Glinbury is a small development of 11 luxury homes that first came to the market in 2019, built on land around Whitechurch Lodge in Rathfarnam that was acquired by Heatherbrook Developments in 2014.
It’s a boutique, gated development; the old walls still surround part of the land and the river Glin runs through it. A path leading to the site of the long-gone mill and the still rushing weir is, according to the owner, one of the best things about living here.
Number 1, which is at the end of the development, benefits from a large corner site and is surrounded by mature beech, ash and horse chestnut trees, displaying vivid colour at this time of year.
Once inside, it’s obvious there is something different and unique about the house, indicated by the double-height hallway, painted in a soothing green, with tall windows that soar upwards over the front door.
“This is the most important room,” says the owner’s seven-year-old daughter, leading the way to a large playroom on the left-hand side of the hall. It’s a lovely room with a large window overlooking the garden and a lighting fixture from Hicken lighting, where most of the lights throughout the house were sourced.
A stunning guest bathroom completes the hallway; it has moody dark tiles shot through with traces of gold. On the far side of the hallway, through a large, American-style doorway, is the sittingroom with a huge fireplace of finely honed limestone and a wood-burning stove set within it. A deep bay window shows more of the lovely views. This room would be a great retreat at night from the whirlwind of a busy day.
Another large, open doorway leads to the living area beside the kitchen; it features a long, tall, custom-built media unit – storage space has been considered throughout this 281sq m (3,025sq ft) home.
The porcelain tiles underfoot are warm thanks to the underfloor heating. Even though the proportions of the house are big, it still feels well-heated thanks to the air-to-water heat pump and high levels of insulation. The Ber is A2.
The kitchen has Silestone Calacatta gold worktops, Neff appliances, a wine fridge under the long island, a double Liebherr fridge-freezer and a Quooker tap that dispenses sparkling as well as boiling water. With plenty of working space and a five-ring gas hob, this is a kitchen made for an ambitious cook. It was installed by McAuleys of Drogheda, as were the wardrobes and the units in the utility space, which is kitted out as a boot room. Long sliding doors open out on to the garden, which, thanks to the location on the edge of Grange Golf Club, is not overlooked.
Upstairs, the landing has a void overlooking the hall below, adding to the sense of space and light in the house. There are five double bedrooms, three of them en suite, and a family bathroom on this level. The main bedroom shares the orientation of the sittingroom below and the owner likes nothing better in the evenings than enjoying the view here as she reads, the western sun lighting up the room. It has a capacious dressing area between the bedroom and the en suite, which is, like all the bathrooms, luxurious, with a free-standing bath and his and her sinks.
On the far side of the hall is another double bedroom, with fitted wardrobes, another fantastic en suite bathroom with porcelain tiles in a warm sand, underlit mirrored storage and a rainwater shower. One of the bedrooms is in use as an office, while another is laid out as a self-contained suite and would be ideal for an au pair or student. The attic is vast and has potential for going up another level – neighbours have created cinema rooms or home gyms.
Glinbury is at the edge of the Dublin mountains, close to Rathfarnham village, Marlay Park and St Columba’s College, and other secondary schools nearby include Loreto High School Beaufort, Rockbrook and Coláiste Éanna.
The owner, who is selling to downsize, has loved living here. DNG Rathfarnam is handling the sale, seeking €1.75 million.
