Time always stands on the side of good design. Take Sandpiper on Windgate Road in Howth: a James-Bond-style modernist gem that would have broken all the rules back when it was first constructed, sometime before it was last for sale in the late 1980s.
Little is known of its first owner, a woman architect from the UK, who designed the property to make the most of the sea views from its private perch on a 0.7-hectare (1.8-acre) site on Windgate Road.
With far-reaching maritime views that take in Lambay Island, Ireland’s Eye and a vast amount of water, on a clear day you can see all the way up to the mountains of Mourne.
It was subsequently purchased in 1988 by its late owner as his private retreat and was extended in 2003, creating a rather fancy entertaining space. If you couldn’t be bothered risking frostbite with sea swimming at this time of year, here at Sandpiper you have your own heated indoor pool (plus steam room and shower), not to mind a swanky pool bar for entertaining your friends.
As the room opens out on to a wraparound patio, it’s an amazing space to call home as the entertaining possibilities are endless. There’s a bit of an air of Wolf of Wall Street parties (the 2013 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a fast-living stockbroker) to the place, but it’s also a facility to keep you fit day-in day-out, despite the weather.
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The entire property was refurbished between 2014 and 2019 with alterations such as a superb picture window in the diningroom that perfectly frames the view of Lambay Island as it appears to float in the Irish Sea.
Measuring a considerable 504sq m (5,425sq ft), the unique single-storey residence is divided into four sections: a swimming pool complex, living and dining quarters, bedrooms and a covered garage with room for one special vehicle – there’s also tonnes of room outside for any amount of cars.
Off a central hallway – which also leads to the bedrooms and garage – lies a large kitchen, and living area with a range of floor and wall-mounted high-gloss units by Kube Interiors. From here, there is access to a diningroom, the 8m pool complex and a courtyard – which in turn leads to the front patio. Adjacent is a spacious livingroom, which again maximises sea views through floor-to-ceiling windows.
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There’s a huge amount of light flowing through the property, all thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glazing and its Ber is B3, an excellent figure considering its age and all that glass. A new air-to-water heat pump was installed when the house was fully renovated over the past decade.
Four double bedrooms (one of which is used as an office and two of which are en suite) share a zone with a well-appointed family bathroom. As you would expect, the principal has wonderful sea views and its large bespoke walk-in wardrobe – the size of a bedroom itself – and en suite bathroom, would give any five-star hotel a run for its money. This room also spills on to the Indian-sandstone patio out front.
Like the house, grounds are well kept and have been meticulously landscaped with seaside-tolerant plants, with mature leylandii hedging acting as a privacy frame around the site, sheltering herbaceous borders and a plethora of heathers. At just under 0.8 hectares (2 acres), the site is so large you could easily fit a tennis court – or indeed another house – subject to planning permission.
To be honest, you’d probably want to live in this house alone, so noise from parties would never be an issue. In terms of shopping, though it feels a million miles from anywhere at this point on Windgate Road, you’re only a kilometre away from a pint of milk – and indeed all the wonderful seafood on offer in the coastal gem that is Howth.
Sandpiper, in excellent condition, is now on the market through Knight Frank, seeking €3 million.
