Laundry chutes, the hidden vaults within houses are a practical addition to properties set over more than one storey. Over the years, they have been used as escape hatches from prisons and asylums, a simple way to dispose of dead bodies.
After the murder of Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, a towel was discovered stuck in the laundry chute at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel in London – it had been there for two months. The men who had poisoned Litvinenko had disposed of the polonium-soaked towel down the chute.
At Belrobin, a modern new build extending to 404sq m (4,350sq ft) the laundry chute is contained behind sleek presses – allowing all the family’s laundry to pass down the three storeys out of sight, and away from children.
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The property, designed by architects Tyler Owens, was constructed two years ago on a site set back off the main road at the Monkstown end of Newtown Park Avenue. It has a shared entrance with an adjacent property – but still retains ample parking for five cars.
The wow factor here besides the light, size and attention to detail is the entire floor – at lower garden level, devoted to entertainment.
A home cinema room – complete with oversized leather recliners has a state of the art surround sound system for the mammoth 12ft screen. Alongside is the snooker room – with a full-sized billiards table, which “was a nightmare to install”, according to the owner who is moving to Dalkey.
And if the cinema room wasn’t enough there is a further family space with yet another television – though this could also work as a home office.
At hall level, a spacious open-plan L-shape incorporates the Neptune kitchen, dining area and livingroom. It is all very bright thanks to three walls of windows – some of which open out to the 0.25 acre garden – which runs three sides around the property, and would benefit from additional planting. There are two further reception rooms at this level.
Upstairs are four bedrooms, two of which are en suite, and the principal, as one would expect in a house of this size, has its own dressingroom and spacious en suite.
No expense has been spared behind the electric gates of this A2-rated home, all the bathrooms have Villeroy and Boch fittings, solid walnut doors and flooring throughout and bespoke Cawley bedroom units.
Belrobin is on the market with Vincent Finnegan seeking €1.85 million.
