Time to Hit the Birches

Inishowen

Price guide: £1 million-plus

Inishowen is a large four-bedroom double-fronted house, set in well-landscaped gardens. Lisney, which will auction the 3,500 sq ft property on September 30th, is guiding £1 million-plus. Although surrounded by the mature trees, the house is very bright with most rooms having at least two leaded windows.

Panelled mahogany internal doors and stair banisters have been French-polished to a soft patina. The entrance hall with guest cloakroom off, is decorated in warm mango colours and has a polished oak floor and a mahogany staircase to the rear. To the left of the entrance, a cosy sittingroom is decorated in deep terracotta. There is a Victorian cast-iron fireplace and a good range of bookcases and cupboards. A box bay window overlooks the front garden, while the citron-painted drawingroom at the back catches the afternoon sun.

The kitchen/breakfastroom is enviable. Solid timber cupboards are French and there are blue and white tile worktops and a double ceramic sink. An Italian marble floor links the kitchen with a dining area. French doors in two walls lead out to the garden. There is a fitted utility off and a study/office with plenty of shelves and cupboards. The four bedrooms are off the upstairs landing. There is no need for a family bathroom, since all the rooms are en suite. The blue main bedroom has a range of wardrobes and double doors to a verandah overhanging the back garden. The en suite to this room has a bath with marble surround, separate power shower and antique brass accessories.

A guest bedroom at the rear has an en suite power shower. The largest bedroom overlooking the front has a double shower en suite and a smaller child's room is a generous single with a polished oak floor and en suite shower. All the bedrooms are piped for television.

There is a curved driveway to the front with shrubs, trees and an ornamental pergola. The back garden has a south-westerly aspect and only one rooftop is visible above the surrounding trees. There is a terrace the width of the house and a wide lawn with herbaceous borders. Ceanothus, pyracantha and several well-grown spruce trees provide great privacy.

Woodend

Price guide: £750,000-plus

Woodend looks like a quaint cottage from the outside but inside it is a four-bedroom home in pristine condition. Set on a quarter of an acre of secluded gardens, it is expected to fetch £750,000-plus at auction through Lisney on September 23rd. The house was built on a wooded triangular plot and the architect has incorporated the triangular aspects into the house design. Roofs are hipped and at different levels, and internal timber ceilings and exposed beams continue this theme. The sound of running water from a nearby stream creates a woodland impression.

A dramatic entrance doorway is of oak and stained glass. All rooms lead off the inner hallway, which is galleried and roof high with a panelled timber ceiling. Double doors open to the drawing-room, which has a Le Droff fireplace and exposed pine ceiling. French doors lead out to the garden. Just inside the front door there is a large study. The kitchen/breakfast-room has a useful sitting area with a corner fireplace. Kitchen worktops and splash-back are of polished granite and all the appliances are included in the sale. A tiled utility room has plenty of cupboards and shelves.

The dining-room leads from the kitchen through double doors. This has picture windows and a sliding glass door to the walled rear garden. Each room in Woodend looks out on lush greenery.

Two of the four bedrooms are on the ground floor at the other end of the house. The guest bedroom is nearest the hall. It is double in size and has a separate entrance to the family bathroom. The main bedroom has an L-shaped dressing area, with wardrobes, and an en suite with Jacuzzi bath and power shower. French doors lead out to a secluded terrace.

Upstairs, there is a wide gallery landing with a pine cocktail bar overlooking the sitting-room, and a study area. Two double bedrooms are on either side of the landing, both with en suite bathrooms and built-in wardrobes.

The garden wraps around the house and has been lovingly kept. There is a large lawned area to the front with rockeries and a host of silver birch and ash trees. A small waterfall runs into an ornamental pond with water-lilies and irises.