You can do a lot with 5,000sq ft, and three-quarters of an acre, and when the owners of Avondale, on Ferndale Road outside Bray, refurbished this detached house in 2015 – and extended it in 2017 – they made sure it could cater to every family activity at every stage of growth.
Out front is a substantial, private lawned garden surrounded by mature specimen trees where children can safely play, while out back is a smaller garden with a greenhouse and an enclosed hen coop next to a hard-court tennis court. Also out back, discreetly tucked to the side, is a large garden room measuring 49sq m (527sq ft).
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Inside the house is a large, light-filled kitchen/dining/family room looking out to the front, and a spacious light-filled lounge extension looking out to the rear.
Upstairs, off a fine landing with vaulted roof and full-height balustrade overlooking the front of the house, are four large bedrooms, each with walk-in dressingrooms and en suites, including the main bedroom suite, which has a large bay window overlooking the front garden, plus an extra walk-in dressingroom and a large office/study to the side.
The fifth bedroom – also with walk-in dressingroom and en suite – is on the ground floor, and forms part of a self-contained apartment that includes a living/diningroom and kitchen.
All this lies behind secure electric gates with a long driveway and parking for several cars, in a tranquil, rural setting just off the Old Connaught Road, with quick access to the N11 and M50, and a short drive from amenities in Bray, Greystones, Shankill and Dún Laoghaire.
Avondale sits on 0.75 of an acre of mature gardens, measures about 465sq m (5,000sq ft) with a C1 Ber, and is for sale through DNG, seeking €2.25 million.
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Through the double front door, the atrium-style reception hallway is bright and spacious with an impressive vaulted ceiling and solid oak staircase leading to the first floor. To the right, down a few steps, is access to the self-contained apartment. There’s also a fully tiled guest loo, while towards the rear of the house is a large utility room.
To the left of the hall is the large, light-drenched kitchen/dining/family room, with high vaulted ceilings and double-height windows to the front. There’s a large island with ample seating space, a sink and Quooker tap and a Siemens five-ring gas hob. It also features an electric Aga and designer ceiling and wall lights.
The scullery behind the kitchen is also a full kitchen, off which is a pantry. A stable door leads out to the side garden, and a spacious boot room has a door to the front garden.
The lounge extension was added in 2017, and provides a wonderful space for relaxing and entertaining friends. This generous room has tiled floor and a feature gas fire. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors look out on to the enclosed granite patio area to the rear.
The upstairs landing is another fine feature, with full-height glass balustrades overlooking the dining area and front garden, and bringing in lots of light. Bedrooms two and three are mirror images of each other, one to the front, the other to the rear, both with dual-aspect and high-vaulted ceilings.
Bedroom four to the rear is the smallest, but it has a large walk-in dressingroom leading in to a great en suite, fully tiled with a vaulted ceiling and an oval free-standing bath. It also has its own private sun terrace overlooking the rear gardens.
The main bedroom suite boasts vaulted ceiling and a floor-to-ceiling bay window overlooking the front garden, an en-suite shower room and two walk-in dressingrooms. To the side of the bedroom, behind wood-framed frosted glass doors, is a spacious dual-aspect study, offering privacy and peace for home working.
