A smart curved family house near Killiney village is for sale for €4m. Alanna Gallagherreports

Family houses need to meet ever increasing expectations. They need to look good, yes, but also to provide somewhere to store the buggy, the bikes and the electronica.

Victoria Lodge on Killiney's Victoria Road is a superb example of a modern family house. It is curved and very stylishly appointed.

The four-bedroom property is at the Killiney village end of Victoria Road, just beyond the arch at the top of the road.

It is for sale by private treaty through Sherry FitzGerald for €4 million.

The house is granite-clad at the front with horizontal panels of wenge-stained wood to the rear.

The property is set on a raised site that is very cleverly landscaped.

Inside, the house has an inverted layout which means the living space is situated on the ground floor while the accommodation and utility rooms are below at garden level.

A roomy entrance hall with cloakroom and guest en suite set the tone for the rest of the house which is decorated throughout in tones of espresso and café au lait.

The living area is open-plan but because of its semi-circular nature, feels warm and cosy. Adjacent to the livingroom is a compact playroom complete with door to keep children within sight but not necessarily audible.

The livingroom is equipped for all seasons with an open fire as well as access to an extremely sunny south-facing balcony. This offers seasonal peek-a-boo views of Killiney Bay. Glimpses of the water are visible at this time of the year but these will probably be obscured by foliage during the summer months. The setting is very private.

A second space encompasses the open-plan, Wellmann kitchen and its sleek Corian island, as well as the family room and diningroom.

Downstairs there are four bedrooms. The main bedroom has a roomy walk-in wardrobe, shower en suite with oodles of shelving and French door access directly into the garden.

There are two further double bedrooms, both en suite, and a single room.

A spacious utility area and oodles of storage along the corridor will cater for most families' stuff.

Outside the grounds are extensively landscaped with ultra low-maintenance shrubbery and lawn.

There's a children's play area with swings and a slide.

The oval-shaped main garden comes with a barbecue gazebo and a fake lawn which shows real artificial intelligence - say goodbye to bribing the kids to mow the lawn.