extra wide plot sizes. All are three-storey and while this is most apparent in the five-bed showhouse, the additional scale is probably most attractive to those in the market for a high-end three-bed.

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The three-bedroom mews houses are set out in two terraces of three that adjoin two of the main apartment blocks. There are five of these for sale, each measuring 155sq m / 1668sq ft with terraced gardens that back on to St. Luke’s hospital.

In these the kitchen by Leicht, supplied by McNally Living and set to the front of the house, features carbon grey handless doors and Silestone countertops with a sharknose edge. Miele appliances are included in the purchase price, as is the washer and dryer in the separate utility.

Centrally located

The stairs and utility are centrally located dividing the cooking area from the living space, which opens out the rear. Two bedrooms on the first floor are en suite while the main bedroom on the second floor, also en suite, has balconies front and back. It’s a great set-up for parents of older kids. Four of the five units are mid-terrace and seeking €900,000 through joint agents Hooke & MacDonald and Knight Frank. The end unit is asking €950,000.

A further six four-bed terraced homes are also launching. They range in size between 225sq m/2425sq ft for the four mid-terrace houses (€1.29million apiece) and 230sq m / 2475sq ft for the two end-of-terrace units (€1.35million each). The layout is similar to that of the three-beds except that the living room is to the front and the open plan kitchen-dining area is to the rear opening directly out to the garden. The master bedroom is on the first floor with contemporary wardrobes by Cawleys hidden from the sleeping area. A family room is also located to the front. The other three bedrooms are on the second floor, where ceiling heights are the more standard 2.4m.

There are six five-bed properties available, including the showhouse. These are semi-detached and measure 248sq m/2669sq ft. Prices range from €1.6m to €1.7 million, based on the size of the rear garden.

Interconnect

The rooms at hall level interconnect with a living room to the front. Floored in Kahers engineered wood boards, a pocket sliding door with glass panels opens to the kitchen – a large space floored in an unhoned tile that feels lovely underfoot when the underfloor heating is on.

A steep staircase leads to the first floor where O’Connor has flexed her colour muscles breaking out of the safer colour palettes preferred by many developers in favour of strong bedroom colours and a pitch black on the walls of the living room clearly marking this space as binge watch HQ. There’s also a bright study at this level.

The Marianella development features shared facilities which are among its key selling points. They include a dedicated cinema space, a bright gym with floor to ceiling glazing, a steam room and sauna, a central lounge area useful for apartment owners who want to host larger groups and a meeting room, ideal for those working from home.

Annual management fees for the townhouses are €2,198 for three beds (this includes fire insurance and bins – the fees for the four- and five-beds do not), €1,865 for four beds and €1,965 for five beds.