Rose Doyle is seduced by a large family home in a secluded niche close to Sandymount village
Mantwood House could be the answer to prayer if you're looking for a new house in an old location, one which is large, stylishly finished, fully equipped and ready to live in before Christmas. You would also need to be prepared to spend some €1.9 million, as this is the guide being quoted by agents Sherry FitzGerald in advance of its December 4th auction.
Mantwood House, which is in Gilford Court, a new cul-de-sac off Gilford Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4, is one of two similar, detached, three-storey houses with attic room just completed by builder Cathal Mellon in this secluded niche metres from Sandymount village. (The other was built for its owner and is already occupied). Mantwood House has a floor area of some 326 sq m (3,506 sq ft), five/six bedrooms (three of them en suite), four reception rooms and a kitchen/diningroom.
The emphasis on the use of stone is immediately apparent in a façade which has dash contrasting with granite and plastered bands surrounding the blue painted, Rationel windows and doors. The front garden / driveway is covered in limestone chippings and granite steps lead to a front porch over which there is a copper canopy with trellis detail.
Inside, the design emphasis is on space and light with an extra wide staircase and high (9ft 6ins) ceilings. Wood blends with the use of stone inside: ground level floors are of streamed Beech, fittings elsewhere are in cherrywood, work and vanity tops are of polished granite. The basement and first level floors are covered in a cream coloured, wool Ulster carpet.
The entrance hallway has the gallery appeal of being overlooked by the railed, first floor landing.
The main livingrooms are all off the hallway with the large (20ft x 18ft) kitchen/diningroom to the rear and opening into the garden.
It has extensive, floor-to-ceiling fittings and centre island in cherrywood. Worktops are of black, polished granite. Windows wrap around a corner and give light from two angles and double glass doors lead to a patio/decking. Integrated appliances include fridge/freezer, dishwasher, Helgen hob and Neff microwave/grill oven.
A compact TV room alongside has something of a sunroom about it with a ceiling-to-floor bay window and another set of double doors leading to the garden.
Also on this level there's a front-facing livingroom with sandstone fireplace and windows to the side and front, study and guest toilet with separate cloakroom. The first of five bull's eyes, or porthole windows to the civilian, is in the cloakroom area and has a mosaic tiled finish.
The large attic room is cream carpeted and white painted and has a six foot roof light/window as well as Velux. Doors in the eaves lead to extensive storage.
At the turn of the stairs, going up, there is a long feature bay window.
The main bedroom has a cherrywood walk-in wardrobe with a second bull's eye for light as well as an en suite with shower, two wash-hand basins, toilet and heated towel rail. Two other bedrooms on this level are en suite, with chrome fittings blending with a chrome motif in the tiling.
A fourth bedroom to the front is smaller. The family bathroom has a Jacuzzi bath, whb, toilet and detailed mosaic tiling.
The basement area takes up some 93 sq m (1,000 sq ft) of Mantwood House space, much of it given to an L-shaped room large enough to use as a games room or open-plan office. It has a sandstone fireplace and four narrow windows at close to ceiling level. A utility room has a cherrywood range of floor-to-ceiling presses, sink, hot press, washing machine and tumble dryer. A beige-tiled shower room has a shower, whb and toilet. A fifth bedroom or study can be accessed via a separate, outside set of steps.
The southerly rear garden has been landscaped, planted with bushes and trees and given flower beds.
