Laurel Lodge takes its name from the banks of glossy leaved laurel hedging that run along the entire left bank of the six-bedroom house.
Though initially constructed in 1992, the house that stands on a six-acre site in a quiet rural setting a short distance from the R418 Kilcullen to Athy Road, bears little resemblance to the fine six-bedroom house that is now on the market through selling agent Jordan Auctioneers.
The current owner purchased a small two-bedroom house on the site and engaged architect Damien O’Flynn in Newbridge to design a more substantial home. “There was a bit of an ongoing discussion over the size of the windows as I really wanted to be able to see the gardens from the main rooms, while the architect was concerned about how the house would look externally,” recalls the owner of the now generously proportioned 380sq m (4,090sq ft) property.
Two extensions were added to the B3-rated property: the first gave room for an au pair (which will also work as a home office) while the second added a playroom, which is now used as a television room. A new kitchen was added in 2017 designed by Kilkenny man Tommy Frisby. Set beneath a vaulted ceiling, it features remote control Velux with rain sensors, Italian marble countertops and splashback with Electrolux appliances.
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The house has three reception rooms: a sittingroom, diningroom and livingroom, which is warmed by a solid fuel stove set into a brick surround fireplace.
To get a sense of the gardens, they are best viewed from an aerial position as the photographs show. Heavily planted and full of colour, the owner says when he first purchased the house “the field on the left was part of the garden and ran right up to the front door”.
A garden shed and workshop stand in the extensive grounds that occupy six acres, three of which are now mature gardens to the front of the house. Laid out with herbaceous borders, trees and a paved patio area, the rear of the property is shielded by three acres that were planted as forestry. “It was a bit fortuitous really,” says the owner, “we thought the lands were really wet, but discovered that all that was wrong was the drains had blocked – so we ended up with a really lovely woodland behind our home.”
With impending nuptials, the owner is moving to Dublin and has placed his spacious house on lovely grounds on the market through agent Jordan Auctioneers seeking €750,000.
