Imagine waking up in a penthouse and walking to the balcony outside your bedroom. Below you is the sea and in the distance, bobbing sail boats. A new luxury penthouse, built on the site of a former Mercy Convent in Kinsale, Co Cork, could afford you this experience.
One of four apartments called Schooner Cove, the last of 30 to be built in a complex called Avila, the penthouse takes up the entire top floor of the former convent and offers incredible views.
Developed by Cumnor Construction, the project is a far cry from the former Convent of Mercy and school, which formerly occupied the site. It opened in 1845 with 700 pupils and six Mercy Sisters at the start of the Irish famine. The convent and industrial school closed decades ago, and the school, convent, chapel and gardens were later sold.
The three-bedroom penthouse, which spans 297sq m (3,200sq ft), was designed by JCA Architects. Airy and spacious, with high ceilings and elegant original columns, its rooms are differentiated by smoked-glass panel doors. Its large open-plan kitchen/dining/sittingroom opens to a terrace with sea views.
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The furnishings rely mostly on muted tones of grey, taupe, beige and blue, which combine well with its minimalist design and futuristic-style light fittings.
One of the most striking aspects of this apartment is the large original sash ecclesiastical windows in the sittingroom space. Renovated and double glazed, they subtlety nod to the history of the building, while flooding the room with light and creating an elegant focal point.
The kitchen has a large skylight, letting in an abundance of light. Its dark-brown units and ceramic worktops are Italian.
All three of the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms and built-in wardrobes. The main bedroom has a walk-in closet and opens to a private balcony affording the same maritime views.
The bathrooms feature Italian ceramic hardware, Spanish marbled wash basins and slate shower trays, and heated towel rails.
There’s also a study, a utility room and considerable storage space.
[ Strikingly modern Sandymount four-bedOpens in new window ]
Outside the complex, the grounds have been landscaped and feature lawns, granite paving and a car park.
Schooner Cove is a less than five-minute walk to Kinsale Village which has a range of shops restaurants and coffee shops. Kinsale Harbour is located in the estuary of the river Barrow and is a popular location for fishing and sailing.
