The tone is firmly set at Landore Hall – a whopper of a mid-1800s property just opposite Orwell Medical Clinic in Rathgar – by the champagne sink in the Clive Christian kitchen, one of two in the property.
A long trough in the bespoke island has been designed to hold a line of chilled bottles. Mind you, it is so narrow you could barely wash a plate in it. Nor does this kitchen have a dishwasher, and the Gaggenau oven has never been used. One gets the feeling it’s solely the domain of caterers.
The two Clive Christian kitchens are around three years old, and wouldn’t see much change from €200,000 if installed today. According to the owner, it made practical sense: “When we were at university mum and dad lived upstairs and my brother and I lived downstairs – so there were always two kitchens.”
Kubrick inspiration
The upstairs kitchen is inspired by Stanley Kubrick's film Eyes Wide Shut, and features a Venetian mask signed by the maker of the masks used in the film.
The only occupants of the Sub-Zero fridges are bottles of Cristal.
The downstairs kitchen, with a solid oak island, has a huge wooden pig over the sink, though it probably hasn’t seen too many roast dinners – the Aga instructions are still in their plastic wrapping in the oven. Both kitchens feel brand new and come with all the bells and whistles one would expect from high-end culinary spaces.
The property has six reception rooms – counting the Eyes Wide Shut kitchen that leads to a billiards room, where the walls are lined with signed photographs of the world's top snooker players. With green-panelled walls, soft leather chesterfields and a jukebox, it exudes the air of a private club.
The interconnecting drawing and diningrooms on the upper floor have very impressive ceiling roses and original fireplaces.
The master bedroom also lies at this level and, like the other three bedrooms, has Clive Christian fitted wardrobes. A fifth bedroom was converted into a dressingroom.
Opulent bedrooms
At garden level lies the second kitchen, three opulent bedrooms and a further diningroom and livingroom.
The 464sq m (5,000sq ft) villa plus coach house had extensive grounds, which were divided 25 years ago and developed as housing. As a result, the site on which the house now lies is not large, and would benefit from more greenery.
Six years ago the owners converted the old coach house in the garden into a lovely two-bed, 92sq m (1,000sq ft) house, which is included in the sale. It has a more relaxed air than the main property and could generate a rental income of more than €2,000 per month, according to Will Moore of Sherry FitzGerald, who is handling the sale. The asking price for both properties is €3.45 million.
The attention to detail in Landore Hall is striking – from the kitchens right down to the bathroom fittings – and, just like Kubrick’s film, sets a scene of decadent glamour.
