A modern country house within half a mile of the K Club in Co Kildare is expected to appeal to families involved in equestrian sports, racing or horse breeding when it goes to auction on June 7th. Joint agents Coonan Auctioneers and Jackson-Stops are quoting a guideline price of over £800,000 for Siena Lodge, at Clownings, Straffan, which is to be sold along with its 22 acres of post and railed paddocks.

There is a stable block near the house along with a two-bay hayshed. The land is laid out in five handy paddocks.

Susan Kirk of Coonan's says the house is likely to be of interest to Dublin-based families who want a country lifestyle and a handsome home within easy commuting distance of the city. In fact, the house is an easy 15-mile trip from the city, mainly along the N4.

Siena Lodge has a lovely rural setting, secluded and peaceful, deep in the rich Kildare countryside. The house was built as recently as 1991, but the huge collections of shrubs and trees have given the place an instant maturity that is seldom found in a modern home. The present owner has specialised in breeding and showing Connemara ponies and, because of the position of the house well off the road, has uninterrupted views of the ponies in all the paddocks.

The style and layout of the two-storey house was dictated by a desire to create as many suntraps as possible. The kitchen and other rooms along the back of the house, as well as a main patio at the rear, get the full benefit of the sun in the morning. The reception room, drawingroom and the family room all focus on the gardens and have French doors leading out on to the patios.

The reception/diningroom has a warm maple floor and excellent proportions, which make it ideal for entertaining. The drawingroom is considerably larger with an attractive marble mantelpiece and a bay window overlooking the gardens.

The kitchen is modern and stylish with a beech floor, oak wall units and an integrated range of electrical appliances. There is a handy utility room complete with a stainless steel sink.

The family room off the kitchen has a terrific atmosphere and plenty of space. A guest bedroom on the first floor has an en suite shower room. There are four more bedrooms upstairs, the largest being the main bedroom complete with en suite bathroom.

Siena is one of the best presented houses to come on the market in the country this year.