The owner of Mulberry Manor in Rathbeggan in Meath knew exactly what she wanted when she built this house: a country retreat and an equestrian haven. It would be ideal for showjumping enthusiasts, with eight paddocks, a sand arena, horse-walker, a four-bay barn to the rear of the house with stalls, a tack room and access for a horse lorry. The owner travelled all over Ireland and Europe, bringing her children showjumping, with considerable success.
A love for horses is everywhere in this 557 sq m (6,000 sq ft) house on 5.5 hectares, with equine prints on the walls, riding boots in odd corners and a back hall covered in hundreds of rosettes. Built 20 years ago, it’s a house bursting with old-world charm, effortlessly put together by the owner, who took the country house aesthetic and made it her own. Mulberry Manor is now for sale through Coonan Property, seeking €2.7 million.
Electric gates lead on to a drive that splits before the house, leading down a treelined avenue, surrounded by paddocks. Two deep double-storey bays adorn the front of the house, which has a pillared porch leading into an impressive entrance hall with a fireplace and a chandelier.
On the left of the hall is a vast kitchen with the same marble tiles as in the hall. There are no less than 10 six-over-six sash windows here, flooding the room with light. A window seat takes up the bay window, a marble topped island sits between two rows of custom-built timber units on either wall, the kitchen is triple aspect and gets morning, afternoon and evening sun.
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A large four-oven cream Aga along with underfloor heating keeps this room cos, and it features a large dining area and a walk-in pantry. The owner’s favourite room, “the Stübli”, is a Swiss-influenced snug adjacent to the kitchen, with a wood-burning stove.
From the kitchen, a chequered hall leads to a utility that opens on to a large sittingroom her children used for parties and movie nights. With a bedroom, kitchenette and wet room above the sittingroom and a separate entrance, this is a self-contained suite that would suit a granny flat or a guest suite.
The drawingroom is to the right, with coving, pale carpets and an antique fireplace. The owner sourced a lot of materials from salvage yards, which is probably why the house at only two decades old, exudes old-world charm.
Behind the drawingroom is the all-important wine cellar, which, along with the pantry, is the only part of the house that doesn’t have underfloor heating. There is also an office here with its own door outside, and stairs leading to the bedrooms on the first floor.
The principal bedroom is well-designed with plenty of windows, a tiled en suite, and a quirky feature shower with curved walls, doing away with the need for a door, a design replicated throughout the house.
One of the wardrobes is devoted to shoes, and if the wardrobes here are not enough, a narrow stairs leads to a huge attic, carpeted and well lit with ample storage rooms and hanging rails.
There’s a large family bathroom on this floor, a pretty pale-pink bedroom with bay windows and on the other side of the hall there are two further bedrooms with windows overlooking the green grounds, and a bathroom.
Despite it being a large home, it has a Ber of C1 and is relatively maintenance free – once the robotic lawnmowers and the robotic vacuum cleaner are pressed into action, the house takes care of itself.
